Water Damage Repair - Determine the Age of Water Spots
When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, it's obvious that you're in need of water damage restoration. Though, your property can suffer from water damage in ways that aren't as straightforward. Because you have plumbing running throughout your residence, you can have a pipe leaking or an accumulation of condensation between your walls or ceilings. It's a troublesome circumstance since this isn't visible- you won't notice it until you have water damage, and then it's difficult to pinpoint how long the problem has persisted.
Nevertheless, when you notice damage to your walls or water spots on your ceiling, these are the sure signs of a leaky pipe or condensation causing a problem. Since the space is concealed, though, it's tough to figure out how long the issue has been at hand. Although there isn't a way to know exactly how long your water damage problem has persisted, there are some ways to indicate whether the water damage is new or old.
Determine How Old or New the Damage Produced by Water is with These Steps
You can get an approximate time frame of the damage generated from water by following these steps:
- History of the House: An old property may already have some previous damage produced from water, so it's critical to keep a record of what's there and to note if the damage alters 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 months for a spot to surface. Taking note of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when diagnosing whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
- History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences such as heavy rain. Water spots and damages can take awhile to pop up if the leak is modest. If you occupy an older home, the water damage spots may have been there for awhile. So it's essential to take note of the spots you see while determining whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
- Touch the Spot: When the water spot is aged, it will be soft and spongy because during the time of the leaking water, your drywall or ceiling has absorbed a good amount of water. A newer spot will feel wet but the area won't be soft like an older spot.
- Look for Rings: You know how tree rings indicate the age of the tree? The same idea can be used towards spots created by water. An older water spot will have rings around it. They will also be shaded differently because the spot gets soaked then dries and gets soaked again then dries again, etc. A newer spot will be darker with no rings around it.
- Examine the Materials: Get to know the material around your home, because water can get trapped by tiles and thick paint. So if water spots show up through these types of materials, this means the buildup of water has been there for awhile.
- Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria, or mold, is there, your water damage has been there for approximately two to three days.
- Decomposition: Deteriorated material indicates that your water damage is either a repeat offender or that it's extensive because there's standing water. A first case of damage generated by water usually doesn't cause decomposition.
Get Help from an Expert Water Damage Repair Specialist
When you're having water damage complications, Paul Davis' expert team is here to assist you. It's essential to remedy any dripping pipes in your residence prior to the damage becoming more extensive. Our water damage restoration professionals can find dripping pipes and restore your home back to normal conditions no matter how big or small the job is. Call Paul now at +1-403-696-8886 and franchise near your area will be there to assist you.
