Methods to Figure Out if Your Water Damage is Old or New

A common problem that a lot of homes deal with is some form of water damage. As water damage restoration experts, Paul Davis recognize the complications that water damage produces, especially when it can’t be seen. Your home has pipes everywhere, including the inside of your walls and ceilings. If these pipes have condensation on them or a leak, they can slowly wear out your ceiling or walls. One of the more difficult parts to this is detecting whether or not the water damage is old or new.

It’s hard to establish how old the water damage is for these areas that aren’t visible. Nevertheless, you could have a pipe that’s been slightly leaking for awhile but because it’s not in plain sight, you don’t have a timeline. There’s no sure way to check the precise time of the problem, but there are methods to approximate the age of the water damage.

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

The following steps can help you understand whether the damage caused by water is old or new:

  • History of the House: An old house might already have some previous damage produced from water, so it’s effective to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Tracking the weather is a great idea too, since, if you have a small leak, it can take awhile for a spot to surface. Keeping track of your water spots and damages can save you a lot of hassle when figuring out whether your water damage is old or new.
  • History of the House: If your home has any spots from water damage, it’s essential to take note of them when determining whether your water damage is old or new. Also, you’ll want to be cognizant of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface such as a downpour. Know your house, since smaller leaks can take months to surface, and if you understand what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to diagnose your problem quicker.
  • Touch the Spot: Go ahead and feel the spot- this can disclose a lot about the age of the water damage. A newer spot will feel wet but your drywall or ceiling will still feel durable, while an older spot will be soft and spongy since your material would have taken in a fair amount of moisture.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around the damaged spot generated by water shows its age. Think about it like a tree- the more rings it has, the longer the water damage has been present. Discoloration of the spot is useful since it reveals that the area leaks, dries, gets saturated, dries, etc. If it’s a new water spot, the area will be a single mark with no rings.
  • Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your house, since water can get trapped by tiles and thick paint. So if water spots show up through these, this indicates the buildup of moisture has remained for awhile.
  • Mold Inspection: If bacteria has had time to settle in, this means that the damage caused by water has lingered for approximately two to three days.
  • Rot: If your materials rot from water damage, this is typically the issue of consistent flooding or standing water. Decomposition typically doesn’t happen from the first case of leakage.

Water Damage Restoration Contractors – Get in Touch with Paul Davis

No matter the size of the damage caused by water, Paul Davis is here to help out. Our team of professional water damage restoration technicians can resolve the problem and have your home back in great condition. Fix the problem now before it gets in a worse condition and get in touch with us at 610 328 5901 for a local franchise near you.