Helping to Determine the Age of Water Damage

A natural problem that a lot of properties face is some form of damage caused by water. As water damage restoration experts, Paul Davis knows the issues that water damage leads to, especially when it can't be seen. Your home has plumbing everywhere, including the inside of your ceilings and walls. If these pipes leak or have condensation on them, they can gradually wear out your walls and ceilings. One of the more frustrating parts to this is verifying whether the damage caused by water is new or old.

Because the pipes are hidden, you can get an approximation of how long you've had water problems by analyzing the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it's difficult to figure out a precise timeline, but we have some tips on how to examine the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you've had water in the area.

Evaluate How Old or New Your Water Damage is with This Guidance

The following steps can help you understand whether the damage generated by water is new or old:

• History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences such as a heavy rain storm. Water spots and damages can take awhile to materialize if it's a slight leak. If your residence is an older house, the spots generated by water damage could have been there for awhile. So it's essential to keep a record of the spots you see while indicating whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: When your residence has any water spots, it's essential to keep a record of them when determining whether damage caused from water is new or old. Also, you'll want to be apprehensive of any weather that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like a downpour. Know your property, since modest leaks can take awhile to surface, and if you understand what's old and what's new, you'll be able to diagnose your problem quicker.
• Touch the Spot: When the water spot is aged, it will be mushy and squishy since during the period of the water leak, your drywall or ceiling has taken in a good amount of water. You'll feel wetness with a newer spot but the area won't be soft to the touch.
• Look for Rings: You know how rings on a tree show how old a tree is? The same approach can be used for water spots. An older water spot will have rings around it. They can also be shaded differently since the area gets soaked then dries and gets soaked again then dries again, etcetera. A newer spot will be darker with no rings around it.
• Examine the Materials: It's crucial to be cognizant of the materials that comprise your ceiling or walls, since things such as thick paint or tiles can trap moisture. When this is the case, even a small water spot can mean the buildup of water has been around for a while.
• Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria, or mold, is present, the damage generated by water has been there for about two to three days.
• Decomposition: When your materials decay from damage caused by water, this is typically the outcome of consistent flooding or standing water. Decay typically won't occur from the first situation of leakage.

Reach out to Paul - Your Experienced Water Damage Restoration Specialists

If you're having problems with damages that are caused by water, look no further than Paul Davis. It's important to take care of any leaks on your property prior to the damage becoming more serious. Our water damage restoration experts can detect dripping pipes and repair your property back to normal no matter how big or small the job is. Contact Paul today at (403)342-4666 and near your area will be there to help out.