Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink… or is there?

This has been the case in much of the Eastern Seaboard for over a week. But what does this have to do with hardwood floors? Well, a lot actually. When tragedy strikes, people will hold onto whatever little they have left in life. Unfortunately for some homeowners, that includes their flooring. This may be because their home is unsafe to live in without being able to dry out completely which would include taking care of any wet wood surfaces such as cabinets and wall paneling before trying to air out an area rug or two. In today’s economy, it may not always be possible to replace damaged materials until either better days come around or financial aid from insurance or family members can be secured.

For those homeowners willing to tough it out until better days come, there are some things they need to know about the future of their flooring.

The quality of water being used is extremely important. If someone turns on a hose in their house during the cleanup process, the resulting damage will depend on several factors including what type of wood it is and how much water was sprayed onto each individual surface. It should also be noted that different types of flooring react differently under varying amounts of water exposure so this should be considered as well when coming up with an appropriate backup plan for your home.

If you have any doubts about whether or not your hardwood floors could sustain permanent damage then don’t take a chance. Hire a professional to inspect your home and recommend the best course of action before trying to dry out any wood surfaces on your own. After all, it’s better to have an expert advise you not to do something than to have done it and wish you hadn’t later on down the road!

Hardwood flooring is one of the more resilient materials used in home construction today which is why so many homeowners are finding new ways to incorporate this material into their homes rather than let go of old ideas about how thick, dark wood may be too difficult or expensive to keep up with.

What do you do if your hardwood floors get wet?

First, when you see any indication that water is entering your home in large or small amounts then do everything in your power to keep it from coming into contact with the flooring. If this is not possible, immediately begin evacuating all unnecessary furniture and goods until you can get a professional to inspect what damage has been done.

Water on hardwood floors should be treated as soon as it is noticed otherwise costly problems will develop in short order which was completely avoidable in the first place! When in doubt seek professional help before attempting any home repair procedures by yourself.

That being said, there are some things homeowners can do right away if they suspect their wood floors have gotten wet even though too much time has passed since initial exposure for them to dry on their own.

If possible, move anything you can from the area that is wet including rugs, furniture, etc. Place these items in an area to dry which has good ventilation but nothing blowing too hard toward any wood surfaces. The reason for this is water may be forced into the pores of the flooring if airflow speeds are too high or rainfall outside gets out of hand during this process.

Next, run fans throughout your home which will create a cross breeze to help with the drying process as well as open up all windows and doors whenever there’s no chance of rain entering your home during periods where precipitation could occur. Again, do not allow wind speeds to blow too hard or at all your precious wood floors or they will warp and suffer permanent damage no matter what you try to do afterward.

Lastly, placing a large dehumidifier in a room that has been flooded should help to remove moisture from the air once all of these steps have been taken. This will not only help with removing excess water from wood floors but also reduce humidity levels throughout your home so nothing else gets wet at a later date.

Remember, since hardwood flooring is often more difficult to replace than other floor coverings this type of detailed work on wood surfaces can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars from being spent. It’s truly worth the time and effort on your part to take care of any problem areas as soon as possible!