Flooding on Your Beautiful Hardwood Floors? Act Quickly to Prevent Warping

Discovering a burst pipe or other type of plumbing emergency can make your heart lurch in your chest. If you were to discover this type of localised flooding inside your home, the issue has the potential to be far more serious if you have hardwood floors. Without quick action, the water has the ability to warp your floors, necessitating repairs or replacement that is both labour-intensive and rather expensive. So what should you do if you discover that a plumbing emergency has resulted in water all over your hardwood floors?

Immediate Help

Call an emergency plumber immediately. If a large amount of water has accumulated on your hardwood floors, enquire as to whether the plumber has the equipment necessary for drainage. This device would be like a mobile sump pump that can quickly suck up the water before expelling it via a hose (which leads outdoors or to a conveniently located inside drain). It will remove the majority of the accumulated water, although some additional removal will still be needed (which you will need to take care of).

Soaking Up the Water

The most straightforward way to soak up any remaining water is to grab your dirty clothes hamper. Spread these dirty clothes, towels, and bedding across the affected area. These items already needed to be washed, and their absorbent qualities can be highly beneficial in these circumstances. Agitate the fabric as necessary and remove them as soon as they've become sodden so that they don't remain in contact with the hardwood flooring. Of course these items will need to be washed as soon as possible to prevent mildew from setting in.

Drying Out the Floors

You will need to offset any water that might have actually seeped into the porous wood of your floors. Rent an industrial dehumidifier and place it in the affected room. This will essentially draw the moisture out from anywhere it might be lurking. The length of time required will depend on the extent of the flooding (and how long it remained undiscovered), but you will need to remember to empty the water collection unit in the dehumidifier as needed.

Warping of the floors is a gradual process, and so it might not be immediately evident if it has taken place. With some quick, decisive action you will minimise the severity of any damage to your beautiful hardwood floors (if it was to occur at all). For more information, contact companies like Sam's Local Plumbing.