A Guidance to Discover the Age of Water Spots

Water damage repair is a typical issue for any property, and sometimes the issue is noticeable and other times it isn’t. Things like overflowing sinks, bathtubs or toilets are common problems connected to water damage and you know there is an issue when this happens. However, pipes run all over your house, and this includes areas you can’t see such as inside the walls and between the floors. It’s safe to say that a leaky pipe in an unknown space can occur. It’s a frustrating problem since you can’t see the leak and you won’t know before the water damage appears.

For these areas that aren’t visible, it’s hard to check how old the damage produced by water is. Though, you could have a leaky pipe that was slightly dripping for a period of time but because it’s not in plain sight, you don’t have a timeline. There’s no way to determine the precise time of the problem, but there are some ways to approximate the age of the water damage.

A Guide On Water Damage – Determine its Age

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

  • History of the House: An old property may already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it’s essential to keep track of what’s there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Keeping track of the weather is a great idea as well, since, if you have a small leak, it can take awhile for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you lots of time when figuring out whether your water damage is new or old.
  • History of the House: An old property may already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it’s essential to keep track of what’s there and to note if the damage alters overtime. Keeping track of the weather is a great idea as well, since, if you have a small leak, it can take awhile for a spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you lots of time when figuring out whether your water damage is new or old.
  • Touch the Spot: Go ahead and feel the spot- this can disclose a lot about the age of the damage produced by water. A new spot will be wet but your drywall or ceiling will still be durable, while an old spot will be mushy and squishy because your material would have absorbed a good amount of water.
  • Look for Rings: When you see just one dark spot with no rings around it, this shows that the damage produced by water is new. Old damage produced by water will have rings around it, and like trees, the more rings shows the age. Discolored rings reveals that the spot has been saturated, dried, saturated, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: It’s vital to be aware of the materials that make up your walls or ceilings, since things such as tiles or thick paint can actually trap moisture. When this is the situation, even a water spot that’s small can indicate the accumulation of water has been lingering for a while.
  • Mold Inspection: If you find that bacteria is present, your water damage has lingered for about two to three days.
  • Decomposition: When your materials decay from damage produced by water, this is usually the issue of consistent flooding or standing water. Rot usually won’t occur from the first case of a leak.

Get Help from an Experienced Water Damage Repair Specialist

For any water damage repair emergencies, contact Paul Davis. When there’s a leak that you can’t detect, it’s critical to get in touch with a professional. Paul Davis’ professional team has the know-how and response time required to get your home back in order. To find a local franchise in your location, give us a call at (845) 651-1850 and we’ll get a professional for your assistance.