When flooding occurs on a wood floor, does that automatically mean the whole wood floor needs to be replaced? Or can it be repaired?

Wood flooring is a beautiful option for a home in Park City, Kansas, and has many advantages. We know that flooding can cause a lot of damage to a home and possessions in the home, including the floors. Whether it be carpet, vinyl, laminate, or wood flooring – flooding is going to be detrimental. What does this mean if wood flooring is exposed to flooding due to a broken pipe or leak? Can it be saved?

THE SIMPLE FACTS

• First simple fact: Act quickly – Water can and will damage wood floors, and it can happen quite quickly. Given that wood is a porous material, it will absorb water and moisture.

• Second simple fact: Water resistant finishes offer some protection to allow you time to clean up small and large water intrusions that may occur, but they only provide some coverage, so it is essential to clean up water damage as soon as possible.

• Third simple fact: Water Source – The type of water that damages the floor can impact whether it can be cleaned or would need to be replaced. Clean water, if cleaned quickly, would be repairable. But if it is black water (aka sewer water), it is most likely going to need to be replaced.

THE NOT SO SIMPLE FACTS

There are three main types of visible damage that can occur when water damage occurs on a wood floor.

1. Crowning or cupping: Moisture can force the boards together, causing them to shrink, stick up, or form a sort of hill.

2. Buckling: Individual boards on the floor that stick out.

3. Staining: Whitish spots usually indicate the floor needs to be refinished, while black spots indicate the floor needing to be replaced.

Depending on the water damage and how long the wood flooring has been exposed to the water, one, two, or all three of these types of visible damage may be present. Based on the individual circumstances of water damage on a wood floor, all factors would need to be taken into consideration when deciding whether to try and save or replace the floors in a home in Park City, Kansas. At times, as mentioned above, given the kind of water that damages the floors, the floor will require being replaced.

At other times, the deciding factors may include:

• How much time the floor has been exposed to water

• The type of flooring you have, whether solid or engineered hardwood

• How much damage there is and if the water has seeped into the subflooring

• The floor’s finish, and whether or not its stain can be matched if an isolated floorboard is to be replaced

Also to be considered if the water damage has been there for longer than 24-48 hours is the presence of mold. Mold spores are literally in the air everywhere, including Park City, Kansas, and given the right conditions, which include moisture/water and a food source/wood, mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours. This is another reason why time is of the essence. There are certainly times when flooding occurs and it is impossible to be dried and cleaned in that time frame, and even if this is the case – the sooner the better.

NEVER QUITE SO SIMPLE

It is never a simple thing to have water damage occur in the home in Park City, Kansas. It can be disruptive to those residing there as well as to the effects it has on the home itself. Wood flooring is a beautiful option for any home and it is completely understandable that being able to repair it in the event of water damage is preferable. This requires quick action, but in the moment it may be a situation that leaves you feeling a bit lost as to what to do first and the process of doing all that can be done to save the flooring. If you or someone you know has found themselves in this situation, call us at FreshCo Cleaning and Restoration – we are ready to help and guide you through the process.