Expert Water Damage Restoration Tips - How Old Are Your Water Spots?

When you have clogged toilets, sinks or bathtubs that overflow, it's obvious that you're in need of water damage restoration. Nonetheless, your home can sustain water damage in ways that aren't as evident. Because you have pipes running through your house, you can have a leaky pipe or a buildup of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It's a difficult incident because this isn't in view- you won't know until you have water damage, and then it's difficult to pinpoint how long the issue has lingered.

It's difficult to check how old or new the water damage is for these areas that aren't visible. Though, you could have a pipe that's been slightly leaking for a period of time but because it's not in plain sight, you don't know how long. There's no way to determine exactly how long the problem has persisted, but there are some ways to approximate the age of the water damage.

Learn How Old Your Water Damage is with This Guidance

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

• 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 area like heavy rain. Water spots can take some time to emerge if the leak is modest. If you reside in an older house, the spots produced by water damage might have been there for some time. So it's fundamental to take note of the spots you observe while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: An old home might already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it's important 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 as well, since, if you have a modest leak, it can take months for a spot to surface. Taking note of your water damages can save you lots of time when finding out whether your water damage is old or new.
• Touch the Spot: You can touch the spot, because this will reveal a lot about the age of the damage produced by water. A newer spot will feel wet but your drywall or ceiling will still feel the same, while an older spot will be spongy and soft because your material would have taken in a good amount of water.
• Look for Rings: When you see just a darker spot with no rings around it, this shows that the damage produced by water is new. Older damage produced by water will have rings around it, and like trees, the more rings shows the age. Discolored rings shows you that the spot has been drenched, dried, drenched, dried, etc.
• Examine the Materials: Materials like thick paint and tiles can trap water, so when you have a spot produced by water leaking through one of these, this can mean there's been a buildup of water for a period of time. Being aware of the materials in your property can help you focus on your water damage issues more efficiently.
• Mold Inspection: If bacteria has had time to inhabit the area, this indicates that your water damage has lingered for approximately two to three days.
• Decomposition: When your materials decay from damage produced by water, this is typically the issue of regular flooding or standing water. Decomposition typically won't occur from the first situation of a leak.

Get Help from an Experienced Water Damage Restoration Specialist

The extent of your water damage doesn't matter, Paul Davis is here to assist. Our team of professional water damage restoration contractors can resolve the issue and have your house back in good condition. Fix the issue today before it gets worse and contact us at (403)342-4666 for a local franchise near you.