How to Determine the Age of a Water Spot - Water Damage Restoration

When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, you know that you're in need of water damage restoration. Though, your house can sustain water damage in ways that aren't as apparent. Because you have plumbing running throughout your home, you can have a leaky pipe or a buildup of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It's an alarming situation because this isn't visible- you won't know until you there's water damage, and then it's difficult to define how long the problem has persisted.

Since the pipes can't be seen, you can get an approximation of how long you've had water issues by examining 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 approximate time on how long you've had water in the area.

Figure Out the Time Frame of the Damage Produced by Water

By following the steps listed below, you'll be able to indicate how old or new your water damage:

  • History of the House: An older house might already have some previous water damage, so it's critical to keep a record of what's there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Tracking the weather is a great idea too, because if you have a a slow leak, it can take months for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you lots of time when pinpointing whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
  • History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any strong weather you had in your location like a heavy rain storm. Damages and spots caused by water can take awhile to emerge if it's a slight leak. If your residence is an older house, the spots generated by water damage might have been there for some time. So it's important to keep a record of the spots you see while figuring out whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
  • Touch the Spot: Go on and feel the spot, because this will disclose a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A new spot will feel wet but your drywall or ceiling will still feel durable, while an old spot will be soft and spongy because your material would have taken in a good amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: When you see just one dark spot with zero rings around it, this indicates that the damage generated by water is new. Old damage generated by water will have rings around it, and like trees, the more rings determines the age. Discolored rings tell you that the area has been soaked, dried, soaked, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: Materials like tiles and thick paint can trap water, so if you have a spot created by water seeping through one of these, this can mean there's been a buildup of water for awhile. Being aware of the materials in your home can help you focus on your water damage problems more effectively.
  • Mold Inspection: If mold has had time to inhabit the space, this indicates that the damage generated by water has been there for approximately two to three days.
  • Decay: When your materials rot from damage generated by water, this is typically the result of repeat flooding or standing water. Rot typically doesn't occur from the first case of leakage.

Get Help from a Skillful Water Damage Restoration Specialist

For all your water damage restoration emergencies, reach out to Paul Davis. If there's a leak that you can't detect, it's essential to contact a professional. The professional team at Paul Davis has the experience and response time you need to get your home back in order. To find a local franchise in your location, reach out to us at (403)342-4666 and we'll get an expert for your assistance.