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

Restorations for water damage is a common problem for any house, and every now and then the problem is obvious and other times it isn’t. Things such as overflowing sinks, bathtubs or toilets are typical issues associated with water damage and you know there is an issue when this occurs. But pipes run all over your home, and this includes places you can’t see like between the floors and inside the walls. Unfortunately a leaky pipe in an unknown area can occur. It’s a frustrating obstacle because you can’t see what’s going on and you won’t know before the water damage appears.

However, when you recognize water spots on your ceiling or damage to your walls, these are clues indicating a pipe that’s leaking or condensation causing a issue. Since the area is hidden, though, it’s hard to ascertain how long the problem has been at hand. Although there isn’t a way to find out precisely how long your water damage issue has lingered, there are some ways to diagnose whether the water damage is old or new.

A Step-by-Step On Damage Induced by Water – Determine its Age

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

  • History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any strong weather you had in your location like heavy rain. Damages and spots derived from water can take some time to pop up if the leak is modest. Older properties may already have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it’s important to take note of the spots you notice while finding out whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: An old residence may already have some previous water damage, so it’s important to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage alters over a period of time. Tracking the weather is a good idea as well, because if you have a a slow leak, it can take awhile for a spot to appear. Taking note of your water damages can save you lots of time when pinpointing whether your water damage is old or new.
  • Touch the Spot: If the water spot is aged, it will be spongy and soft because during the time of the water leak, your ceiling or drywall has taken in a good amount of water. A new spot will feel wet but it won’t be soft to the touch.
  • Look for Rings: If you see just a dark spot with zero rings around it, this shows that the water damage is new. Old water damage will have rings around it, and just like a tree, the more rings determines the age. Discolored rings reveals that the spot has been saturated, dried, saturated, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your house, because water and moisture can get trapped by thick paint and tiles. So if water spots show up through these types of materials, this indicates the accumulation of moisture has remained for awhile.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is present, your water damage has been present for nearly two to three days.
  • Decomposition: Your material doesn’t typically deteriorate from the first occurrence of damage caused by water. And when there has been rot, this indicates your material has been vulnerable to constant flooding or standing water.

Water Damage Restoration Specialists – Call Paul

No matter the size of your water damage, Paul Davis is here to help out. Our team of professional water damage restoration contractors can fix the problem and have your home back in good condition. Remedy the issue now before it gets in a worse condition and call us at (505) 471-1357 for a local franchise near you.