Figuring Out the Age of Water Damage - Water Damage Restoration

When you have clogged sinks, bathtubs or toilets that flood, you know that you're in need of water damage restoration. Though, your residence can suffer from water damage in ways that aren't as noticeable. Because you have pipes running through your house, you can have a pipe leaking or an accumulation of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It's an inconvenient incident since this isn't visible- you won't know until you have water damage, and then it's difficult to diagnose how long the issue has lingered.

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

A Guide On Water Damage - Determine its Time Frame

The following steps can help you judge whether your water damage is old or new:

  • History of the House: Keep track of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like a downpour. Water spots can take months to emerge if it's a slight leak. If you occupy an older home, the spots caused by water damage may have been there for awhile. So it's critical to take note of the spots you see while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: Keep track of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like a downpour. Water spots can take months to emerge if it's a slight leak. An older home may already have some water spots that were sustained previously. So it's critical to take note of the spots you see while finding out whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
  • Touch the Spot: Go ahead and feel the spot, because this will reveal a lot about the age of the water damage. A newer spot will be wet but your ceiling or drywall will still be strong, while an older spot will be spongy and squishy since your material would have absorbed a good amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around your water damage spot indicates its age. Think about it like a tree- the more rings it has, the longer the water damage has been present. Different shadings of the stain is useful since it reveals that the area gets soaked, dries, leaks, dries, etc. If it's a new water spot, the area will be a single stain with zero rings.
  • Examine the Materials: Learn about the material in your property, since water can get trapped by thick paint and tiles. And if spots caused by water show up through these types of materials, this means the buildup of moisture has been there for awhile.
  • Mold Inspection: Bacteria growth typically implies your water damage has lingered for approximately two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Your material won't decay by the first situation of damage created by water. And when there has been rot, this means your material has been exposed to repeated flooding or standing water.

Get Help from a Skillful Water Damage Repair Contractor

When you're having problems with damages that are created by water, Paul Davis' professional team is here to assist you. It's critical to remedy any dripping pipes on your property prior to the damage becoming more serious. Our water damage restoration professionals can find dripping pipes and fix your property back to normal conditions no matter how big or small the job is. Contact us today at (403)342-4666 and a local franchise is there to assist you.