For something that seems so harmless, water can do an astonishing amount of damage that is costly to repair.
The cost for the water restoration process adds up very quickly. After the severe floods we experienced just a few years back, those of us from the Aurora and Denver, CO areas know just how costly water cleanup can be.
For those with hardwood floors in their home, this is especially true. Wooden floors are particularly vulnerable to water damage and both expensive and difficult to repair or replace.
So, rather than accept water damaged wood floors as inevitable, arm yourself with the knowledge needed to protect and save your investment! Below are just some of the ways that can help you accomplish this.
Remove Sources of Moisture
One misconception is that hardwood floors are only in danger of water damage in the case of flooding or standing water.
This is not at all true. Even basic spills and moisture, the types of things that can occur on any given day, put your hardwood floors at risk for serious damage.
Be sure to always remove wet, damp and moist items from your floors immediately. This includes damp towels and clothes, wet, muddy shoes, cold items causing condensation such as cold drinks, etc.
If there are any spills, even minor ones, wipe them up as fast as possible to prevent the spilled liquid from seeping into the floor.
To help with this, make sure to place dirty clothes hampers in all bedrooms to discouraged dropping dirty clothes on the floor. Place heavy duty mats in front of doors both inside and outside to prevent water and mud from being brought in on shoes. Don’t allow children to sit on the floor with drinks, etc.
Regulate Humidity
As with all wooden things, too much humidity (or too little) can wreak havoc. Especially during the summers, the air often gets very heavy and damp with humidity, and in the winter, you usually have the opposite problem with dragging snow or water inside.
To help save your wood floors from needing repair, keep a humidifier to control the humidity levels in your home throughout the year.
Check For And Eliminate Leaks
Develop a regular habit of checking your pipes and appliances for leaks. Better to go through the hassle of assessing them regularly, so that you can stop a leak as soon as it occurs and prevent damage, rather than discover the leak because of extensive damage.
Cleanup Properly
When you clean your floors, use products specifically designed for hardwood floors. Refrain from using sopping wet mops. Just a damp mop or cloth, when combined with wood-appropriate cleaners, will be sufficient.
When you are done, go over the floors with a towel to make sure there are no wet spots.
In Case of a Real Flood
If you do experience an actual flood, you have some work ahead of you. Check out our previous articles on water cleanup tips and the top 5 water damage cleanup practices.
In brief, here are some things to do:
- If the source is broken pipes or appliances, stop the leak first (shut of the water if you need to)
- Turn off the power to the area and unplug all electronics
- Remove items from the flooded area and floors (including rugs and carpets)
- Dry the floors as best you can. You can use a wet vacuum, dry mops and towels, etc. If the water is deep, you will need to rent/use a pump.
- Open windows and doors to air it out and help with the drying process
- Use fans, dehumidifiers and even heaters to speed up the process
Know When to Call the Professionals
Ultimately, though, you need to know when to call in the professionals. Standing water left for even a short period of time can get into the wood, leading to serious deterioration and mold and mildew buildup and endangering your health.
If you have experienced true flooding, you need to call in the professionals for proper water damage repair. If you need water removal in Denver, CO, we would be happy to help.
Give us a call today and we can provide you a free estimate and make it out to you within 60 minutes. We are happy to serve both the Denver and Aurora, CO areas.
