Determining the Age of a Water Spot – Water Damage Repair

When you have clogged bathtubs, toilets or sinks that overflow, you know that you’re in need of water damage repair. Unfortunately, your residence can suffer from water damage in ways that aren’t as apparent. Since you have pipes running through your residence, you can have a leaky pipe or an accumulation of condensation between your ceilings and walls. It’s an alarming circumstance because this isn’t in view- you won’t know until you have water damage, and then it’s difficult to define how long the problem has persisted.

Because the pipes are hidden, you can get an approximation of how long you’ve had water problems by analyzing the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to figure out a precise timeline, but we have some tips on how to examine the damage so you can come up with an approximate time on how long you’ve had water in the damaged space.

Figure Out the Time Frame of Your Water Damage

You can get an estimated time frame of your water damage by taking these steps:

  • History of the House: An older residence might already have some previous water damage, so it’s essential to keep a record of what’s there and to note if the damage changes over a period of time. Keeping track of the weather is a great idea too, because if you have a a slow leak, it can take some time for a water spot to appear. Keeping track of your water damages can save you a lot of hassle when determining whether the damage generated from water is new or old.
  • History of the House: If your residence has any water spots, it’s important to keep a record of them when finding out whether your water damage is new or old. Furthermore, you’ll want to be aware of any storms that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your home, because pipes with a slow drip can take awhile to appear, and if you understand what’s old and what’s new, you’ll be able to identify your issue faster.
  • Touch the Spot: You’ll can check whether the damage generated by water is old or new just by touching it. An old spot will be squishy because the material has taken in a lot of moisture. A new spot will be wet, however, the material will still feel solid.
  • Look for Rings: Remember how tree rings reveal the age of the tree? The same approach can be used for water spots. An old water spot is going to have rings around it. They can also be discolored because the area gets soaked then dries and gets soaked again then dries again, etcetera. A new spot will be dark with no rings around it.
  • Examine the Materials: It’s critical to know about the materials that make up your ceiling or walls, because things such as tiles or thick paint can trap the water. If this is the circumstance, even a small water spot can mean the accumulation of water has been around for a period of time.
  • Mold Inspection: If mold has had time to inhabit the space, this implies that the damage generated by water has been present for nearly two to three days.
  • Decay: Your material won’t rot from the first situation of water damage. So when there has been decomposition, this means your material has been exposed to consistent flooding or standing water.

Contact Paul Davis – Your Skillful Water Damage Repair Contractors

For all your water damage repair needs, get in touch with Paul Davis. If there’s a leak that you can’t detect, it’s important to call an expert. Paul Davis’ expert team has the know-how and response time required to get your residence back in order. For a local franchise near your area, reach out to us at (850) 576-7378 and we’ll get an expert for your assistance.