How to Indicate the Age of Water Damage – Water Damage Restoration

One of the more common complications a house can sustain is water damage. As water damage restoration professionals, Paul Davis understands the issues that water damage causes, especially when it isn’t in sight. Your home has pipes everywhere, this includes the inside of your walls and ceilings. If these pipes leak or have condensation on them, they can begin to erode your walls and ceilings. One of the more frustrating parts to this is discovering whether the water damage is new or old.

You can discover how new or old your water issues are by evaluating the water damage itself since the pipes aren’t in sight. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to figure out an exact timeline, but we have some tips on how to analyze the damage so you can come up with an estimated time on how long you’ve had water in the damaged space.

Tips On Damage Produced by Water – Evaluate its Age

Listed below are some tips you can take in order to evaluate the age of your water damage:

History of the House: An older property could already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it’s important to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Tracking the weather is a great idea as well, because if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take some time for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you lots of time when pinpointing whether your water damage is new or old.
History of the House: If your home has any spots caused from water damage, it’s critical to take note of them when figuring out whether your water damage is new or old. Additionally, you’ll want to be observant of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like a rain storm. Know your house, since pipes with a slow drip can take months to appear, and if you know what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to diagnose your problem quicker.
Touch the Spot: You’ll be able to check whether your water damage is new or old just by feeling it. An old spot will be mushy because the material has absorbed a lot of water. A new spot will be moist, but the material will still have a solid feel to it.
Look for Rings: Outlining rings around the damaged spot created by water indicates its age. Think about it like a tree- the more rings it has, the older the damage generated by water is. Different shadings of the blemish is also helpful since it indicates that the area gets soaked, dries, leaks, dries, etcetera. If it’s a brand new water spot, the area will be a single blemish with zero rings.
Examine the Materials: Materials such as tiles and thick paint can trap water, so if you have a water spot leaking through one of these, this can mean there’s been a buildup of water for awhile. Being aware of the materials in your property can help you address your water damage problems more efficiently.
Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria, or mold, is present, your water damage has been present for nearly two to three days.
Decay: If your materials deteriorate from water damage, this is normally the outcome of consistent flooding or standing water. Deterioration normally won’t happen from the first case of a leak.

Get Help from an Expert Water Damage Repair Contractor

If you’re having complications with damages that are produced by water, look no further than Paul Davis. It’s crucial to take care of any dripping pipes in your house before the damage becomes serious. Our water damage restoration professionals can detect dripping pipes and restore your house back to normal no matter the size of the job. Call us today at (208) 522-7374 and franchise near you will be there to help out.