Follow These Steps to Find Out the Age of Water Spots
Repairs for water damage is a common issue for any property, and sometimes the issue is noticeable and other times it's concealed. Things such as flooding bathtubs, toilets and sinks are typical issues linked with water damage and you know there is an issue when this happens. But plumbing lines run all over your property, 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 an unknown location can happen. It's a frustrating obstacle because you can't see the leak and you won't be aware before the water damage appears.
Nevertheless, when you recognize water spots on your ceiling or damage to your walls, these are flags indicating a pipe that's leaking or condensation causing a problem. Since the area is hidden, though, it's hard to determine how long the issue has lasted. While there isn't a way to know exactly how long your water damage problem has lingered, there are some ways to diagnose whether the water damage is new or old.
Find Out the Age of Your Water Damage
The following tips can help you judge whether your water damage is new or old:
- History of the House: Keep track of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any strong weather you had in your location such as a downpour. Water spots and damages can take awhile to occur if it's a slight leak. If your residence is an older home, the spots caused by water damage could have been there for some time. So it's important to keep track of the spots you notice while determining whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
- History of the House: If your house has any water spots, it's important to keep track of them when figuring out whether damage generated from water is new or old. Furthermore, you'll want to be cognizant of any weather that could bring hidden water damage to the surface such as heavy rain. Know your property, because smaller leaks can take awhile to appear, and if you know what's new and what's old, you'll be able to diagnose your issue quicker.
- Touch the Spot: If the water spot is aged, it will be spongy and soft because during the time of the leaking water, your ceiling or drywall has taken in a good amount of water. A newer spot will feel wet but it won't be soft like an older spot.
- Look for Rings: Remember how rings on a tree indicate the age of the tree? The same idea can be used towards spots generated by water. An older water spot will have rings around it. They can also be shaded differently because the area gets wet then dries and gets wet again then dries again, etc. A newer spot will be darker with no rings circling it.
- Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your property, because water and moisture can become trapped by thick paint and tiles. And if spots generated by water show up through these types of materials, this indicates the buildup of moisture has been there for a period of time.
- Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria is there, your water damage has lingered for nearly two to three days.
- Rot: Your material doesn't typically decompose from the first situation of water damage. And when there has been rot, this indicates your material has been vulnerable to constant standing water or flooding.
Water Damage Restoration Technicians - Reach Out to Paul Today
If you're having problems with damages that are generated by water, look no further than Paul Davis. It's vital to remedy any leaks on your property prior to the damage becoming more serious. Our water damage repair professionals can detect dripping pipes and repair your property back to normal no matter the size of the job. Reach out to us today at (403)342-4666 and franchise near you will be there to assist you.
