How to Figure Out if Water Damage is New or Old

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

However, when you catch damage to your walls or water spots on your ceiling, these are flags indicating a pipe that’s leaking or condensation generating the problem. Since the area is concealed, though, it’s difficult to determine how long the issue has been at hand. Although there isn’t an approach to figure out precisely how long your water damage problem has persisted, there are some ways to diagnose whether the water damage is new or old.

Determine the Lifetime of the Damage Caused by Water

You can find out an approximate time frame of your water damage by taking this step-by-step process:

  • History of the House: Keep track of any spots on your ceiling or walls and take into account any outside influences like heavy rain. Damages and spots caused by water can take some time to materialize if the leak is small. An older house might have some water spots and damages that were sustained previously. So it’s fundamental to keep track of the spots you notice while determining whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
  • History of the House: An older property might already have some previous damage provoked from water, so it’s effective to keep track of what’s there and to note if the damage alters over a period of time. Tracking the weather is a great idea as well, because if you have a a slow dripping pipe, it can take months for a spot to surface. Taking note of your water damages can save you lots of time when finding out whether your water damage is new or old.
  • Touch the Spot: When the water spot is aged, it will be soft and mushy since during the period of the water leak, your ceiling or drywall has absorbed a good amount of water. A new spot will feel wet but it won’t be soft to the touch.
  • Look for Rings: When you see one dark spot with no rings around it, this indicates that the damage caused by water is new. Old damage caused by water will have rings around it, and just like a tree, the more rings indicates the age. Different shades and colors of rings reveals that the spot has been drenched, dried, drenched, dried, etc.
  • Examine the Materials: Learn about the material around your house, since water and moisture can get trapped by thick paint and tiles. And if spots caused by water show up through these types of materials, this means the buildup of water has remained for awhile.
  • Mold Inspection: If you see that bacteria is present, the damage caused by water has lingered for about two to three days.
  • Deterioration: When your materials deteriorate from damage caused by water, this is usually the issue of repeat flooding or standing water. Decay usually won’t happen from the first situation of a leak.

Water Damage Restoration Specialists – Get in Touch with Paul Davis

No matter the amount of the damage caused by water, Paul Davis is here to assist. Our team of expert water damage restoration contractors can resolve the issue and have your residence back in great condition. Fix the problem today before it gets in a worse condition and reach out to us at (317) 357-5396 to find a local franchise near you.