Water Damage Restoration - Find Out the Age of Water Spots

When you have clogged toilets, sinks or bathtubs that flood, you know that you're in need of water damage restoration. Nonetheless, your house can suffer from water damage in ways that aren't as visible. Because you have plumbing running all over your residence, you can have a pipe leaking or a buildup of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It's an inconvenient problem since this isn't visible- you won't recognize it until you have water damage, and then it's difficult to define how long the problem has lingered.

Because the pipes aren't visible, you can get an approximation of how long you've had water complications by examining the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find out a precise timeline, but we have some tips on how to examine the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you've had water in the damaged space.

A Step-by-Step On Water Damage - Establish its Time Frame

You can gain some insight on whether the damage caused by water is old or new by following these steps:

  • History of the House: An older house could already have some previous water damage, so it's important to keep a record of what's there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Tracking the weather is a good idea too, because if you have a a slow leak, it can take months for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when determining whether your water damage is old or new.
  • History of the House: If your residence has any water spots, it's essential to take note of them when finding out whether damage generated from water is old or new. In addition, you'll want to be cognizant of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like a rain storm. Know your property, because smaller leaks can take months to appear, and if you know what's new and what's old, you'll be able to identify your problem quicker.
  • Touch the Spot: You can touch the spot- this will reveal a lot about the age of the water damage. A new spot will feel wet but your ceiling or drywall will still feel durable, while an old spot will be spongy and soft since your material would have taken in a good amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around your water damage spot presents age. Think about it like a tree- the more rings it has, the longer the water damage has been around. Discoloration of the spot is useful because it reveals that the area leaks, dries, gets saturated, dries, etc. If it's a brand new water spot, the area will be a single mark with zero rings.
  • Examine the Materials: It's fundamental to be cognizant of the materials that make up your ceiling or walls, because things like tiles or thick paint can trap moisture. If this is the circumstance, even a water spot that's small can indicate the buildup of water has been remaining for a while.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria, or mold, is present, the damage caused by water has been present for approximately two to three days.
  • Rot: If your materials decompose from damage produced by water, this is usually the consequence of consistent flooding or standing water. Decomposition usually doesn't occur from the first instance of a leak.

Get Rid of Water Damage & Call Paul Davis

The amount of the damage caused by water doesn't matter, Paul Davis is here to help out. Our team of skillful water damage restoration contractors can fix the problem and have your residence in a good state. Fix the problem now before it gets in a worse condition and reach out to us at +1-403-696-8886 for a local franchise near you.