What You Need To Know About Water Damage

Water damage can safely be called the worst nightmare of the hardwood floor owner. In fact, many online sources and people, in general, would tell you that water damage is something scary, something really bad for the floor, something beyond repair and you will need to buy a new floor. However, this is not the truth. Of course, in some cases of severe water damage, your floor may be completely damaged and impossible to fix or bring back to its initial glory and beauty. However, in most cases water damage is not that scary and destructive and, in fact, it can be easily fixed and repaired by professionals. But let us start with the fact that water damage is not that common as you may think.

Now, the main reason for water damage to your hardwood flooring is some sort of flood of water in your home or a leak. There may be many reasons for a water flooding or a leak and it is not the mission of this article to discuss the possible scenarios. However, it is really important to make sure the issue is fixed before you continue with fixing the floor. Now, just because there was a flood of water, it does not mean that the floor is now water damaged. However, in most cases, it would be if you do not react immediately and do not remove all the excess water and dry out the floor completely. There are different intensities of water damage, while in some cases the issue would be severe, there are also some lucky cases when the problem is not that serious and easy to fix. 

How to Notice Water Damage

As we have said, water damage is not necessarily always the result of water floods and leaks. Therefore, you need to carefully inspect the floor for signs of water damage in order to be sure. Some of the most common water damage indicators include:

• Mold is growing on your floor

• Floorboards are lifting at the ends, warping, cupping, ballooning, buckling

• Flooring nails are popping out

• There are permanent stains or discolouration on the floorboards

How to Save Your Hardwood Floor

When it comes to water damage and preventing the permanent issues that can arise from it, time is of great importance. The quicker you make sure to fix the issue and take care of all the water and moisture, the better for your floor and the higher your chances for preventing water damage. Always make sure you are removing the excess water from the floor as soon as possible.

If possible, use a heavy-duty industrial vacuum machine to collect the water. If not – just make sure you have a good reserve of dry and clean cloths, rugs and towels. Do not forget that the main reason for mould forming and growing is the combination of water and dirt. Give your floor a good and in-depth scrub and remove all the dirt. You can also opt for using a deep cleaning product, just make sure it is designed for hardwood floors only and will not affect the condition of the finish. 

Access the Water Damage

Now, if you are lucky enough and you have dried out your floor on time, you may not have to worry about water damage. However, in some cases, water damage is an issue you need to take care of. The damage to your hardwood floor will range and depend on a number of factors – the largeness of the area affected, how long the floor has been exposed to water, what type and kind of wood flooring you have, etc. Do not forget that the floor finish can also play a big role in the process.

Some wood floor finishes create a durable and strong protective barrier on the top of the floor, while others are penetrative and not that strong. In addition, you need to make sure that the floor finish is not worn or damaged so its protective power is not getting weaker. Normally, if the water damage is minor, the affected or damaged floorboards would require just a quick sanding and refinishing to fix them. However, in really severe cases the damaged floorboards may have to be replaced with new ones and the old ones will be beyond repair. Make sure to have your floor thorough inspected by an experienced and knowledgeable professional.