Water Damage Restoration - Indicate the Age of Water Damage
When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that flood, it's obvious that water damage repairs will be needed. Though, your home can suffer from water damage in ways that aren't as visible. Since you have pipes running throughout your residence, you can have a pipe leaking or an accumulation of condensation between your walls or ceilings. It's a troublesome problem because this isn't in sight- you won't know until you there's water damage, and then it's hard to diagnose how long the problem has lingered.
Because the pipes aren't visible, you can get an approximation of how long you've had water problems by analyzing the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it's hard to find out a precise timeline, but we have some advice on how to evaluate the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you've had water in the area.
Determine How Old Your Water Damage is with This Guidance
Listed below are step-by-steps you can take in order to find out the age of your water damage:
- History of the House: When your residence has any water spots, it's important to keep a record of them when figuring out whether damage generated 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 such as a downpour. Know your home, since smaller leaks can take some time to surface, and if you know what's old and what's new, you'll be able to pinpoint your problem quicker.
- History of the House: An old home may already have some previous water damage, so it's effective to keep a record of what's there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Keeping track of the weather is a great idea too, because if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take some time for a water spot to surface. Taking note of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when diagnosing whether your water damage is new or old.
- Touch the Spot: You can feel the spot, because this will tell you a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A newer spot will feel wet but your ceiling or drywall will still feel the same, while an older spot will be spongy and squishy because your material would have taken in a fair amount of water.
- Look for Rings: Having rings around the damaged spot generated by water presents its age. Consider it as if it was a tree- the more rings, the older the damage generated by water is. Discoloration of the stain is useful since it reveals that the area leaks, dries, leaks, dries, etcetera. If it's a new water spot, the area will be a single stain with no rings around it.
- Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your home, since 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 accumulation of water has been lingering for awhile.
- Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria is present, the damage generated by water has been present for nearly two to three days.
- Decay: Rotting material means that the damage generated by water is either a repeat offender or that it's extensive because there's standing water. A first instance of damage generated by water usually doesn't lead to deterioration.
Call Paul Davis - Your Expert Water Damage Repair Specialists
No matter the extent of the damage generated by water, Paul Davis is here to assist. Our team of experienced water damage restoration contractors can resolve the problem and have your residence in a great state. Fix the problem today before it gets even worse and reach out to us at +1-403-696-8886 to find a local franchise in your location.
