Hardwood Floor Drying
Tips On Saving Your Hardwood Floors From Water Damage
National City hardwood floor drying advice for preventing water damage to your hardwood floors
Wood and water. No, that combination is the best there is. Water has undoubtedly entered your home and is currently sitting on the lovely hardwood floor you once adored if there has lately been flooding where you live.
Water can completely damage hardwood flooring since the substance readily absorbs moisture, warping and discoloring it.
Saving Hardwood Floor from Water Damage
The first 24 hours are critical since the wood will get worse with each hour that passes the longer it is soaked in water. If you act swiftly and completely to remove the water and thoroughly dry it, you can save the hardwood floor from suffering significant damage.
To ensure that all of the water has been completely dried out, you will need a reliable water pumping machine and a strong drier, which makes doing all of this work challenging. Your hardwood floor still has to be sanded and refinished to look new.
Even though ABE Plumbing will handle everything for you, if you have the required tools and know-how and want to tackle it yourself, here are some of our top suggestions for removing moisture and water from hardwood floors.
What Happens When Hardwood Floor Absorbs Water?
Your hardwood will begin to slowly absorb water if it is wet during a flood. Other sources of water damage include pipe bursts, overflowing toilets, and roof leaks.
Wood expands and cups or warps when it absorbs water. This occurs when the flooring expands and rises unevenly, with the sides being higher than the middle. Even if the water is only there for a short period of time, it will seep through the minute spaces between the boards or be absorbed by the plywood subfloor that lies beneath the hardwood floor. The floor will ultimately rise as a result of the adhesive beneath it becoming loose.
The fastest possible drying of the floors and water removal are essential when there is water damage. This will protect the hardwood floors in addition to preventing mold growth, a bigger problem that will be very expensive to fix. According to the US EPA, mold development can begin 48 to 72 hours after water damage and can spread quickly.
Does Your Insurance Company Cover Water Damaged Flooring?
Homeowners frequently ask us if their insurance carrier will cover the damage. The type of damage and your insurance policy both have a big impact. 20% of homeowners in the US have flood insurance. Therefore, if the damage was caused by flooding, which implies that water entered from the outside, your insurance provider is unlikely to pay out.
If the damage was caused by a pipe leak, a water heater explosion, a toilet overflow, or even structural damage to the home, such a roof leak, your insurance company may be able to cover the costs.
For more information, you should get in touch with your insurance company.
Your insurance company may be obligated to pay for additional losses connected with the claim if they have already agreed to pay for the loss. Paintings and floors can be excluded, but other services like repairing water damage and replacing broken furniture are all covered.
What To Do After A Hurricane Or Major Storm
The best course of action in cases of extensive water damage is to get in touch with a reputable water or flood damage restoration company like us. We are specialists in this area and have all the equipment required to return your item to its original condition. We are aware that after a flood, every homeowner will get in touch with a restoration business. Don’t worry about it! A sizable group of our certified employees are available to help you with your loss around the clock, every day of the week.
We strongly advise you to get in touch with us if you recently experienced flooding. The less damage there is to your property, the sooner you contact.
While you wait for us, keep these precautions in mind to safeguard your hardwood floor and other valuables:
1: Find & Stop The Source Of Water
Find the source of the water and turn it off right away should be your first priority. If water keeps seeping through the hardwood floor, you won’t be able to save it. Identifying the problem and taking the required effort to address it before it becomes worse is the best course of action.
2: Remove Other Wet Items Out Of The Area
As soon as you can, transfer all damp furniture and other items outside or to a dry place. Make sure the new location has a waterproof floor or a layer of plastic between the furniture and the floor if you’re moving the items to a different room or location.
Remove any padding and carpet covering the hardwood flooring as soon as you can. Wood absorbs water considerably more slowly than carpets do. They smell and develop mold first as a result. As conducting the repair job oneself could result in an injury from their sharp edges, remove any tack strips as well.
3: Use A Wet Vacuum To Suck Up All The Standing Water
You shouldn’t allow water to pool on your home and cause damage. It is preferable to use a wet vacuum in order to rapidly and effectively absorb as much water as possible. This operation should be handled by an experienced mitigation business like ours because we have specialized water extraction equipment that can quickly absorb the water. Important: Depending on the degree of the water damage, you might also need to remove some drywall and the baseboards. This process may appear difficult due to the fact that drywall absorbs water like a sponge and can gather too much moisture, but it is necessary to stop mold growth. To guarantee that the entire area is entirely dry, flood damage restoration companies often remove drywall 18 inches above the highest point where the water has reached.
