Water Damage Repair - Determine the Age of Water Damage

When you have backed-up bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, it's obvious that you're in need of water damage repair. Still, your house can come under water damage in ways that aren't as distinct. Because you have plumbing running all over your property, you can have a pipe leaking or an accumulation of condensation between your walls or ceilings. It's a difficult problem since this isn't in sight- you won't notice it until you have water damage, and then it's hard to identify how long the problem has persisted.

Yet, when you detect water spots on your ceiling or damage to your walls, these are the sure signs of a pipe that's leaking or condensation generating the problem. Since the space is concealed, though, it's difficult to determine how long the problem has lasted. Even though 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.

Discover How Old Your Water Damage is with This Guidance

You can learn whether your water damage is old or new by using these tips:

  • History of the House: An older house could already have some previous damage produced from water, so it's important to keep track of what's there and to note if the damage changes overtime. Keeping track of the weather is a great idea as well, because if you have a small leak, it can take awhile for a water spot to appear. Taking note of your water damages can save you a lot of hassle when determining whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
  • History of the House: If your property has any water spots, it's important to keep track of them when finding out whether damage generated from water is new or old. Furthermore, you'll want to be cognizant of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your property, because modest leaks can take some time to appear, and if you know what's new and what's old, you'll be able to pinpoint your problem faster.
  • Touch the Spot: You can touch the spot, because this will inform you a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A new spot will feel wet but your ceiling or drywall will still feel durable, while an old spot will be mushy and spongy since your material would have taken in a good amount of water.
  • Look for Rings: Outlining rings around your water damage spot presents its age. Remember it as if it was a tree- the more rings, the longer the damage generated by water has been around. Discoloration of the spot is also helpful because it reveals that the area gets soaked, dries, leaks, dries, so on and so forth. If it's a brand new spot created by water, the area will be a single blemish with no rings.
  • Examine the Materials: Materials like thick paint and tiles can trap water and moisture, so when you have a water spot seeping through one of these, this can indicate there's been a buildup of water for a period of time. Knowing the materials around your home can help you focus on your water damage problems more effectively.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is there, your water damage has lingered for nearly two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Your material doesn't usually decompose from the first occurrence of water damage. And when there has been decomposition, this means your material has been vulnerable to persistent standing water or flooding.

Get in Touch with Paul - Your Expert Water Damage Repair Technicians

The extent of your water damage doesn't matter, Paul Davis is here to assist. Our team of skillful water damage repair technicians can resolve the problem and have your property in a great state. Remedy the problem now before it gets even worse and contact us at (306)337-9999 to find a local franchise near you.