What To Do With Water Damaged Hardwood Floors: Helpful Tips

Are you wondering about what to do with water damaged hardwood floors? You have to remove the water from your hardwood floors first not to damage them further. We will discuss the four ways you have to do when your hardwood floors are water-damaged, so stick with us until the end.

 

what to do with water damaged hardwood floors

Things To Do With Water Damaged Hardwood Floors

Water can get into anything, and it can damage things this way. While we know that prevention is better than cure, there are some instances wherein we cannot help but deal with the problem because it already happened.

Here we have the four ways you can attend to your water-damaged hardwood floors:

 

Remove water from your hardwood floors

You must act fast because the longer the water is in contact with your flooring, the worse the damage.

 

Step #1. Stop the water damage

You have 24 hours to remove the water from your hardwood floors, so the first thing you need to do is stop the root cause of water damage.

 

Step #2. Salvage

After stopping the source of your home’s water damage, remove your furniture from the area. Salvage those that have not been thoroughly damaged and get rid of those you cannot save.

If you have a carpet, remove that to prevent mold growth. Also, don’t forget to document the impact of the water damage in your home for your insurance claim. In case you need help with your insurance claim, call your lawyer.

 

Step #3. Vacuum

After removing the furniture, use a wet vacuum to remove the visible water on your flooring. Keep vacuuming even after clearing visible water because there is still water that needs to be removed from your hardwood floors.

 

Step #4. Disinfect

After vacuuming, disinfect your hardwood floors to give no chance for mold to grow. Then, suction the remaining water after disinfection.

 

Step #5. Dry

Since you need to dry the flooring as soon as possible, you can use fans and dehumidifiers until the area has dried.

 

Assess the damage

After removing water from your water-damaged floors, you have to check for mold or mildew growth. Moreover, look into the sub-floor and dry it out if the damage has reached that deep into the flooring.

Check for soft and damp spots and make sure they get proper attention. Examine your floors.

If there is cupping, then it means the water damage is from within. However, if there is crowning, the water damage is from the outside.

You also have to use a moisture meter to make sure if your flooring has completely dried. The floors’ drying process can take up to six weeks, so before restoring it, you have to let it dry first.

Contact your insurance company after compiling your documentation of the water damage, your receipts, and call your lawyer for the insurance claim. You can clarify with them the extent of your insurance coverage when it comes to water damage.

 

Restore the hardwood floor

 

Step #1. Gather materials

First, you have to gather your tools. This includes a bucket, a vacuum, a stiff brush, a squeegee, disinfectant, dehumidifiers or fans, and rubber gloves.

Since you have already removed water from your hardwood floors, you can proceed to treat moldy areas.

 

Step #2. Disinfect mold

In this step, you do not just clean the hardwood floors. You also scrub the nearby areas, like the stairs and baseboards.

Rinse the brush as you use it so you won’t mistakenly spread mold. Also, do not saturate the floors with water to prevent further water damage.

To help eliminate mold and mildew growth, use TSP. Lastly, use clean water to rinse the surface and use a cloth to dry the area.

 

Step #3. Dry thoroughly

Use your dehumidifiers and fans to remove the excess moisture from the floors. Then, ventilate the room if it is not humid outside.

 

Step #4. Sand, stain, and refurnish

Use the proper equipment to deal with cupping and crowning. Then, proceed on sanding the floors.

Remove the old paint and dry the surface again. This is to ensure that there is no trapped water in your hardwood floors. After everything has dried, you can proceed with refurbishing the floors.

 

Protecting Your Hardwood Floors

 

Maintain your home

This is the best way to protect your hardwood floors. You have to maintain your piping systems and check for cracks or leaks.

If you live in flood-prone areas, you have to take precautionary measures on how to deal with floods. Apart from those two, the simplest way to maintain your flooring is to seal it and reseal it every three to five years.

 

Use mats and rugs

Utilize mats, especially on your home entrances, to keep wet shoes from coming in contact with your floors.

 

Remove the water immediately

Clean the water spills as soon as they happen on your flooring. If the spill is extensive, go back to the first part of our article to guide you in removing water.

 

Conclusion

Now you know what to do with water damaged hardwood floors, we encourage you to follow through with what we’ve written. Also, contact professionals to deal with extensive water damage so you won’t have to face further problems.

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