How To Repair Hardwood Floors After Water Damage

1/28/2020 (Permalink)

A flooding event of any size will have a negative effect on your building and property, and your wood floors will really suffer. Any time water saturates hardwood, the wood absorbs the water through its pores and this, in turn, causes warping and discoloration. If you have experienced water damage to your wood flooring, you will want to follow these steps to repair them:

• Removing Water. Soak up the water as quickly as possible. The longer the water remains, the worse the 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 avoid serious and irreversible damage. You will also be alleviating the possibility of a mold invasion. 
• Sanding/Refinishing. You will need to sand and refinish the wood. This repair can bring your floors back to pre-flood condition and will save you all the time and money involved in having your damaged flooring removed and new flooring installed. 
• Contacting Professionals. When you have experienced extensive water damage, such as from a tornado, hurricane, or severe flooding due to a large weather event, your best bet will 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. 
• Taking Preventive Measures. 
• Find the source of water and take the necessary steps to stop the flow. 
• If you have carpeting on top of your hardwood floor, remove both the carpet and the padding immediately and take care of any other wet objects, as well. You may have to deal with odors and discoloration after a water damage event. 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. Rely on professionals if the amount of water is really extensive. 
• Prevent mold and preserve your hardwood floors by using a non-sudsy disinfectant, and then vacuum again to remove standing water. 
• Use a dehumidifier or run your heater or air conditioner constantly to keep the air dry inside the affected areas. This will help to prevent unpleasant odors and may provide a deterrent to mold, too. 

SERVPRO of Belle Meade/West Nashville has the skills and equipment necessary to get your floors back to pre-damage condition, and we are always here to help with repairs and renovations to any area of your property when you are affected by water damage event, whether large or small. We also handle fire damage, and we are mold remediation experts, too.