Follow These Steps to Figure Out the Age of Water Spots

A common complication that a lot of homes deal with is some form of water damage. As water damage repair experts, Paul Davis knows the problems that water damage produces, especially when it isn’t in sight. Your home has plumbing everywhere, this includes the inside of your walls and ceilings. When these pipes leak or have condensation on them, they can gradually wear out your ceiling or walls. One of the more difficult parts to this is discovering whether or not the water damage is old or new.

Since the pipes can’t be seen, you can get an estimate of how long you’ve had water problems by examining the water damage itself. Unfortunately, it’s hard to figure out a precise timeline, but we have some advice on how to examine the damage so you can come up with an approximate time on how long you’ve had water in the area.

A Step-by-Step On Damage Caused by Water – Learn about its Time Frame

Listed below are some tips you can take to determine the age of your water damage:

  • History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any strong weather you had in your area such as heavy rain. Water spots and damages can take months to occur if it’s a slight leak. If you live in an older house, the spots caused by water damage could have been there for awhile. So it’s essential to take note of the spots you observe while finding out whether this is new water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: If your residence has any spots from water damage, it’s essential to take note of them when figuring out whether your water damage is old or new. Additionally, you’ll want to be conscious of any weather that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your house, since pipes with a slow drip can take months to surface, and if you understand what’s new and what’s old, you’ll be able to identify your issue faster.
  • Touch the Spot: If the water spot is old, it will be spongy and soft since during the period of the water leak, your drywall or ceiling has absorbed a good amount of water. A new spot will feel wet but it won’t be soft like an older spot.
  • Look for Rings: Having rings around the damaged spot caused by water reveals age. Think about it as if it was a tree- the more rings it has, the older the water damage is. Discoloration of the blemish is useful since it indicates that the area gets soaked, dries, leaks, dries, so on and so forth. If it’s a brand new water spot, the area will be a single stain with zero rings around it.
  • Examine the Materials: It’s fundamental to know about the materials that comprise your walls or ceilings, since things such as tiles or thick paint can actually trap moisture. If this is the circumstance, even a water spot that’s small can mean the accumulation of water has been remaining for a while.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is there, the damage caused by water has lingered for about two to three days.
  • Deterioration: Decomposed material means that the damage caused by water is either a repeat offender or that it’s serious because there’s standing water. A first case of water damage typically doesn’t lead to decay.

Eliminate Water Damage & Call Paul

No matter the extent of the damage caused by water, Paul Davis is here to help out. Our team of experienced water damage repair contractors can resolve the issue and have your residence back in good condition. Remedy the issue today before it gets in a worse condition and get in touch with us at (410) 730-7260 for a local franchise in your area.