Water Damage Repair – Determine the Age of Water Damage

A natural complication that a lot of residences run into is some form of damage caused by water. As water damage repair professionals, Paul Davis understands the problems that water damage leads to, especially when it can’t be seen. Your house has plumbing running throughout it, this includes the inside of your walls and ceilings. If these pipes have condensation on them or a leak, they can slowly erode your walls and ceilings. One of the more frustrating parts to this is determining whether or not the damage caused by water is old or new.

Since the pipes are hidden, you can get an estimate of how long you’ve had water problems by analyzing the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to figure out a precise timeline, but we have some advice on how to evaluate the damage so you can come up with an approximate time on how long you’ve had water in the area.

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

By following the step-by-step process listed below, you can learn the age of the damage induced by water:

  • History of the House: An older residence could already have some previous water damage, so it’s essential to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Keeping track of the weather is a good idea too, since, if you have a small leak, it can take some time for a water spot to appear. Keeping track of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when finding out whether your water damage is old or new.
  • History of the House: An older residence could already have some previous water damage, so it’s essential to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Keeping track of the weather is a good idea too, since, if you have a small leak, it can take some time for a water spot to appear. Keeping track of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when finding out whether your water damage is old or new.
  • Touch the Spot: When the water spot is aged, it will be squishy and spongy because during the time of the water leak, your drywall or ceiling has taken in a good amount of water. You’ll feel moisture with a newer spot but it won’t be soft like an older spot.
  • Look for Rings: Remember how rings on a tree indicate the age of the tree? The same approach can be used for water spots. An older water spot is going to have rings around it. They will also be discolored because the area gets saturated then dries and gets saturated again then dries again, etcetera. A newer spot will be darker with zero rings around it.
  • Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your property, because water can get trapped by thick paint and tiles. So if water spots show up through these types of materials, this indicates the buildup of moisture has remained for a period of time.
  • Mold Inspection: If bacteria has had time to colonize, this means the damage produced by water has been there for about two to three days.
  • Decomposition: Rotting material indicates that the damage produced by water is either occurring consistently or that it’s extensive because there’s standing water. A first case of water damage typically doesn’t cause decay.

Water Damage Repair Technicians – Contact Paul

For any water damage repair needs, contact Paul Davis. If there’s a leak that you can’t find, it’s critical to get in touch with a professional. Paul Davis’ expert team has the experience and response time you need to get your property back in order. For a local franchise near your location, contact us at (315) 565-4150 and we’ll get a professional for your assistance.