Approaches to Detect if Your Water Damage is Old or New

When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, it’s obvious that you’re in need of water damage restoration. Though, your property can come under water damage in ways that aren’t as apparent. Since you have plumbing running through your home, you can have a leaky pipe or an accumulation of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It’s a troublesome incident since this isn’t visible- you won’t notice it until you there’s water damage, and then it’s hard to pinpoint how long the issue has lingered.

Because the pipes aren’t visible, you can get an estimate of how long you’ve had water problems by analyzing the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find out a precise timeline, but we have some tips on how to evaluate the damage so you can come up with an approximate time on how long you’ve had water in the damaged space.

Determine How Old Your Water Damage is with These Tips

The following steps can help you judge whether your water damage is new or old:

  • History of the House: Take note of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences like a downpour. Damages and spots derived from water can take months to pop up if the leak is small. Older properties may have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it’s critical to keep a record of the spots you observe while determining whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: When your home has any spots caused from water damage, it’s critical to keep a record of them when figuring out whether damage provoked from water is new or old. Also, you’ll want to be apprehensive of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface such as a rain storm. Know your property, since modest leaks can take months to appear, and if you understand what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to pinpoint your issue quicker.
  • Touch the Spot: When the water spot is aged, it will be soft and mushy since during the time of the leaking water, your ceiling or drywall has taken in a good amount of water. You’ll feel moisture with a new spot but it won’t be soft like an older spot.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around the damaged spot produced by water indicates age. Consider it as if it was a tree- the more rings, the older the water damage is. Discoloration of the blemish is useful since it shows that the area gets soaked, dries, gets saturated, dries, etcetera. If it’s a new spot caused by water, the area will be a single mark with no rings.
  • Examine the Materials: Materials like tiles and thick paint can actually trap water, so if you have a spot produced by water leaking through one of these, this can mean there’s been water lingering for awhile. Being aware of the materials in your property can help you address your water damage issues more effectively.
  • Mold Inspection: Bacteria development usually means your water damage has been there for about two to three days.
  • Rot: Deteriorated material means that your water damage is either a repeat offender or that it’s serious because there’s standing water. A first instance of water damage usually doesn’t lead to rot.

Eliminate Damage Produced by Water & Call Paul Davis

For all your water damage restoration emergencies, reach out to Paul Davis. When there’s a leak that you can’t detect, it’s critical to get in touch with a professional. The professional team at Paul Davis has the know-how and response time required to maintain your home. To find a local franchise in your area, give us a call at (662) 769-7285 and we’ll get a professional to come help you out.