How to Save Water-Damaged Wood Flooring

Standing water and hardwood floors? Yeah, they don’t mix. When your beautiful kitchen or dining room is underwater, your first instinct might be to panic. That’s a mistake. You don’t have time to panic—you’ll need to act fast to save your flooring from any damage!

Here’s how to save your water-damaged wood flooring as soon as you spring a leak—and before it’s too late.

Wipe up the surface water.

As soon as you see water pooling on your hardwood floors, it’s time to take action. Wipe up the surface water with a towel ASAP. If water continues to rush in from a busted pipe or overflowing toilet, take time to find the main water valve and shut it off. Then, continue to wipe up the remaining water before it’s absorbed into the flooring.

Scrub the floor.

Next, mix mild detergent and disinfectant together and begin mopping. Traditional mop detergent with disinfectant (like Mr. Clean) will do. Scrub the flooring with a stiff brush. Once you’ve removed dirt, soot, and organic material, you may stop—this will help to eliminate mold growth on the water-soaked surface.

Look for mold.

Has the flooring been submerged in water? How much time has passed since the water-damage? Take note of any mold growth (or cold, dark places that have the potential for mold growth). Treat any moldy areas right away with a mold-killing solution. For serious cases, call in a professional restoration team that’s skilled in mold removal.

Dry the area.

Once the water is wiped up and the area has been cleaned, you will want to dry the flooring. For best results, you’ll want to dry the area naturally and slowly. Use plenty of fans and allow airflow through the affected space. Never apply heat to hardwood flooring—this can cause splitting and other problems.

Replace, if needed.

Too much damage to salvage? Follow the steps above anyway. Once you’ve dried the flooring you’ll have a better idea of what needs to be replaced. For most water damage, an insurance claim can be filed so try not to worry too much about the cost. Too late? Here’s how to maximize your water damage claim to get the payoff you need to make necessary repairs.

970 Services: Loveland’s #1 Water Restoration Team

Did you identify a water leak in your crawl space or basement? Has your home experienced minor to severe flooding and water damage? Whether you’ve fallen victim to a natural disaster or experienced a pipe leak, don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place. Our team of disaster relief specialists knows how to handle water restoration in Loveland, Denver, and beyond.

As Northern Colorado’s leading experts on water pipe replacement, water restoration, mold removal, and general home restoration, we’ll get your space fixed up in no time at all. Need assistance ASAP? Give us a call now at (970) 888-0970 or contact us online for a FREE estimate.

Located in Loveland, CO, we also offer water restoration service in the following areas: Fort Collins, Loveland, Ault, Greeley, Denver, Windsor, Boulder, Longmont, and throughout Northern Colorado.