4: Cleaning The Surface With A Disinfectant
The most crucial thing is to keep mold away from your hardwood flooring. A non-sudsy disinfectant can also be used for cleaning. When you’re done, use a wet vacuum to get rid of any leftover water.
5: Using A Dehumidifier
Your home almost certainly contains a dehumidifier. It’s time to seize the opportunity. Just put it in the middle of the area. You can put all of your dehumidifiers in one area if you have a lot of them. Make sure the water is cleaned every few hours until assistance arrives. The dehumidifier should operate for three days, or at least 24 hours, if necessary. It is recommended that you utilize it for several weeks. While the floors are healing, keep the area uncrowded.
6: Use Large Fans
Utilizing strong fans will speed up the drying process. Make sure the fans are directed toward the ground and leave the windows open for the maximum ventilation. Fans will aid in the necessary ventilation as well as the surplus moisture’s evaporation. Keep the windows closed if it is heavily raining or humid outside. Only leave the room doors ajar and leave the dehumidifier on all the time. Make sure the fans are operating loudly and at full power. An oscillating quality is beneficial.
In addition to using fans, you can also use air conditioning, but not heat. Heat results in undesired splitting and cupping as well as an increase in localized moisture that encourages the growth of mildew.
Finally, check to see if the fans are dust-free and clean before using them. Any of the plugs or cords shouldn’t come into contact with water.
7: If There Is A Level Below The Water Damage Area, Reduce The Moisture In The Sub-floors As Well
It is almost certain that the leaks and flaws in the hardwood floor allowed water to flow through and reach the subfloor below. You should also dry off this area. It will be particularly beneficial if there is a room below the damaged area with an unfinished ceiling. Use fans and a dehumidifier in this area to speed up the process.
Make a tiny square hole in the ceiling if the ceiling is finished so that the subfloor may dry out more quickly.
8: What If Boards Start To Pop-up?
The wood absorbs moisture, which increases the risk of swelling and buckling. If you can’t walk across the floor, take out a few boards to improve the ventilation of the subfloor.
9: Check For Signs Of Mold Or Mildew
Once the floor has completely dry, look for any evidence of mold or mildew. If you smell mold growing or see any indications of it, clean the floors right away using a mix of baking soda and water. You can hire a mold/remediation business if the mold has already spread too far. When you hire ABE Plumbing to take care of your flood damage restoration, mold and mildew cleanup are also included.
10: Using Moisture Meter
On average, it can take up to 6 weeks for the floors to completely dry. Prior to attempting to sand the flooring, it is imperative that you allow it to fully dry. If you are impatient, the consequences of your actions will hit you hard.
Use a moisture meter to gauge the material’s moisture level to make sure the wood has dried completely. You may easily find these reasonably priced devices online. Use the moisture meter to check for moisture multiple times before sanding the floor. The floor probably has some sections that are moister than others. Before installation or sanding, the hardwood’s moisture content should be between 6 and 9%.
There’s a chance that your insurance company is hurrying to wrap up the claim. Allow it to happen; else, future harm will be done to you.
11: Sand & Refinish The Hardwood Floors
You should sand and refinish your flooring here to give it a tidy and beautiful appearance once more. Water would have deteriorated the polyurethane, necessitating possible complete replacement of some parts or sections. If there is any remaining polyurethane on the floor, it will be considerably thinner and damaged, indicating that it won’t last for very long. Refinishing the floors is the greatest option in this situation.
Usually, water-damaged floors may be repaired and sanded. Light cupping will be used during the procedure. It depends on how much water was absorbed and how effectively the floor was dried, but in most cases, only the damaged areas of the floor need to be replaced. In this situation, consulting professionals is the best line of action.
Notes On Finding Contractors
You are not compelled to choose any of the contractors that your insurance provider recommends, and you are completely free to select the ones you want. By doing this, they are breaking the law. You should get in touch with the person who makes you feel most at ease. We take great satisfaction in the quality of our work as a respectable organization, and we fervently implore you to utilize us in an emergency. You can read reviews of our services from previous clients.
Final Words
Any moment could bring up a crisis. Flooding could damage your hardwood, therefore the best approach to keep the splendor of your amazing floor is to remove the water as soon as possible. The aforementioned advice will be useful, but only one person can put it into practice rapidly. If you need restoration services, get in touch with ABE Plumbing.
So don’t be afraid to hire our professionals. Get a free estimate by calling us today. Give us a call at ABE Plumbing for all your plumbing and leak detection needs.