Have you ever spotted small stains or streaks on your walls or ceiling? While areas of water damage may be small, it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to brush it off. Water damage is a very serious issue for your home and members of the household. To avoid any long-term effects of water damage, the issue needs to be dealt with swiftly and by professionals.  

How Bad Is Water Damage?

Water damage is characterized by the physical damage caused to a property that has come into contact with water in one way or another. This can be due to flooding, hurricanes, burst pipes, and more. Water damage is tricky to deal with though. Water damage can be difficult to spot sometimes because it’s great at staying hidden. That is why no matter how small a leak may look, you never know what’s going on behind the scenes. 

Hidden or in plain sight, water damage creates long-term issues for your home and those inside if left unchecked. This makes water removal key.

How Quickly Does Water Damage Progress?

To get a proper understanding of how water damage processes over time, it’s important to look at each level of time and what happens during that period.

1. Minutes

Within minutes, water begins to spread. Furniture and flooring may become soaked and damaged. This is also typically when the drywall of your home soaks up a ton of water. 

2. Hours

After a few hours, items that have become waterlogged begin to swell. At this point, humidity will rise, unpleasant odors will persist, and dyed fabrics will become discolored and bleed. 

3. Days 

Once days have passed since your home has sustained water damage, this is when mold and fungi start to develop. You may start to notice that wallpaper might start to peel and the paint starts to blister. Then on the inside, the wood structure might start to swell and split.

4. Weeks

Mold will likely spread once the water damage has hit the multi-week mark. Household members may have experienced respiratory issues, a telltale sign of mold growth.

With weeks of extensive water damage and its effects, the bill for repairs and restoration will be much higher compared to the previous stages. All the more reason to take all forms of water damage seriously. Not all water damage has to reach this point if action is taken earlier. 

The True Impact of Water Damage

The true impact of water damage ranges between four different forms of damage: 

Mold Damage 

Mold begins to develop due to the mixture of moisture and warmer temperatures. Once water damage has been established and the conditions are met, mold can start to develop. Once mold spores develop and the mold begins to spread, mold damage now becomes an issue in addition to water damage. Mold damage can compromise wood structures, creating the potential for a physical hazard.

Electrical Damage 

Electrical damage creates physical hazards and the hazard to compromising electrical systems. This type of damage is a possibility when water comes into contact with various electrical components. Damaged wiring can create power surges that can create various issues across different electrical systems and the possibility of electrocution.

Structural Damage

Whether it’s due to an abundance of water that deteriorates the integrity of a certain structure or the establishment of mold, structural damage is another thing to worry about. This is when the various structures of the building have or are on the brink of losing their integrity. This symptom caused by water damage puts everyone at the residence in immediate danger of a physical danger like a collapse.

Contents Damage

When water damage affects the items in your home, those items are almost always a lost cause. Preventing damage to the residence’s contents is possible by catching the water damage very early on by water removal. Water damage is already a pain; deal with it quickly to negate the possibility of losing your belongings.

Long-Term Effects of Untreated Water Damage

Leaks 

If water damage is left to wreak havoc, one of its long-term effects is leaks. Building accumulation of water from water damage is going to increase the likelihood of encountering a leak in your residence. 

Condensation 

An easy way to possibly suspect water damage is the presence of condensation. Once the water damage has settled, it can spread condensation to surrounding areas.

Visible Damage 

Whether it’s decoloration, water streaks, or warped or cracked materials, water damage will end up leaving clear signs of visible damage no matter what.

Drafts & Temperature Fluctuations

Untreated water damage also has the possibility of creating unwanted drafts and temperature fluctuations. Both of these effects make for an extremely uncomfortable experience. 

Aging & Wear  

No matter where the water damage is located, the contact of water can contribute to aging and wearing. Having to worry about the contents within your home wearing down or losing their effective lifespan is a demoralizing issue, addressing the water damage quickly so this is a non-factor. 

What to Do When There Is Water Damage

No matter how water damage happened, you should review and follow the following steps: 

• If the water damage seems severe, remove the children and pets from the house 
• Gather and relocate valuables
• Determine the source of water damage
• Do not access the breaker when water damage is present to avoid any possible risks
• If the water damage is because of a burst pipe or plumbing fixture, turn off the main water valve to stop the water flow
• Contact your insurance company as soon as possible 
• Call professionals to help start the water damage restoration process

What Does Water Damage Do to the Body?

Infections

If your source of water damage comes from the sewers or other lines, they can carry harmful pathogens. These pathogens can start an infection if exposed for too long.

Allergies 

If mold has developed in your home or other contaminants have entered your home, allergies may spike and create other respiratory issues like nausea or difficulty breathing. 

Bad Mood 

Having to deal with all of the ins and outs of water damage is a stressful ordeal. Because of the extra stress and worry, bad moods are almost guaranteed.

Trust PureDry for Expert Water Damage Restoration

If you have experienced water damage in your Seattle area residence, trust PureDry Restoration for expert water damage restoration. Don’t avoid your water damage any longer and contact PureDry by calling (425) 600-9815 or visiting the contact page of our website.