Water Damage Timeline | SERVPRO® of Gwinnett County South

6/15/2019 (Permalink)

Water intrusion into your Loganville, GA home or business requires a fast response to mitigate the damage.  Let’s examine how water damage can affect your home or business over time:

First Sixty Minutes

• Water is invasive and can quickly spread throughout the structure, finding the least path of resistance.
• Water saturates the structure, getting under flooring, behind cabinets and into walls and ceilings.
• Dyes on paper goods may bleed.

First 24 Hours

• Drywall starts swelling and breaking down.
• Wood furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Metal surfaces may begin tarnishing.
• Musty odors begin to intensify.
• Inks and dyes continue spreading.

48 Hours to 1 Week

• Mold may begin to develop and spread.
• Doors, windows, casing and wood structure begin to swell and warp.
• Wood flooring may swell and buckle.
• Metals begin to rust and corrode.
• Flooring adhesives begin to break down and release.
• Restoration expense has increased.

After 1 Week

• Structural safety concerns may be present.
• Health concerns may arise requiring relocation of occupants.
• Restoration time and cost have dramatically increased.

Often water damage goes unnoticed when it is caused by a leak underneath a cabinet, behind the refrigerator or in your attic or basement.  Many times, you are not physically able to identify where the water migrated.  If you find water leaking in your home or business, go ahead and call a professional to come find out the extent of the problem.  Remember even small leaks follow the Water Damage Timeline.