Water Damage Repair - Determine the Age of Water Damage
Water damage repair is a common issue for any house, and every now and then the issue is apparent and other times it isn't. Things like overflowing toilets, sinks and bathtubs are common problems linked with water damage and you know there is a problem when this occurs. But pipes run all over your house, and this involves places you can't see such as inside the walls and between the floors. It's safe to say that a leaky pipe in a hidden area can occur. It's an irritating obstacle since you can't see the leak and you won't know before the water damage appears.
But, when you catch damage to your walls or water spots on your ceiling, these are the sure signs of a pipe that's leaking or condensation generating the issue. Because the area is hidden, though, it's hard to determine how long the issue has been at hand. Although there isn't an approach to know exactly how long your water damage issue has persisted, there are some ways to indicate whether the water damage is old or new.
Find Out How Old Your Water Damage is with These Steps
By practicing the tips listed below, you can learn how old or new the damage caused by water:
- History of the House: An old house may already have some previous damage caused from water, so it's critical to keep track of what's there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Keeping track of the weather is a good idea too, since, if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take months for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you lots of time when figuring out whether the damage caused from water is old or new.
- History of the House: Keep track of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any strong weather you had in your area such as heavy rain. Water spots can take some time to occur if it's a slight leak. If your residence is an older home, the water damage spots may have been there for awhile. So it's important to keep track of the spots you notice while figuring out whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
- Touch the Spot: You'll can verify whether the damage caused by water is old or new just by touching it. An older spot is going to be spongy because the material has absorbed a lot of water. A newer spot is going to be moist, however, the material will have a solid feel to it.
- Look for Rings: When you see just one darker spot with zero rings around it, this indicates that the damage caused by water is new. Older damage caused by water will have rings around it, and like trees, the more rings shows the age. Different colored and shades of rings tell you that the spot has been saturated, dried, saturated, dried, etc.
- Examine the Materials: Get to know the material in your house, since water and moisture can get trapped by tiles and thick paint. And if water spots show up through these types of materials, this means the accumulation of water has remained for awhile.
- Mold Inspection: When bacteria has had time to settle in, this means that the damage caused by water has been there for approximately two to three days.
- Decomposition: Decomposed material means that the damage caused by water is either happening on a regular basis or that it's extensive because there's standing water. A first instance of damage caused by water typically won't cause decomposition.
Eliminate Damage Generated by Water & Call Paul Davis
For all your water damage repair needs, contact Paul Davis. When there's a pipe dripping that you can't detect, it's important to call a professional. Paul Davis' expert team has the know-how and response time required to get your residence back in order. For a local franchise near your area, give us a call at (403)342-4666 and we'll get an expert to come help you out.
