Do you suspect water damage on your wood floors? Call Restorerz Emergency Services at (323) 973-2076 for an in-home consultation and water damage restoration.
Hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any home, with easy-to-clean surfaces and rich, warm colors. Your hardwood floors might be the pride of your home, but when leaks, floods, or water damage happen, you might not know how to tell if your floors sustained damage.
In this article, we will cover the top five signs of water damage on wood floors and the different types of water damage you may see. Spotting water damage early is essential to stopping the destruction before it gets excessive.
For water damage restoration in Los Angeles, Restorerz – Emergency Services can examine your hardwood floors and take steps to mitigate the damage and restore them. We’re here to offer fast solutions with top-notch customer care for any water damage in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.
What Causes Water Damage on Wooden Floors?
Water is one of the greatest threats to wood floors. Wood is susceptible to damage from water and sunlight due to its organic composition. Water damage can come from many sources, from major pipe leaks to spilled drinks.
Hidden leaks can take time to find. Once you notice the leak, the damage is done. Regardless of the type of water damage, soggy wood floors can require extensive repair, often involving floor or foundation replacement.
Water damage is a difficult challenge to tackle, particularly when it involves your wood floors. If you are dealing with water-damaged wooden floors, restoration may be necessary to fix issues like mold infestations, warped floor planks, paint damage, and other challenges. Understanding the level of damage and exposing any mold growth are essential.
Continue reading to learn five different signs of water damage on wooden floors.
1. Warped Floorboards
Water damage can cause warped floorboards, which become raised, curled, or deformed. Flooding, hidden leaks, high humidity, high temperatures, or excess moisture beneath the floor can cause warping.
When wooden planks absorb water, they soften and expand, causing distorted shapes and textures of the boards. As a result, they can shift and push into other planks, morphing into humped shapes when the water dries.
2. Stained or Discolored Floors
If your wood surfaces show water stains or discoloration, you may have water damage. Some signs of damage to look for include:
- Dark or discolored spots on your floors
- Black staining or splotches
- Faded coloring on or between the planks
- Any discoloration or new markings on the wood grain
The floor underneath your wood planks should be dry and clean. If it’s not, restoration professionals will need to replace your wood flooring.
Discoloration is the most obvious sign of water damage on hardwood floors. When the water absorbs and dries out, it leaves behind minerals and salts that stain the hardwood with dark marks and other irregularities. Some wood finishes react to water and can bear streaks and rings of discoloration from water damage.
3. Mold or Mildew
Mold can grow on or between the hardwood planks. One of the most common signs of water damage, mold, or mildew can indicate extensive water damage.
Mold and mildew thrive in damp environments, and wood is especially susceptible. If you delay addressing water damage, mold can grow rampantly.
Mold on water-damaged wood floors can vary in appearance. It may present as black or gray splotches or furry white patches on your floor’s surface.
Other signs of mold include:
- A foul, pungent, musty odor
- Damp, humid indoor air
- Newly spongy flooring that was once solid
Mold releases toxins into the air, which are very harmful to indoor air quality. Prolonged exposure to mold can cause health issues. Additionally, and less seriously, it can destroy your floors irreparably. If you notice signs of mold, call water damage restoration professionals immediately for an inspection.
4. Soft Floorboards
Water-damaged floorboards may bounce or feel brittle, as if they may break. This change in structural integrity is a result of rotting. In these cases, the subflooring may be damaged as well, and your floorboards will need replacing.
5. Swelling, Cupping, or Buckling Boards
Swelling occurs when the hardwood floors absorb water, causing swelling among the boards. When the planks push into one another, they begin to lift or buckle. This creates spaces where water can seep in and become trapped beneath the floorboards.
In some cases, planks will warp or bend rather than swell, also creating an uneven surface. Swelling can also lead to lifted floorboards or exposed nails that emerge from the wood floors. If you notice any of these signs, there is probably water damage.
Restoring Wood Floor Water Damage in Los Angeles, CA
Water damage can be a nightmare, but our expert water damage repair team at Restorerz – Emergency Services is here to help. Our top-rated team of certified professionals is fully licensed and ready to mitigate, repair, and replace flooring showing signs of water damage. With certification from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration, our specialists can help with any water damage restoration needs.
Regardless if the water damage happened due to a flood or a burst pipe, our specialists can offer solutions based on the extent of the damage. We will provide the answers you need along with steps to prevent future damage while also ensuring the cleaning and restoration process is fast and effective.
For everything you need to know the signs of water damage on wood floors, we’ve got you covered. At Restorerz – Emergency Services, we can help assess your water damage and provide solutions to remediate the issue. We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, offering 24-hour service and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Don’t wait to take action; water damage needs immediate restoration to prevent further damage. Call Restorerz Emergency Services at (323) 997-4978 to schedule an in-home consultation. We’ll get your water-damaged wood floors fixed and returned to their natural beauty in no time!