Water Damage - How New is it? - Discover by Following These Tips

A typical problem that a lot of properties deal with is some form of damage caused by water. As water damage restoration experts, Paul Davis knows the complications that water damage produces, especially when it can't be seen. Your residence has plumbing running throughout it, this includes the inside of your ceilings and walls. If these pipes have condensation on them or a leak, they can slowly deteriorate your walls and ceilings. One of the more difficult situations to this is discovering whether or not the damage caused by water is old or new.

Since the pipes aren't visible, you can get an approximation of how long you've had water complications by examining the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find out a precise timeline, but we have some advice on how to analyze the damage so you can come up with an approximate time on how long you've had water in the area.

Learn How Old or New Your Water Damage is with These Tips

You can figure out whether your water damage is old or new by using these tips:

• History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like heavy rain. Damages and spots derived from water can take some time to surface if the leak is modest. Older properties could already have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it's essential to keep a record of the spots you perceive while finding out whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like heavy rain. Damages and spots derived from water can take some time to surface if the leak is modest. Older properties could already have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it's essential to keep a record of the spots you perceive while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
• Touch the Spot: Go ahead and feel the spot, because this will inform you a lot about the age of the damage generated by water. A new spot will be wet but your drywall or ceiling will still be the same, while an old spot will be mushy and soft because your material would have taken in a fair amount of moisture.
• Look for Rings: If you see just a dark spot with no rings around it, this indicates that the damage generated by water is new. Old damage generated by water usually has rings around it, and just like a tree, the more rings determines the age. Discolored rings exhibits that the area has been saturated, dried, saturated, dried, etc.
• Examine the Materials: Materials like tiles and thick paint can trap water and moisture, so when you have a spot caused by water seeping through one of these, this can indicate there's been a buildup of water for awhile. Being aware of the materials around your property can help you address your water damage problems more efficiently.
• Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is there, your water damage has been present for approximately two to three days.
• Decay: If your materials rot from damage created by water, this is usually the result of regular flooding or standing water. Decomposition usually won't happen from the first situation of leakage.

Water Damage Restoration Technicians - Get in Touch with Paul Davis Today

For all your water damage restoration emergencies, reach out to Paul Davis. If there's a leak that you can't find, it's fundamental to call an expert. The professional team at Paul Davis has the know-how and response time required to maintain your residence. For a local franchise in your area, give us a call at (519)570-0438 and we'll get a professional for your assistance.