Water damage is good at hiding and lurking in the dark, out-of-the-way corners of your home. When you discover a water damage problem, it’s not always obvious how long it has been there. However, there are a few indications that can tip you off to this.
From our water damage restoration professionals at Kade Cleaning Systems, here are a few different ways you can figure this out.
Walls or ceilings affected by water damage in the short term feel very different from those affected by water damage in the long term. In the short term, the texture won’t feel any different since it takes some time for water to seep in and cause damage. In the long term, however, water will gradually seep into the porous cavities in your walls and ceilings causing them to soften and feel soggy to the touch. How quickly this happens depends on the amount of water affecting your walls and ceiling. A large amount of water may make them soggy in a short time while it could take weeks or months if they are just exposed to a slow drip of water. In general, though, longer water exposure leads to softer, soggier building materials.
At the extreme end, water damage will culminate in rotting or decaying building materials. Even with large amounts of water, it still takes some time before this can occur. Nonetheless, if you find evidence of this in your home you should call for help from a water damage restoration company immediately. However, water damage restoration alone will not be enough. You will also need to have the rotting and otherwise damaged building materials replaced.
The longer water damage is in your home, the more likely you are to develop a mold problem and for that mold problem to spread. It can’t give you a definitive length of time, but in general, you can count on mold getting worse the longer the water damage is in your home. Another related way that you can be tipped off to mold growth is unexplained health problems developing over time such as coughing, sneezing, lethargy, irritable skin, itchy eyes, and more. Prolonged exposure to mold spores is associated with all of these symptoms and should be addressed before the health problems grow any worse.
Finally, longstanding water damage will cause a musty, mildew smell stemming from mold growth. As this smell gets stronger, this means that the water damage problem is probably getting worse as well.
Look for rings in the affected walls or surfaces. Just as the number of rings indicates a tree’s age, rings around water damage can help you determine whether the damage is new or old. A dark spot with no rings around it tends to mean the damage is new. However, if you see numerous rings of different shades, that can mean the area has gone back and forth between being soaked, dried, and old.
Despite the best efforts and advice given, sometimes there is only so much that you can do in your home. If you continue to notice wet spots or anything out of the ordinary, sometimes the next best solution is to call a restoration company such as ours, Kade Cleaning Systems. We are available for any help and assistance needed, 24/7. Don’t hesitate to call us when you’re in need.
If this is an emergency, please call (816) 888-9653 for immediate help 24/7.
(816) 888-9653