Water Damage Timeline
Time is of the essence when it comes to water damage restoration. Water has the potential to spread quickly, so the damage worsens the longer you wait to begin cleanup. Signs of the damage water leaves behind can be visible within a few hours.
Water Damage Restoration Tulsa
You can see from the following timeline just how important every minute is when dealing with water damage restoration, and just how quickly water damage escalates.
The First Initial Minutes:
- Moving water will spread throughout the entire area within a matter of minutes, soaking everything in its path. When exposed to water, porous materials like drywall, insulation, carpet, padding, furniture, and wood floors or trim start to absorb as much moisture as they can.
The First Hour:
- Furniture finishes and stains will be released by the water and may spread into surrounding upholstery, floors, and carpets, resulting in stains and discoloration. Books, paper products, artwork, photographs, and documents will start to disintegrate if they are left in contact with water.
The First 24 Hours:
- 24 hours following water damage, musty smells start to emerge and microbial growth is fostered. Dye and ink from textiles and paper products leaks and spread, leaving damaged belongings and stained surfaces behind. Porous materials swell under the weight of the water absorption they have taken in, and the finish will crack and split.
The First 48 Hours To 1 Week Post Water Damage:
- Paint on walls will start to bubble and blister, while adhesives will begin to break down. Furniture will distort and exhibit mold spores. Mold, mildew, and other toxic contaminants will have started to proliferate quickly and spread throughout the entire home – not just the areas that sustained the water damage. Exposed metal starts to rust, and wood doors, casings, trim, and even studs behind the drywall can buckle and warp due to swelling from water retention. Wood floorboards can begin to cup and bow, and walls and ceilings may start to sag under the extra weight of the eater.
More Than 1 Week Post Water Damage:
- The materials that make up the structure of your home can become seriously jeopardized by this time. Anyone in or near the area of the water damage faces substantial health risks from the water and the toxins now in it. Mold spores fostered by the standing water spread through the air, impacting the quality of the air in the entire home and not just in the area that sustained damage. Due to excessive wear, overall costs and restoration times can skyrocket. Water damage that has been present for this long is considered grossly contaminated and should be avoided at all costs unless by a trained and experienced water damage restoration specialist.
Clearly, the sooner you can begin water damage restoration, the better it is for your home and your belongings. You want to save time when it comes to water damage restoration or you could be looking at much more significant issues and problems for your Tulsa home. Call our team at Courtesy Care for the best and fastest results with quality care in your time of need, any day of the week, 24/7.
