If you’ve recently had a water heater leak, then your floor may have some water damage. Once you’ve solved the leak, either by calling a plumber or solving the problem yourself, you should check the surrounding floor for water damage. Wood flooring is usually the most susceptible to damage, although water can affect other types of flooring as well, especially if a small leak has gone unnoticed, or you’ve experienced a very large leak.
Keep in mind, particularly if you didn’t notice your water heater leaking right away, that you may have mold in the drywall and/or flooring.
Some types of mold can be quite toxic in large amounts and should be addressed HYDRADRY Orlando. If you take the proper safety precautions, and you only have a small amount of mold, the situation is something that you can likely address yourself. Be sure to wear gloves, safety goggles, and a dust mask to prevent inhaling any of the mold. Mold in excess of 10 square feet is the general rule of thumb as to when a professional should be called.
How to Tell if There is Water Damage
All types of flooring can be damaged by water, and worse, the water can seep down to the sub floor. Identifying whether your floor has any water damage is relatively easy, as you can usually notice signs of warping, buckling, and discoloration. Although, each type of floor has different tell-tale signs of water damage. When inspecting your floor, look for the following clues:
Hardwood:
Cupping: Floor planks have dips and raised edges.
Dark Spots: This may just be part of the wood’s natural pattern, although it may also be mold or mildew.
Bulging: Floor planks bubble upwards, creating a “crown” shape.
Buckling: Floor planks have been completely removed from the floor underneath.
Laminate:
Swelling: Generally at the plank edges.
Warping: The planks are no longer flat and are cupping or bulging.
Discoloring: Could be mold or mildew.
Carpet:
Discoloration: Most likely mold or mildew.
Odor: Most likely mold or mildew.
Tile:
Stains: Any sort of discoloration could mean water damage.
Hollow Sound: Tap on the tiles with a coin. An empty or hollow sound means that the tiles are loose.
Linoleum:
Stains: Any sort of discoloration could mean water damage.
How to Repair Water Damage
The first step, in all types of floor repair, is always to thoroughly dry out the floor. No repairs should be started until the area is completely dry. Use a wet vacuum for large pools of water, and place fans and dehumidifiers in the room for several days. In some cases, simply drying out the area will fix the damage, and no further repairs are necessary.
HYDRADRY Orlando can help dry out the affected area properly which includes sanitizing and deodorizing, which will be particularly helpful to prevent mold, mildew and further damage.
Hardwood Floor Repair
If only a few boards are showing signs of warping, cupping, buckling or separating, you may be able to simply nail or screw them back into place. However, if this doesn’t work, you will likely need to purchase matching wood and either replace the individual floor boards, or if necessary, replace the damaged section of floor.
If the damaged section needs to be replaced, use a saw to cut into the floor, and then lift and remove the damaged floor planks with a pry bar.
There is a point where it is more cost effective to remove the entire part of the damaged floor and start over, instead of attempting to repair the area.
For solid wood floors, you will need to replace the boards, nail them to the floor. Then sand the new and old flooring so they match perfectly before staining. It’s usually best to apply a couple coats of stain, then numerous coats of polyurethane finish.
It can become very time consuming to replace the damaged boards, versus quickly tearing them out and starting over. Consider hiring HYDRADRY Orlando for your reconstruction needs today.
