How to Tell if Water Damage is New or Old

6/20/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra advises on how to tell if water damage is new or old

Water damage! UGH! Having water damage in your home is something that just about all of us have to face from time to time, it’s always unpleasant, and can be injurious to your health. Your home has pipes running throughout the ceiling and walls, creating a lot of opportunities for condensation or leaks to occur. When you notice a water stain on a wall or ceiling, it’s important to determine if the damage is new or old.

A water stain can indicate that something is actually leaking at that moment, or it could be the result of a previous incident that has just now come to light. To determine the right course of action, you can use these tips:

Touch the Spot

Feel the spot with your hand. A newer spot will be damp while an older spot might feel mushy since the water has started to break down the materials in your sheetrock or plaster.

Look for Rings

If you see a darker spot with no rings around it, this may indicate that the damage is new. Older damage may have rings around it, like a tree.  The more rings you see, the older the water damage. Different shades and colors of rings will tell you that the area has been soaked and dried more than once.

Consider the Home’s History

If your home has any water spots, you should take note of them when determining whether the damage is old or new. Pay close attention to any problem areas you may have and whether spots appear following a rain storm.  Condensation on pipes in your wall or ceiling can take a long time to manifest themselves as a stain. If you know your property well, you’ll recognize what’s old and what’s new.

Mold

Check for mold in rooms with high humidity levels. When mold bacteria has had time to colonize, this means that the damage generated by water has been there for at least 2 or 3 days.

Look for Decay

The materials in your walls and ceilings don’t usually decay from the first occurrence of water damage, and this could be a sign that that spot may have been caused by the consistent presence of water.

If you have water damage in your home, you can trust  SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra to get to the root of the cause and to put your property back in order. We are locally owned, and our team of highly trained technicians is available 24 hours a day. We can respond quickly to any size disaster, using advanced inspection and extraction equipment to find moisture wherever it may have travelled, and remove it as quickly as possible. Finally, we will work with your insurance company to help manage the claims process and paperwork.

For additional information about our company, visit our website or call us at 904-246-6118.