Water Damage – How New is it? – Learn by Following These Steps

Restorations for water damage is a common issue for any house, and sometimes the issue is obvious and other times it isn’t. Things like flooding bathtubs, toilets and sinks are common problems related to water damage and you know there is an issue when this happens. However, plumbing lines run all over your house, and this involves areas you can’t see such as inside the walls and between the floors. Unfortunately a leaky pipe in a concealed area can happen. It’s an aggravating obstacle since you can’t see what’s going on and you won’t know before the water damage appears.

Since the pipes can’t be seen, you can get an approximation of how long you’ve had water issues by analyzing the water damage itself. 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 approximate time on how long you’ve had water in the damaged space.

A Step-by-Step On Water Damage – Establish its Time Frame

By practicing the tips listed below, you can determine the age of the damage produced by water:

  • History of the House: When your home has any water spots, it’s fundamental to take note of them when figuring out whether damage caused from water is old or new. Additionally, you’ll want to be apprehensive of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like a downpour. Know your house, since smaller leaks can take months to appear, and if you understand what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to pinpoint your issue quicker.
  • History of the House: When your home has any water spots, it’s fundamental to take note of them when figuring out whether damage caused from water is old or new. Additionally, you’ll want to be apprehensive of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like a downpour. Know your house, since smaller leaks can take months to appear, and if you understand what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to pinpoint your issue quicker.
  • Touch the Spot: Go ahead and feel the spot, because this will disclose a lot about the age of the water damage. A newer spot will feel wet but your drywall or ceiling will still feel durable, while an older spot will be mushy and spongy since your material would have absorbed a fair amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: When you see just one darker spot with zero rings around it, this shows that the water damage is new. Older water damage usually has rings around it, and like trees, the more rings determines the age. Different colored and shades of rings exhibits that the area has been saturated, dried, saturated, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: Materials such as thick paint and tiles can trap water, so if you have a water spot leaking through one of these, this can mean there’s been water lingering for awhile. Knowing the materials can help you focus on your water damage problems more efficiently.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is there, the damage generated by water has lingered for about two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Your material won’t deteriorate from the first case of damage generated by water. And if there has been decay, this means your material has been exposed to consistent standing water or flooding.

Dispose of Damage Generated from Water & Call Paul Davis

When you’re having issues with damages that are caused by water, Paul Davis is here to help out. It’s important to fix any leaks in your residence prior to the damage becoming more extensive. Our water damage restoration professionals can detect a leak and restore your house back to normal no matter how big or small the job is. Call us now at (951) 347-3121 and a local franchise will be there to help out.