How To Repair Hardwood Floors After Water Damage

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

The aftermath of a flood, whether it’s large or small, is going to be devastating to your home, and your wood floors will really suffer. When water sits on top of hardwood, the wood absorbs the water through its pores, causing warping and discoloration, and can be permanently affected. If you have experienced water damage to your home, you will want to follow these steps to repair your hardwood floors:

• Remove Water. Remove the water as quickly as you can. The longer the water remains, the worse the water damage will be. The first 24 hours are critical, but if you are able to remove the water and dry your floors completely, you may be able to save the wood. You will also be alleviating the possibility of a mold invasion, too. 
• Sand and Refinish. More than likely you will need to sand and refinish the wood, and this repair can bring your floors back to pre-flood condition, or at least pretty close. This step will save you all the time and money involved in having your flooring removed and new flooring installed. 
• Contact Professionals. If you have experienced serious water damage, perhaps from a tornado, hurricane, or severe flooding, your best bet may be to contact a professional water damage restoration service. They are experts in this area and will have the personnel and equipment necessary to get your water damage taken care of as fast as possible. Make sure you call them right away; if your area has suffered a weather disaster, these companies will probably have a waitlist. 
• Preventive Measures. 
• Find the source of water and plug it up. 
• Remove all wet items from the flooring. If you have carpeting on top of your hardwood floor, remove both the carpet and the padding immediately. This is an area where mold can become a problem really quickly. Remember that your restoration professionals can help you with carpet-cleaning after a water damage event, too. 
• Use a shop-vac or household vacuum to extract as much water as you can, and rely on your professionals if the amount of water is really large. 
• Disinfect. Prevent mold and preserve your hardwood floors by using a non-sudsy disinfectant, and then vacuum again to remove standing water. 
• Drying. Use a dehumidifier or run your heater or air conditioner constantly to keep the air dry inside the affected room(s). 

These are just a few simple steps that you can take yourself when your hardwood floors are affected by water. SERVPRO of Belle Meade/West Nashville is always here to help with repairs and renovations to your property when you are affected by water damage, no matter the size. We also handle fire damage, and we are mold remediation experts, too.