Various Issues Caused by Water Damage if Your Plainsboro Home Has a Wooden Floor

12/9/2021 (Permalink)

Floors damaged from a water incident is not a DIY project. SERVPRO water damage restoration techs are ready at a moment's notice.

SERVPRO Uses Regular and Advanced Techniques to Save Floors Affected by Excess Moisture Exposure

The polished hardwood floor at your Plainsboro home may be the envy of your friends. However, if it is exposed to significant amounts of water, you might encounter myriad problems. Apart from ruining the visual appeal of your floor, you might also foot a hefty bill, especially if you have to replace floorboards.

Although you might not manage to stop water intrusion, understanding the issues that might arise can help you manage the water damage at your Plainsboro home. Since you cannot learn everything you need to know within the short time between the intrusion and the onset of damages, involving a professional team like SERVPRO from the beginning presents the best chance of controlling the loss by minimizing or preventing some of the damages.

Typical Water-Related Problems That Might Affect Your Wooden Floor Include

• Crowning
• Cupping
• Buckling 
• Warping

Buckling and warping occur because moisture causes swelling in wood. Naturally, dry wood has a moisture percentage of approximately 10% but can absorb higher amounts. As the floorboards swell, they push against each other, buckling at the joints since there is no space for expansion. SERVPRO professionals tackle buckling by expediting water extraction and drying. We can also remove some floorboards to allow free expansion. That way, the floorboards can regain their original shape when we dry them.

Cupping and crowning manifest in raised edges and arching that presents the mid-section of individual floorboards, respectively. They are caused by variable water absorption. If the floorboards absorb water from the bottom and sides, it leads to cupping. Crowning, on the other hand, develops when the top is exposed to more moisture than the bottom.

Various solutions can help prevent cupping and crowning, including:

• Using drying mats to extract water trapped between floorboards
• Using drying chambers to improve floor drying processes
• Sanding out cupped edges after drying the floor

SERVPRO of East Brunswick / Princeton Meadows can help you find unique solutions to manage water damage on your wooden floors, “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (732) 432-9800.