How to Figure Out the Age of a Water Spot – Water Damage Restoration

When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, you know that you’re in need of water damage restoration. Though, your residence can suffer from water damage in ways that aren’t as apparent. Because you have plumbing running throughout your property, you can have a pipe leaking or an accumulation of condensation between your walls or ceilings. It’s a troublesome incident because this isn’t visible- you won’t recognize it until you have water damage, and then it’s hard to pinpoint how long the issue has persisted.

It’s hard to establish how old the water damage is for these spaces that can’t be seen. After all, you could have a pipe that’s been slightly leaking for a period of time but because it’s been hidden, you don’t have a timeline. There’s no way to check the precise time of the problem, but there are approaches to estimate the age of the water damage.

A Guide On Damage Generated by Water – Evaluate its Age

By practicing the tips listed below, you’ll be able to indicate the age of your water damage:

  • History of the House: Take note of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences such as a downpour. Damages and spots caused by water can take months to emerge if the leak is modest. If your residence is an older house, the spots generated by water damage might have been there for some time. So it’s fundamental to take note of the spots you perceive while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: An old residence might already have some previous damage produced from water, so it’s critical to keep track of what’s there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Tracking the weather is a good idea as well, since, if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take a while for a water spot to appear. Taking note of your water damages can save you a lot of hassle when determining whether your water damage is new or old.
  • Touch the Spot: You can feel the spot, because this will disclose a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A new spot will feel wet but your ceiling or drywall will still feel durable, while an old spot will be mushy and squishy because your material would have taken in a fair amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around the damaged spot caused by water shows its age. Remember it like a tree- the more rings it has, the older the damage generated by water is. Discoloration of the blemish is also helpful since it reveals that the area leaks, dries, leaks, dries, so on and so forth. If it’s a new spot produced by water, the area will be a single mark with zero rings around it.
  • Examine the Materials: It’s essential to know about the materials that comprise your walls or ceilings, since things such as thick paint or tiles can trap the water. When this is the case, even a small water spot can mean the accumulation of water has been lingering for a period of time.
  • Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria, or mold, is present, the damage generated by water has been present for about two to three days.
  • Decay: When your materials decompose from damage caused by water, this is normally the consequence of regular flooding or standing water. Decomposition normally doesn’t happen from the first situation of leakage.

Remove Water Damage & Call Paul Davis

If you’re having issues with damages that are caused by water, Paul Davis’ expert team is here to help out. It’s vital to take care of any leaks on your property before the damage becomes extensive. Our water damage restoration professionals can locate dripping pipes and fix your property back to normal no matter the size of the job. Get in touch with Paul today at 989-894-4450 and a local franchise is there to help out.