Hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any home, but they can be easily damaged by water. If you have experienced floods, leaks, or any water-related incident, it is important to check the floor for signs of damage. Knowing how to spot signs of water damage will help you detect the problem before major damage occurs. If the subfloor isn't damaged and the affected area dries out in 24 to 48 hours, you may be able to repair the damaged floor.
Before attempting a repair, make sure that the floor is completely dry. Use wet vacuums to clean large pools of water and install fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the rest of the moisture. Simply screw or nail boards that appear to be slightly raised back into place, but remove water damaged floorboards. Using a saw, cut out damaged floorboards.
Lift the damaged section and remove it with a crowbar. Then, nail the new boards to the floor. Before staining, sand the old boards and the replacement ones to match. Apply a polyurethane dye and finish. Put on a pair of work gloves, a dust mask and eye protection.
With a circular saw set to a depth of 1 inch, carefully cut out damaged areas following the chalk marking guides. Cut as close to the floor beams as possible. Once the entire area is completely dry, reinforce the affected floor joists. You can line the joists with 2 x 6-inch boards or cover the spaces with wooden blocks.
This step reinforces the joists affected by water damage. Rarely, water damage is so severe that individual floorboards will stick out. This is the most extreme form of physical damage caused by water, meaning that hardwood floors will almost certainly have to be completely replaced. The most recommended way to protect your hardwood floors from water damage is to prevent it from happening in the first place. At the end of the day, remember that your insurance company may or may not cover any of these types of water damage.
Some examples include scrubbing the wooden floor, any appliance that drips water, such as a dishwasher, the entrance and exit areas where wet shoes contact the wooden floor, or the area where you place your pet's water bowl. After about a week of drying the water-damaged wood floors, call your flooring contractor. As the founder of ServiceMaster by Zaba in Chicago, Illinois, Diana is certified by the IICRC in restoring fire and water damage. All of these examples show places where water is placed directly on the wooden floor, which can cause additional coronations and damage. If you have experienced floods, leaks, or any water-related incident, you should check the floor for signs of damage. Wood fibers absorb water quickly, but tend to release it more slowly, so you should use a workshop vacuum to start extracting water as soon as possible. As long as you haven't been exposed to hazardous chemicals or dirty materials, you can quickly remove water and replace damaged areas. At the end of the day, remember that your insurance company may or may not cover any of these types of water damage.
Knowing how to spot signs of water damage will help you detect the problem before major damage occurs. Hardwood floors are great in every way, and they only have a soft spot for water, as even a small amount of water can cause a lot of damage.
