What Happens If Water Damage Is Left Untreated? A Timeline

Water spreads across floors and wicks up into drywall, baseboards and cabinet bases. Carpet and pad absorb it quickly. Furniture legs can stain carpet, and paper items and photos start to be ruined. This is when extraction does the most good.

Drywall softens and may start to swell or crumble at the bottom. Wood flooring and trim begin to absorb water and can start to cup. A musty smell develops. Under the right conditions, mold can begin growing on wet materials within roughly a day or two.

Mold growth becomes more likely and may become visible. Wood floors may warp or buckle, doors and windows can swell and stick, and metal fasteners can begin to corrode. What might have been dried in place may now need to be removed and replaced.

Structural materials such as subfloor and framing can be compromised, mold can spread through wall cavities and HVAC, and indoor air quality can suffer. Restoration becomes larger, slower and more expensive, and insurers may question damage that was left unaddressed.

Wall cavities, subfloors and insulation can stay wet for a long time even when the surface feels dry. Professional drying uses dehumidifiers and air movers and checks moisture readings daily until materials reach normal levels, so you are not closing up a wall that is still wet inside. That is the core of our water damage restoration in Lawton, OK.

• Clean water (Category 1): from a supply line or faucet. It can become contaminated the longer it sits.
• Gray water (Category 2): from appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers.
• Black water (Category 3): sewage or outside flood water. It requires protective equipment and removal of porous materials it touched — see our sewage backup guide.