Water Damage - How Old is it? - Discover by Following These Steps

When you have clogged toilets, sinks or bathtubs that overflow, it's obvious that you're in need of water damage restoration. Unfortunately, your property can suffer from water damage in ways that aren't as apparent. Because you have pipes running throughout your house, you can have a leaky pipe or a buildup of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It's a difficult incident because this isn't in view- you won't know until you there's water damage, and then it's difficult to identify how long the problem has lingered.

Yet, when you catch damage to your walls or water spots on your ceiling, these are clues indicating a pipe that's leaking or condensation causing a problem. Because the area is hidden, though, it's tough to figure out how long the problem has lasted. Although there isn't a way to figure out precisely how long your water damage problem has lingered, there are some ways to indicate whether the water damage is old or new.

Figure Out the Age of the Damage Produced by Water

By practicing the tips listed below, you can discover how new or old the damage induced by water:

• History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like a downpour. Damages and spots derived from water can take some time to materialize if it's a slight leak. If your residence is an older home, the water damage spots could have been there for some time. So it's important to keep track of the spots you notice while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like a downpour. Damages and spots derived from water can take some time to materialize if it's a slight leak. An older home could already have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it's important to keep track of the spots you notice while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• Touch the Spot: You can feel the spot, because this can disclose a lot about the age of the water damage. A newer spot will be wet but your drywall or ceiling will still be durable, while an older spot will be mushy and soft because your material would have absorbed a good amount of water.
• Look for Rings: Remember how tree rings indicate the age of the tree? The same approach can be used for spots generated by water. An older water spot will have rings around it. They can also be discolored since the spot gets saturated then dries and gets saturated again then dries again, etcetera. A newer spot will be darker with zero rings circling it.
• Examine the Materials: Materials like tiles and thick paint can actually trap water, so when you have a water spot seeping through one of these, this can indicate there's been water lingering for a period of time. Knowing the materials in your property can help you focus on your water damage issues more efficiently.
• Mold Inspection: Bacteria, or mold, growth normally implies that your water damage has been present for about two to three days.
• Decomposition: Your material doesn't usually deteriorate by the first situation of damage caused by water. And when there has been rot, this indicates your material has been vulnerable to persistent flooding or standing water.

Get an Experienced Water Damage Restoration Contractor

For any water damage restoration emergencies, contact Paul Davis. When there's a pipe dripping that you can't identify, it's essential to contact an expert. Paul Davis' skillful team has the know-how and response time you need to get your house back in order. For a local franchise in your area, give us a call at (905)856-5737 and we'll get an expert for your assistance.