Wood flooring is a highly sought after feature for people embarking on the task of purchasing a home. It’s a classic structural and aesthetic aspect that offers character, spaciousness, and a sense of flow to any residence. Unfortunately, these benefits don’t come without a downside, though. Wood floors are fairly difficult to maintain, and they can be particularly sensitive to moisture.
Wood floor water damage is actually a major issue in Florida, where flooding is fairly common. More often than not, it’s pretty easy to tell whether your floor has been exposed to too much moisture; other times though, it’s a tough call. Detecting water damage is certainly a job you can do on your own, but if you’re ever unsure, it’s always in your best interest to call a professional.
Here’s some signs that the wood flooring and your home has been hit with a nasty case of H20 destruction…
You Notice Cupping
You really don’t need any high-tech tools to tell whether or not your floor has been subject to water damage—a simple visual inspection and knowing exactly what you should be looking for, is really all that’s necessary.
Upon inspection, if you notice that some of the floor planks have dips, with raised edges around them, you might have some water damage. This is usually caused when there’s more moisture at the bottom of the board, than at the top.
The Wood Has Dark Colored Spots
Of course, dark spotting might just be part of the wood pattern itself, but another reason you might be noticing dark spots in the wood is that it has been stricken with mold and mildew. Often times the spotting will only be surface-level, and it’ll be easy to clean up, but deep-seated spotting will probably require that the floor be resealed so that further damage doesn’t result.
Bulging Seems Apparent
Opposite of cupping, the wood can also take a “crown” shape, where it appears to bubble outward. This, too, is due to a moisture imbalance. Here though, the top of the plank has been exposed to more moisture than the bottom—this is a common occurrence with spills.
The Wood Is Buckling
Wood floor water damage can also take the form of “buckling.” When you find floor panels that have completely moved away from the floor underneath, you can almost be certain that you have water damage on your hands (or should we say, underneath your feet?).
Instances of buckling are usually due to very long-term water damage. This is rarely an issue because homeowners often notice more minor problems with the floor, before it gets to this stage. Still, buckling does happen, and when it does, it’s imperative that the flooring be completely redone.
It’s important to add that buckling wood floors are extremely unsafe to walk on – not only because someone could trip, but because there’s a decent possibility that they could fall directly through the floor.
Seek The Help Of An Experienced Contractor
Wood floor refinishing can be a costly endeavor, but it’s best to take care of the moisture problem, the moment you see it rear its head. The more regularly you keep an eye on your floors, the more efficient you’ll be in detecting water damage issues. And, in turn, the less expensive and time-consuming the restoration project will be.
No matter what type of wood flooring water damage you’re dealing with though, it’s definitely a job for a professional flooring contractor. Even if you know what you’re doing, it’s better not to take the risk of causing even more damage to your floors—don’t hesitate to contact us, today!