Floorboards are more vulnerable than you think—especially when water damage is involved.
When affected by water, floors may lift, warp, and swell. This isn’t always remediable. If lifted by flooding or surging water, you can expect to need a full-service replacement. Regardless, it’s important to call a water damage company right away.
Before the professionals arrive, know that there are a few things you can do yourself.
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How Did Water Get Under My Floorboards?
If you find a water leak under floorboards, know that there’s always a source. Either from a plumbing or septic issue, water under your floorboards means there’s a greater issue at hand.
First, locate the source. This should lead you to one of these commonly found issues:
- Ceiling Leaks
- Plumbing Issues
- Underfloor Leaks
- Compiled Groundwater
Water Under Floor But I Don’t See a Leak
If you’ve exhausted all sources, it might be time to conduct a test. Sometimes floorboard water is caused by external sources such as atmospheric moisture or hydrostatic pressure.
An easy way to test for any undetected leaks is to place paper towels all over the floor. If a leak has occurred, the towels will moisten. Place two layers of paper towels on each floor panel, and then wait an hour or two for the water to rise.
Humid air can also cause water under your floor. When humid or heated hair touches pipes, it can condense and form moisture droplets.
6 Easy Steps to Take When You Find Water Under Your Floorboards
It may feel stressful to see water piling underneath your floors. Luckily, CTR offers local water damage restoration for your home flooring. If water has made your home or business uninhabitable, try these six easy steps:
Stop or Identify the Water Source
This may need to be done professionally, but you can try and locate the water source yourself. Most of the time if you listen closely, you’ll hear water running.
If you can’t find the source, contact a local professional to examine your flooring. Using advanced technology, CTR can locate and stop the water source.
Remove Floor Coverings
Use a utility knife to carefully peel away floor coverings. You want to lift the panels to reveal the subflooring below. If a leak is happening, water will be there.
Begin Drying Your Floor
Use a fan to begin drying your wet floors. A household or plug-in fan works fine. Professional water damage service providers such as us at CTR will use industry-grade fans to dry moisture quickly.
Clean and Disinfect
Apply a cleaning solution to impacted floor panels.
Ventilate Room
For natural ventilation, you can try opening a window. The outside air might help minimize moisture before the professionals can bring in tools.
Call a Professional
When all else fails, it’s time to call the restoration professionals. CTR provides Idaho customers with comprehensive water damage restoration specialized for flooring.
Our team removes, mitigates, and restores Idaho homes from complex flooring damage at any time.
Why It’s Important to Dry Water Under Floorboards ASAP
The longer water sits below deck, the more damage it will acquire. Floorboards can harbor undetected water for extended periods. Because it is harder to locate water until it lifts floorboards, you may find that it’s too late to repair them.
The second you spot water pushing up from under your floorboards, contact a professional. Quick removal guarantees that mold or other contaminants don’t have time to settle in.
Call CTR For Flooring Water Damage Solutions
In need of immediate flooring water damage solutions? Idaho residents have local access to CTR.
Our team operates out of Idaho for complete flooring restoration. Find seamless removal, mitigation, and restoration options near you by contacting us.
