Water Damage - A Timeline

WITHIN MINUTES

• Water contamination spreads to many areas, rapidly increasing your claim cost.
• Stains released from furniture (especially antiques) stain carpet permanently.
• Moisture sensitive furniture finish turns white.
• Paper goods are ruined due to moisture absorption with swelling and warping.
• Latent animal urine odor becomes apparent.

WITHIN HOURS

• Furniture in direct contact with water delaminates or swells, legs begin to split.
• Swelling wood can cause finish to crack.
• Sheetrock (drywall, gypsum board) swells and begins to disintegrate.
• Bacteria’s sour odor & sewage contaminants become airborne and migrate into air duct returns.
• Dyes from non-colorfast fabrics start to migrate.
• Metal surfaces start to tarnish.

WITHIN DAYS

• Fungi (mold with its musty odor) appear. Replacement may now be necessary instead of restoration.
• Persons with asthma, the infirm, elderly, and young children may develop reactions to the mold.
• Severe warping of wood furnishings becomes apparent; adhesive release causes de-lamination.
• Hygroscopic internal components in pianos and organs swell from moisture absorption.
• Metal surfaces rust, pit and corrode causing permanent damage.
• Paint blisters, plaster dissolves, wall covering adhesives begin to release.
• Wood (doors, window casings, decking, joists, studs) begin to swell, warp, split and de-laminate.

WITHIN WEEKS

• Adults may become sensitized to allergens arising from exponential micro-organism growth.
• Prolonged dampness causes mold to sink roots into and destroy coverings on sheetrock, paneling, wood, and contents.
• Wood components warp and split, while chemicals within wood dissolve discolor and or destroy finishes.
• Claim costs & renovation time escalate dramatically as the requirement for gutting the structure and replacing components becomes necessary.
• Occupants may have to be evacuated due to biological health hazards