If you have hardwood floors, you don't want any liquid to sit on that surface for too long, as it can deform the wood. If it's a major flood on your hardwood floors, you should ideally be cared for within 24 hours. Laminate floors can withstand small daily spills on top of the floor without seeing any water damage. However, if the laminate absorbs as much water as a major leak or flood, the floor will withstand water damage for only 2 to 4 hours.
By the fifth hour submerged, the laminate will begin to swell and will be irreparable. Drying floors quickly is essential to reduce the amount of permanent damage. Here are the steps you can take if you have wet hardwood floors after a serious plumbing accident or flood occurred in your home or commercial building. If you have experienced a leak, flood, or other water-related incident, it is important to check the floor around the affected area.
Pay Special Attention to Water Damage to Hardwood Floors. Hardwood is one of the types of floors most susceptible to water damage. The longer the floor has been wet, the deeper the water can have traveled. In situations where your floor can be recycled, you can still consider a replacement.
As unwanted as water damage may be, it can be an opportunity to install new floors and protect your home from future incidents. When looking for flooring options, consider materials such as laminate, vinyl, carpet, and tile, which protect against water. If you choose hardwood, make sure you take steps to waterproof and preserve it. Whether it's a leaking pipe or a flooded basement, the top priority is to identify the source and stop any water leaks.
In fact, water damage can ruin your home faster than you think. Mold, damage to floors, walls and electricity, and even structural problems can occur within 24 hours of a leak or flood. That's why it's always best to quickly hire a water cleaning professional near you for a consultation and repair. Discoloration of floors is another common result of water damage.
It's more likely to happen if flooding in your area causes the entire floor to submerge in water. The result would be mold growth, which would change the complexion of the wood planks used in the floor. In addition, spots and specks may appear on the floor. As long as moisture remains in the soil, the problem will continue to increase.
There is a lot of work involved with restoring water damage, such as drying and replacing floors, drywall, and insulation. Once mold starts to grow due to water damage inside the floor, you are likely to have this problem forever until the affected floorboards are replaced. Water damage always seems to find a way to cause items to lose color and laminate floors are no exception. All edges (even along the seams) swell significantly and are permanently damaged by water.
However, I still recommend cleaning up any spills because, ultimately, that's the best way to completely prevent water damage. It's crucial to have this feature on laminate floors because without it, water would easily get under the floor and cause swelling and damage even with the slightest spill. Its gutters protect your home from water damage by removing rainwater from the roof and moving it away from the foundations of your house. After being submerged under water for two hours, laminate flooring still shows no signs of water damage.
Contact your insurance company as soon as you can and be honest about the extent of the water damage and the root cause. If you act quickly, you can prevent laminate floors from suffering significant water damage (even if you've been in a flood). Depending on the type of hardwood used, water damage can vary both in intensity and results. Hardwood floors, for example, are damaged by any amount of pool water that is allowed to sit for a day or so, causing boards to bend and other repair issues.
Another way your wooden floor can be repaired after suffering severe water damage is through the use of sandpaper or even steel plates. If you have any questions about water damage or have a problem with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. . .