WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF WATER DAMAGE ON WOOD FLOORS

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

Hardwood floors are a popular flooring option for many homeowners due to their aesthetic as well as the relatively low maintenance required. While hardwood floors are extremely durable, they can be quite vulnerable to moisture. If your home has hardwood floors, it is important that you are always on the lookout for signs of water damage to the wood flooring.

A very common sign of water damage in hardwood floors in known as cupping. This occurs when moisture causes the wood to expand, which then pushes the boards together and deforms them in the center. Another common sign of water damage in wood floors is called crowning. Crowning is essentially the opposite of cupping. While cupping causes a depression in the center of the wood planks, crowning is when the boards are pushed together and result in a raise in the center of the wood boards. Both cupping and crowning can lead to a buckling floor if left unchecked. Buckling is when the floor boards have actually begun lifting from the subfloor, causing considerable damage to your wood floor.

Other signs to be aware of are if the floor starts to crack, the boards are separating, or the wood becomes soft and weak. If you notice any of these signs occurring in your wood floor, you have wood floor water damage, and need to take action to prevent further damage.

The first step in preventing further water damage is to determine the source of the damage. If you have an active leak, it is best to turn of the water to the home and have a leak detector or plumber inspect to determine the cause of leak and make a repair.

You should also call SERVPRO right away to begin the mitigation services. If the floor is salvageable, we can place drying equipment (including a floor drying mat system) to repair the damaged floor to its preloss condition.

If you think your home may be affected by a water damage, give SERVPRO of Tustin a call today! 714-480-1340