It’s fair to say that in the homes of many families, the kitchen is the most expensive room. Between the countertops and all the high-tech appliances and gadgetry, there’s definitely a lot to lose if a flood were ever to hit.
If that does turn out to be the case, we’d like to prepare you on how to go about restoring the different aspects of your kitchen, that have ended up water-logged and ruined. A water damaged kitchen can have terrible effects on your pocketbook as well as your health, so knowing just how to handle it immediately after the fact, is truly vital.
Repairing Floors
The consequences water damage can have on your kitchen flooring, really all depends on the materials of which its composed. And, the exact method you employ to fix the problem, also depends on what it’s made of.
If you live in one of the many Floridian homes equipped with tile flooring, you’re in luck – at least compared to its counterparts. Tile itself is pretty resistant to moisture damage, and it’s a popular choice for this reason. Still, when we look at the bigger picture, we start to see that it’s not that easy.
Each individual floor tile is held together by grout, but the grout has to be sealed in order to work effectively. When it’s not, it can be very absorbent to water, and become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Wipe tile with dry rags, and then use fans to further the drying process. Once they’re dry, use a lightly wet rag and detergent to do away with any grime brought in by the flood.
Unlike fairly resistant tile, wood is very sensitive to moisture – if you don’t act quickly upon significantly exposing it to moisture, it’ll likely end up being very costly to you. Many people think that applying heat to wood floors is the key to riding them of moisture, but this can dry out the wood too much – causing it to split and crack.
When drying them, use a similar process as you would a tile floor, but it’s imperative that the process be done as quickly as possible, as wood floors are much more reactive. Because tile floors are more robust, it really doesn’t matter what type of detergent you clean them with, but with wood floors, you’re going to need a mild detergent specifically made to do such a job.
Repairing Countertops
One of the major benefits to having a kitchen equipped with granite countertops, is that they are pretty resistant to water damage. Since granite is a stone, and porous, water can seep through its pours and leave a dark stain, but this will ultimately dry and disappear with time.
On the other hand, if you have laminate countertops, this is a different story. Water can easily makes its way into one of the corner seams, and into the particle board underneath – causing it to swell. Unfortunately, the only way to repair this damage is to purchase a completely new one.
Repairing The Kitchen Sink
A defective sink is a common reason for kitchen water damage, and there are certainly things you can do to fix it. If water begins spraying or leaking from underneath your sink, immediately shut off the water valve (it’s a lever that should be around the same vicinity). If water continues to come out, you may have a defective pipe. In this case, the best thing you can do is to call a professional contractor.
Call A Professional
All in all, we’ve given you a few ways in which you can repair different aspects of your water-damaged kitchen. Although there are some tasks that you might easily be able to take care of on your own, it’s best that you leave the more difficult ones to professional water removal technicians.