Approaches to Figure Out if Your Water Damage is New or Old

Restorations for water damage is a common issue for any home, and every now and then the issue is clear and other times it's indistinct. Things like flooding bathtubs, toilets and sinks are common problems associated with water damage and you know there is an issue when this happens. But pipes run all over your house, and this includes areas you can't see such as inside the walls and between the floors. Unfortunately a pipe leaking in a hidden space can occur. It's a frustrating obstacle because you can't see what's going on and you won't know before the water damage appears.

Because the pipes aren't visible, you can get an estimate of how long you've had water issues by evaluating the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it's hard to figure out a precise timeline, but we have some tips on how to evaluate the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you've had water in the damaged space.

Figure Out the Time Frame of the Damage Caused by Water

Below are some tips you can take to figure out the time frame of your water damage:

• 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 area such as a heavy rain storm. Water spots can take awhile to emerge if the leak is small. If you live in an older house, the spots generated by water damage may have been there for awhile. So it's essential to keep a record of the spots you observe while determining whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any strong weather you had in your area such as a heavy rain storm. Water spots can take awhile to emerge if the leak is small. If you live in an older house, the spots generated by water damage may have been there for awhile. So it's essential to keep a record of the spots you observe while determining whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• Touch the Spot: You can touch the spot, because this will reveal a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A new spot will be wet but your drywall or ceiling will still be strong, while an old spot will be mushy and squishy because your material would have taken in a fair amount of moisture.
• Look for Rings: Remember how rings on a tree determine how old a tree is? The same approach can be used towards water spots. An old water spot is going to have rings around it. They will also be discolored because the spot gets saturated then dries and gets saturated again then dries again, etc. A new spot will be dark with no rings around it.
• Examine the Materials: Get to know the material around your home, because water and moisture can become trapped by tiles and thick paint. So if spots produced by water show up through these types of materials, this means the buildup of moisture has been lingering for a period of time.
• Mold Inspection: When mold has had time to inhabit the space, this implies the damage generated by water has been present for nearly two to three days.
• Decay: Your material won't decay from the first occurrence of damage generated by water. So if there has been decomposition, this means your material has been susceptible to constant standing water or flooding.

Water Damage Repair Technicians - Reach Out to Paul

When you're having water damage issues, Paul Davis is here to assist you. It's vital to remedy any dripping pipes in your residence before the damage becomes extensive. Our water damage repair experts can locate dripping pipes and repair your home back to normal conditions no matter the size of the job. Get in touch with Paul today at +1-403-696-8886 and a local franchise is there to assist you.