Old-New Water Damage - Help from Water Damage Repair Experts
A natural problem that a lot of residences deal with is some form of damage caused by water. As water damage repair experts, Paul Davis recognize the problems that water damage leads to, especially when it isn't in sight. Your house has pipes running throughout it, including the inside of your ceilings and walls. When these pipes have condensation on them or a leak, they can begin to deteriorate your walls and ceilings. One of the more frustrating situations to this is checking whether or not the damage caused by water is new or old.
It's hard to verify how old or new the the damage caused by water is for these spaces that can't be seen. Nevertheless, 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 sure way to check exactly how long the problem has persisted, but there are approaches to estimate the age of the water damage.
Determine the Lifetime of Your Water Damage
You can learn whether the damage caused by water is new or old by following these steps:
- History of the House: Take note of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any strong weather you had in your location like a heavy rain storm. Damages and spots derived from water can take awhile to appear if it's a slight leak. An older house might have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it's critical to take note of the spots you notice while figuring out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
- History of the House: If your house has any water spots, it's critical to take note of them when determining whether your water damage is new or old. Furthermore, you'll want to be conscious of any weather that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your property, because pipes with a slow drip can take awhile to surface, and if you know what's old and what's new, you'll be able to identify your problem faster.
- Touch the Spot: You'll can establish whether the damage caused by water is new or old just by touching it. An older spot is going to be spongy since the material has taken in a lot of moisture. A newer spot is going to be wet, but the material will still feel solid.
- Look for Rings: Having rings around your water damage spot reveals age. Think about it like a tree- the more rings, the longer the damage caused by water has been present. Color variations of the blemish is useful because it reveals that the area leaks, dries, leaks, dries, etcetera. If it's a new water spot, the area will be a single blemish with no rings around it.
- Examine the Materials: Materials like thick paint and tiles can actually trap water and moisture, so when you have a water spot seeping through one of these, this can indicate there's been a buildup of water for awhile. Being aware of the materials around your home can help you focus on your water damage problems more effectively.
- Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria, or mold, is present, the damage caused by water has been present for nearly two to three days.
- Decomposition: Your material won't decay by the first occurrence of damage created by water. And when there has been decomposition, this means your material has been vulnerable to consistent flooding or standing water.
Get Help from an Expert Water Damage Repair Contractor
For any water damage repair needs, get in touch with Paul Davis. When there's a leak that you can't detect, it's vital to reach out to an expert. Paul Davis' skillful team has the know-how and response time you need to maintain your house. To find a local franchise near your location, reach out to us at (902)481-0874 and we'll get an expert to come help you.