Water Damage Repair for Hardwood Floors in Tampa
Wood and water don’t mix. Prolonged exposure to water will damage a hardwood floor, causing cupping and sometimes even buckling. When wood is exposed to heat, water and humidity, the wood expands due to the increase in its moisture content. The wood boards become wider which often results in cupping or even buckling.
Immediate action is important so as to avoid prolonged exposure of the wood to moisture. Different drying methods can be done depending on the size of the area. Small water spills can be dried using soft towels. Air drying and the use of a dehumidifier are solutions too. You can increase air circulation by opening windows and doors or by using fans. Never use heaters for drying the wet area for it may cause permanent damage on the wood.
Insurance Claims
We have worked with many insurance companies to assist Tampa homeowners in the assessment of water damage and the repair of their wood floors. We understand how insurance companies calculate the amount that they are willing to pay for a claim. We are glad to speak directly with your adjuster to help you get reimbursed for all the work that needs to be done to return your wood flooring to its original beauty.
Cupping of Wood Flooring
“Cupping and crowning” are common complaints caused by prolonged exposure to moisture. Both problems occur across the width of the flooring material.
Wood floor cupping is a condition in which the edges of the individual boards are slightly higher than the center. Cupped boards appear to be curled slightly. Increases in moisture or humidity cause a slight expansion of wood flooring, (in fact, any wood) and a decrease causes a slight shrinking. You want to keep water off your floors and follow our instructions on cleaning and maintaining your floors. Also, in building conditions where there is more moisture on one side of the wood flooring than the other, the solid wood flooring can cup.
Should exposure to moisture cause cupping, the good news is that sometimes the wood will resume its original size and shape once it has dried. We have special equipment to measure the water content in wood flooring and this measuring is the first step in determining our course of action with your floor. It can also determine whether you have completely handled the cause of your moisture issue.
Crowning is the opposite of cupping. Here, the center of a board is higher than the edges. Moisture imbalance is sometimes the cause of crowning if excessive moisture is introduced on the top of the floor, perhaps from water used in maintenance or plumbing leaks from an overhead sprinkler system. However, a common cause is that the floor was previously cupped, but was sanded too soon-before the moisture content returned to normal, and the board had the chance to flatten on its own. We ensure that your flooring’s moisture is at the correct level before we sand.
Buckling of Wood Flooring
Buckling occurs when the hardwood flooring actually pulls away from the subfloor, lifting up to several inches in one or more places. Fortunately, it is not a common occurrence, happening only after a floor is flooded for a period of time.
In flooded hardwood strip flooring, the swelling stress is theoretically high enough for the swelled boards to push out walls. However, before that can happen the nails or the glue holding the flooring to the subfloor will usually give way, so that the floor bulges upward.
If buckling floors are caught early, spot repair and replacement may be possible. Once the standing water is removed, several boards may be taken up from the floor so that air can be circulated across and below the floor more effectively. Once the floor has dried to a more stable moisture level, repairs can usually be made.
We are experts at returning your floors to their original beauty!
Please note: We are not mold experts. With any moisture there is a chance of mold growing, especially here in the humid conditions we often experience in Tampa Bay. We urge you to consult an environmental specialist for mold detection and remediation should you discover water intrusion in your home.