Short and Long term impacts of Water damage on Wood flooring
Wood floors have come back into favor in Benton County, AR, which is good because carpet has a tendency to hold onto dust, germs and dirt. The only issue with wood floors is they require special care to retain their beauty through the years. When the home experiences an accident, such as burst pipes, time is critical to averting permanent damage.
How Does Water Damage Wood Floors?
The damage water causes to solid hardwood flooring can be immediately apparent, or it may take time to notice. Some of the common damage caused to wood floors include:
Discoloration where the water penetrated the wood Buckling from water sitting under the floor Cupping of edges from moisture build-up
In each of these situations, repairs will need to be made to restore the beauty of the floors, and in some cases the floor may need to be replaced. Because standing water can cause so much damage in such a short time, it is important to remove excessive water from the floor as soon as it is spotted.
How Long Can Water Sit on Floors?
Water can get under floors and between cracks in floors where it can be difficult to clean or completely dry. If you experience a pipe burst that causes extensive flooding, hiring a professional company to clean and dry the floors will be your safest option for ensuring the damage isn't extensive.
Water shouldn't be allowed to sit on floors for any amount of time. The longer it is allowed to sit, the more damage will result. If water has been on a wood floor for more than a day, you may need to replace the flooring.
When you experience a wet floor, whether it is caused by something small such as a minor spill from a cup of water, or a large spill from a pipe burst, it is imperative that you address the situation promptly. Wood floors can last a lifetime when cared for properly.
How Long Before Mold Grows on Floors?
Mold grows in moist environments, they can reproduce quite quickly in these conditions. For this reason, it makes sense to pay attention to any areas of your property that show signs of water problems such as flooring.
Mold Types
Molds have certainly conquered the planet and they can be found just about anywhere humans have a presence. Some estimates place the varieties of mold at well over 100,000 strains. Each type has its own characteristics and fondness for different materials it likes to colonize. Black mold has the following traits:
- Found most often in cellulose-rich materials
- Thrives in warm, damp environments
- Found naturally in soils
- Grows slowly
- Tolerates other mold strains poorly
- Produces mycotoxins in some strains
A mold cleanup is necessary when mold spores have formed unsightly colonies in a building. Professional mold mitigation specialists should be contacted as soon as possible during an outbreak.
Cleanup Methods
A mold infestation requires that a number measures be taken by highly-trained technicians for a successful mold remediation. In some cases, your facility will need to be tested to determine how many and what type of molds are in the building. Containment measures such as setting up physical barriers and controlling air flow are often needed as well. An advanced regimen of cleaning and sanitizing is one of the final steps. Most cases of black mold mitigation begin and end with adequate moisture control. Even when the mold is destroyed through cleaning and disinfectants, it is a strong possibility the mold will return if excess moisture is still present.