Follow These Steps to Find Out the Age of Water Damage

When you have backed-up bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, you know that you’re in need of water damage repair. Though, your house can experience water damage in ways that aren’t as evident. Since you have pipes running through your residence, you can have a leaky pipe or a buildup of condensation between your walls or ceilings. 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 identify how long the issue has lingered.

You can discover how new or old your water complications are by analyzing the water damage itself since the pipes are hidden. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find out a precise timeline, but we have some guidance on how to evaluate the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you’ve had water in the damaged space.

Find Out How Old Your Water Damage is with This Guidance

You can figure out whether the damage generated by water is old or new by following these steps:

  • History of the House: Take note of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences like heavy rain. Water spots and damages can take months to present themselves if the leak is small. If you live in an older home, the spots generated by water damage may have been there for awhile. So it’s fundamental to keep a record of the spots you observe while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences like heavy rain. Water spots and damages can take months to present themselves if the leak is small. An older home may have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it’s fundamental to keep a record of the spots you observe while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • Touch the Spot: You’ll can indicate whether the damage generated by water is old or new just by touching it. An old spot is going to be squishy since the material has absorbed a fair amount of water. A new spot is going to be moist, but the material will feel solid.
  • Look for Rings: You know how tree rings indicate the age of the tree? The same approach can be used for spots produced by water. An old water spot will have rings around it. They will also be shaded differently since the spot gets saturated then dries and gets saturated again then dries again, etc. A new spot will be dark with zero rings circling it.
  • Examine the Materials: Materials like tiles and thick paint can actually trap water, so if you have a spot caused by water seeping through one of these, this can mean there’s been water lingering for awhile. Knowing the materials can help you address your water damage issues more effectively.
  • Mold Inspection: If mold has had time to settle, this means the damage generated by water has lingered for nearly two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Decomposed material means that the damage generated by water is either happening on a regular basis or that it’s extensive because there’s standing water. A first instance of water damage typically doesn’t cause decay.

Water Damage Repair Specialists – Reach Out to Paul Today

For all your water damage repair emergencies, reach out to Paul Davis. If there’s a leak that you can’t identify, it’s fundamental to get in touch with an expert. Paul Davis’ professional team has the know-how and response time required to maintain your residence. To find a local franchise in your location, reach out to us at (517) 465-3096 and we’ll get an expert for your assistance.