Overcoming Wood Floor Water Damage in Riverhead Homes

11/22/2022 (Permalink)

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The Phases of Water Damage to Wood Floors

Wood flooring is an elegant and attractive addition to the area's modern homes and older properties. Keeping this material safe from damage often means fast action when water emergencies occur. The prompt response of SERVPRO professionals can help protect flooring from requiring removal and replacement.  

Standing Water Removal from Wood Plank

When water damage in Riverhead homes occurs, the pooling on the surface is the first obstacle in the way of restoration. Many homes featuring wood plank and vinyl plank flooring are susceptible to the migration and absorption of water after a brief contact time. Eliminating standing water can reduce this absorption and protect installed flooring. 

The Phases of Saturation 

When water begins to migrate into the material, the timeline for restoration and recovery becomes more urgent if preventing wood plank removal is a priority. Given the expense of replacing an entire floor of a room, it is important to note the timeline where these installed elements are still salvageable:

• Surface – At this stage, the water has yet to breach the outermost layers of the wood plank flooring and become trapped inside. Surface water is removed during extraction with tools like squeegee wands and wet vacuums. 

• Free – There is a short stage where water has started to absorb into the materials but has not yet bonded with the cellulose of the planks to cause physical damage. At this phase, drying mats can help preserve flooring. 

• Bound – At the final stage of water infiltration to the wood planks, water molecules have bonded with the plank, allowing these units to swell, distort, and warp. At this point, drying is ineffective.

Water damage in Riverhead homes can very easily include hardwood flooring. Having experienced professionals that can preserve these materials when possible saves you money. Call our SERVPRO of The North Fork team to help at (631) 591-3771.