Water Damage Timeline

2/21/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Water Damage

Whether Your Hot Water Leaks or a Storm With Torrential Rain, Water Invades Your Home or Structure the Same.

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.  Be sure to move keepsakes and important papers to another area or a waterproof safe.  

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 signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard 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 biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

As you can see, the longer it takes for disaster cleanup to begin, the likelihood of items being salvageable greatly and quickly increases.  This is not a situation an individual family is able to handle on their own.

It is imperative to act quickly by calling SERVPRO of Jacksonville Northwest to get control of the water migration to protect your possessions and the structure!