When a homeowner spots water damage in their home, it’s never a good feeling. And, no matter if water damage is old or new, it always needs to be addressed. If left untreated, home water damage can lead to collapsing ceilings, virtually destroying the integrity of the house. So, it’s better to address water damage issues immediately. And, it can be beneficial to homeowners to know whether or not the water damage in their home is old or new in the case of a number of scenarios. In this article, we discuss how homeowners can tell if water damage is new or old. This way, they can use this information to make more informed decisions about how to address this issue.

Try Touching the Affected Area

First and foremost, try touching the area that you see water damage. It is still wet? If so, this is a sign that the water damage is fairly recent (within a week of leaking). And, that the damage will just continue to worsen if the issue is not addressed immediately.

On the other hand, if the affected area seems to move when you touch it and feel mushy, this is a sign of a problem that has been around a while. The mushy feeling is the result of sitting water that has soaked through various materials and left them saturated over time.

Check Out the Size of the Area the Damage has Affected

Some homeowners think they can tell if water damage has been around for a while by the size of the affected area. But, it’s important to put into account the type of material that’s being affected by this water. This is because certain materials may not bring about bigger or wider affected areas. For example, tiling doesn’t let water pass through as it’s not porous. So, even areas that seem to be affected by small amounts of water may actually be more affected than you think. Don’t let size fool you!

Notice the Color of the Water Damage

A great way to get a feel for how old water damage may be is to identify the color of the damaged surface. For instance, if there are any really dark spots with no coloration surrounding these spots, this means that the area has been wet and dry over and over. And, if you’re spotting any colored rings, this also means that there have been multiple periods of water leaks.

Look Out for Decaying Materials

Another good way to identify whether or not water damage is new or old is to check for decay. When materials are decaying, that means they have been soaking in water either repeatedly or constantly over time. And, would mean that you’ve had a water damage issue for quite some time.

Identifying the Growth of Mold

Finally, one of the last ways to tell how old your water damage may be is to look for and identify any mold growing in the area. Basically, mold requires the presence of water to grow. So, if there’s mold growing, there’s water. But, mold can grow very quickly. Therefore, if you do see mold growth as the result of a water leak, this could mean that the leak is only just a few days old.

Help with Mold Growing as a Result of Water Damage

Once you’ve addressed the leaking pipe or roof that’s causing water damage in your home, you’ll need to address any mold growth that’s happened as a result of water exposure. Looking for professional mold remediation specialists in your area?

Consider A Plus Mold Remediation Inc. for professional service you can trust! To get a free quote for our services, contact us on our website or give us a call today at (561) 247-3506.