Primary Water Damage vs. Secondary Water Damage

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians working with customers in their kitchen after a sink leaked everywhere

Primary vs. Secondary Water Damage

Water is a powerful force and when it is unleashed, containing it can be quite the feat. Liquids have a way of moving around, and even through, some barriers. Once a large amount of water has been released into your home, there is no way of knowing exactly where it will end up and which materials it will wick into. Water damage occurs in two phases, primary water damage and secondary water damage. Mitigation is crucial and must happen as soon as possible to reduce the amount of damage that will occur. 

Primary Water Damage

Primary damage occurs immediately after a flood or severe leak. The leak could be from an overflowing sink or tub, a washing machine drainage tube, a burst pipe, a blown boiler, or a malfunctioning dishwasher. All of these incidents will release a large amount of water suddenly into your property and allow it to travel into places it should not. Examples of primary damage include soaked furniture, saturated flooring, bubbling wallpaper, and wet drywall. If not taken care of quickly and professionally, primary damage will lead to secondary damage.

Secondary Water Damage

Secondary water damage is the additional damage caused by primary water damage that has not been mitigated. Bubbling wallpaper will begin to peel, wet drywall will sag, saturated flooring will warp, and mold will start to grow. In a water emergency time is of the utmost importance. The sooner you dry your property the less severe the damage will be. Be sure to address the source of the water first by turning off your malfunctioning appliance, calling a plumber, or shutting off water to the property entirely. Once the source of water has been stopped, call the restoration professionals. SERVPRO of Lexington-Bedford and SERVPRO of Waltham / Weston / Watertown / Wayland has crews standing by 24/7 to respond to any size or type of water emergency. Our highly trained technicians will get to work immediately to restore your property to preloss conditions.