Hardwood floors are by far the most popular choice when it comes to flooring these days. Beautiful and stylish, they add value to a home. In fact, most new homes are built with custom hardwood floors. For the most part, hardwood floors are easy to maintain but what happens when your hardwood floors get wet? Wood is highly absorbent meaning that your hardwood floors are susceptible to water damage. Rooms that have more plumbing such as kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are most likely to experience water damage. How can you tell if your hardwood floors have been water damaged?
Signs of water damaged hardwood floors
Cupping of your floors
If your hardwoods are exposed to water, your floors will cup or raise. You will most likely see a dip in the center of the board and the area around it will be raised up. This occurs when the wood on the bottom has more moisture than the top. The cause for cupping us usually humidity, but can also be from water spills that were not properly cleaned up. If you see cupping in your hardwood floors, they may be able to be dried and return to normal but this will depend on the severity.
Mildew or Mold
If your flooring has any areas of dark or strange colored spots, this could be due to mold. Mold is usually due to water damage that has affected the floor. Sometimes this can be cleaned, but usually, mold needs to be investigated. Broken pipes or leaks under the floor can sometimes be the culprit. The source causing the mold will need to be repaired.
Buckling of your floors
When your hardwood floors start to buckle, they are completely pulling away from the sub-floor. Buckling is due to severe or long term water damage. If your hardwood floors are buckling they will need to be replaced. Don’t let your floors get to this point by letting water damage sit.
Signs of a Ceiling Leak Above Your Hardwoods
If you see water spots on your ceiling, this is a warning sign that there is a water leak above your hardwood floors. Your floors may look fine now, but if the issue is not taken care of promptly your floors are at risk. Take care of any leaks in the ceiling to avoid damage to your floors.
Water damage to your hardwood floors can be prevented. If your floors are exposed to water, they need to be dried as soon as possible to prevent more damage. Our team of professionals at ServiceMaster Restoration are experienced when it comes to handling water damaged flooring. We know what it takes to restore your floors back to their original state. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give us a call.
704-527-1151
