Determining the Age of Water Damage – Water Damage Repair

When you have clogged toilets, sinks or bathtubs that overflow, it’s obvious that water damage restorations will be needed. Though, your home can sustain water damage in ways that aren’t as clear. Since you have plumbing running all over your property, you can have a leaky pipe or a buildup of condensation between your walls or ceilings. It’s a troublesome problem since this isn’t in sight- you won’t recognize it until you have water damage, and then it’s difficult to define how long the problem has lingered.

For these spaces that can’t be seen, it’s complicated to figure out how old or new the water damage is. After all, you could have a pipe that’s been slightly leaking for awhile but because it’s been hidden, you don’t have a timeline. There’s no way to figure out the precise time of the problem, but there are methods to estimate the age of the water damage.

Tips On Damage Caused by Water – Determine its Time Frame

You can learn whether the damage produced by water is old or new by following this step-by-step process:

  • History of the House: An old home may already have some previous water damage, so it’s important 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 good idea as well, because if you have a modest leak, it can take months for a water spot to appear. Taking note of your water damages can save you a lot of hassle when determining whether your water damage is old or new.
  • History of the House: If your property has any spots from water damage, it’s important to keep a record of them when determining whether damage provoked from water is old or new. Also, you’ll want to be observant of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your property, since pipes with a slow drip can take awhile to appear, and if you understand what’s new and what’s old, you’ll be able to pinpoint your problem quicker.
  • Touch the Spot: If the water spot is old, it will be spongy and soft since during the time of the water leak, your drywall or ceiling has absorbed a good amount of water. A newer spot will feel wet but it won’t be soft to the touch.
  • Look for Rings: Remember how tree rings show how old a tree is? The same approach can be used for spots generated by water. An older water spot will have rings around it. They can also be shaded differently since the area gets soaked then dries and gets soaked again then dries again, etcetera. A newer spot will be darker with zero rings around it.
  • Examine the Materials: It’s critical to be cognizant of the materials that comprise your ceiling or walls, since things such as thick paint or tiles can actually trap the water. If this is the circumstance, even a water spot that’s small can mean the buildup of water has been lingering for a period of time.
  • Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria, or mold, is there, the damage produced by water has lingered for about two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Your material won’t deteriorate by the first case of damage caused by water. And if there has been rot, this means your material has been vulnerable to persistent standing water or flooding.

Reach out to Paul – Your Professional Water Damage Repair Contractors

When you’re having water damage problems, Paul Davis is here to assist you. It’s fundamental to fix any leaks on your property before the damage becomes serious. Our water damage repair experts can detect a leak and fix your property back to normal conditions no matter how big or small the job is. Get in touch with Paul today at 651.243.0737 and franchise near you is there to assist you.