Old-New Water Damage - Tips by Water Damage Restoration Experts

Water damage restoration is a common issue for any house, and sometimes the issue is apparent and other times it isn't. Things like overflowing toilets, sinks and bathtubs are common problems linked with water damage and you know there is a problem when this occurs. However, plumbing lines run all over your property, and this involves places you can't see such as between the floors and inside the walls. Unfortunately a leaky pipe in an unseen area can occur. It's a frustrating obstacle because you can't see the leak and you won't notice it before the water damage appears.

However, when you recognize water spots on your ceiling or damage to your walls, these are the sure signs of a leaky pipe or condensation causing a problem. Because the space is unseen, though, it's challenging to ascertain how long the issue has been at hand. While there isn't a way to figure out exactly how long your water damage problem has lingered, there are some ways to diagnose whether the water damage is new or old.

Determine the Time Frame of Your Water Damage

Below are some tips you can take in order to figure out the time frame of your water damage:

  • History of the House: An older house could already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it's important to keep track of what's there and to note if the damage changes overtime. Keeping track of the weather is a good idea as well, since, if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take months for a spot to surface. Taking note of your water spots and damages can save you lots of time when finding out whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
  • History of the House: An older house could already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it's important to keep track of what's there and to note if the damage changes overtime. Keeping track of the weather is a good idea as well, since, if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take months for a spot to surface. Taking note of your water spots and damages can save you lots of time when finding out whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
  • Touch the Spot: You can touch the spot- this will disclose a lot about the age of the water damage. A newer spot will feel wet but your ceiling or drywall will still feel the same, while an older spot will be mushy and soft because your material would have absorbed a fair amount of water.
  • Look for Rings: When you see one darker spot with no rings around it, this indicates that the water damage is new. Older water damage will have rings around it, and like trees, the more rings shows the age. Different colored and shades of rings exhibits that the spot has been drenched, dried, drenched, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: Get to know the material in your house, because water and moisture can get trapped by tiles and thick paint. And if spots produced by water show up through these, this means the buildup of moisture has been there for awhile.
  • Mold Inspection: When bacteria has had time to inhabit the space, this means that your water damage has lingered for approximately two to three days.
  • Decomposition: Your material doesn't usually rot from the first situation of damage produced by water. So when there has been deterioration, this means your material has been susceptible to persistent standing water or flooding.

Get a Professional Water Damage Restoration Specialist

When you're having issues with damages that are caused by water, Paul Davis is here to help out. It's critical to fix any leaks on your property before the damage becomes serious. Our water damage restoration professionals can detect dripping pipes and restore your house back to normal no matter how big or small the job is. Get in touch with Paul now at (519)570-0438 and in your location is there to help out.