Hardwood Floors Flood Damage

When water sits on top of hardwood floors it can permanently ruin the hardwood as the wood will absorb the water through its pores causing warping and discoloration.

Hardwood floors flood damage.

A flooded hardwood floor can have up to 40 moisture content and can retain well above the normal amount of moisture for weeks if left to dry on it s own. This material is highly vulnerable to water damage and swells when it gets soaked ruining the integrity of the material. Hardwood flooring has many great benefits but when water gets ahold of it it s not a very pretty picture. Unfortunately for your hardwood floors that means they are vulnerable to damage and mold growth underneath them when there has been water or flood damage.

The sun doesn t necessarily damage your hardwood. Dirt dust and other abrasive particles can gather and scratch the floor without you even noticing. How much water is too much water damage doesn t have to be severe for mold to grow. So if you have a flood or water damage or even just a spill on your hardwood flooring you ll want to remove the water and dry your floors as quickly as possible.

By the time a chicagoland homeowner calls us for help the problem will almost always require refinishing and often the replacement of some or all of the damaged wood. Water damage to your hardwood floor one of the most frequent problems we re called in to address is water damage to hardwood floors. For example we had water damage from super storm sandy and the insurance company is covering resanding refinishing of all open area hardwood floors. But have you ever given any thought to what those glorious beaming rays of sunlight might be doing to your hardwood floors.

Nails may begin to lift glue may release causing separation between floor pieces and tongue and groove floors often cup or buckle when moisture has been absorbed. If you don t sweep on a regular basis it can slowly damage your hardwood floors. The majority of a laminate flooring plank is made with wood pulp much like particleboard or mdf medium density fiberboard. An acceptable or normal moisture content in hardwood flooring usually ranges between 6 and 12 percent but flooded wood flooring can often have up to a 40 percent moisture content which means there is severe damage.

Mold grows on organic materials in environments with high humidity or trapped moisture. Even waxed or sealed floors cannot withstand excessive water and if the wax or sealer is wearing. Actually damage is a pretty strong word. Most laminate flooring that is water damaged must be replaced.

If you want to ruin your floors don t sweep them.