Maybe there has been a leak or you have had some flooding and now your hardwood floor is wet. It is at risk of being warped and permanently damaged? Is it time to get out the shop vacuum and some fans or is it time to call a professional? What should you do?
How much water?
One factor is going to be how much water is on the hardwood floor? Is it a puddle? Is it 2 inches of standing water on the entire floor? The more water the floor has been exposed to, the more in-depth the drying process will need to be.
How long?
Another factor with flooding on hardwood floors is how long the water has been in contact with the floor. Even waxed and sealed floors cannot completely keep water from permeating the wood. The longer the floor has been wet, the longer the water will have to seep into the wood and the subfloor. If water has soaked through to the subfloor and insulation, a more invasive approach may be needed to thoroughly dry out the floor. This is especially true if the water has been sitting for a couple of days or more.
Should you try to dry the hardwood floor yourself?
For substantial amounts of water (more than small spills) it is best to call a professional. If the water hasn’t been in contact with the floor for very long it is beneficial to remove as much standing water as you can while you wait for the professional. A mop, towels, and shop vacuum work for these purposes as you will just be removing as much excess water as possible before the professional arrives.
We can help
Purity Cleaning and Restoration Services, Inc. offers water damage services in the Bitterroot Valley. With our team of trained professionals and state of the art drying equipment, there is no water damage job we can’t handle. Our approach includes the use of hardwood floor drying mats that extract water with the use of portable vacuums. High-velocity air movers and dehumidifiers come next to handle the water that cannot be extracted by vacuum. This next step of drying with air movers and dehumidifiers may take longer depending on how much water has soaked into the wood. If the water has soaked into the walls and subfloor, the drying methods may including more invasive methods, such as removing parts of the structure to allow thorough drying and eliminate microbial growth.
Is it thoroughly dry?
Purity Cleaning and Restoration Services, Inc. uses moisture meters to take readings of the affected areas. Though your hardwood floor might feel dry to the touch, a moisture meter will tell if there is still moisture beneath the surface. Moisture left unaddressed can lead to warping and structural damage in the floor as well as mold growth which can be a health hazard. You can rest assured that with Purity Cleaning and Restoration Services, our job is not complete until your home is thoroughly dried.