After any amount of flooding occurs in a home, there are several types of complications that are very common. The first is mold growth. The reason this complication is so common is because unless a home is fully dried by Omaha water damage specialists, chances are there’s still enough moisture in the home for mold to start growing.
Hardwood floors that start to cup or curl are another very common complication. As with mold growth, the reason this complication happens so frequently is after a pipe bursts or a storm causes flooding, a wood floor may seem like it’s dry. However, since moisture can actually seep inside of wood flooring, it can take time for the full extent of the damage to show.
The Specifics of Wood Floor Water Damage
Many homeowners are not aware that there’s almost always some level of moisture inside of wood floors. The normal range for moisture is 6 to 12 percent. But after flooding occurs, that level can go all the way up to 40 percent. And even if a floor looks dry, unless it was serviced by specialists like Restoration Now! Omaha, the moisture level can remain as high as 16 percent.
Not only can a moisture level of sixteen percent cause structural damage to wood flooring, but it’s also high enough for mold to begin growing. Since mold can start growing in as little as 48 hours after a flood and will continue to do so for as long as ample moisture is present, this isn’t an issue you want to leave unaddressed.
Another reason it’s crucial to let a professional dry your floors is not all type of wood floors react to moisture in the same way. As a rule of thumb, the harder the type of wood used in a floor, the slower it will react to moisture. That’s why oak flooring may begin cupping within 24 hours, while maple floors can take more than four days to start showing this sign of damage.
How Restoration Now! Omaha Handles Wood Floor Water Damage in Omaha
Because we’ve dealt with damage to all kinds of floors, we go through three main steps to ensure the best results. The first is to assess the state of your floors. In some cases, floors may be so damaged that they’re not salvageable. If that’s the case, we’ll provide you with guidance about dealing with your insurance company.
Since we are able to restore wood floors, the next step is to remove the bulk of the moisture present in the floor boards. This is done by actually pulling out the water that’s been trapped underneath the flooring. Finally, we use restoration vacuum panels to complete the drying process. These panels create very powerful negative pressure and allow us to remove all remaining moisture.
Contact Restoration Now! Omaha Today at (402) 502-7277
If you want to ensure that your wood flooring and the rest of your home is protected after flooding occurs, (402) 502-7277 is the number to call for prompt and professional service from Restoration Now! Omaha.