Water Damage Timeline

9/6/2018 (Permalink)

When you have a water damage in your home or business, drying out the structure quickly helps keep loss of contents and claim loss down.

                        Within Minutes:

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings .
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

                            Hours 1 - 24:

• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.

                      48 Hours to 1 Week:

• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows sighs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious bio-hazard contamination is possible.

                      More Than 1 Week:

• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and bio-hazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.