How To Save A Water Damaged Wood Floor

Did you know that a lot of National Companies that provide water damage restoration don’t even try to salvage wood flooring? They dont provide water damage restoration for wood flooring. In certain cases such as sewage backup or grossly contaminated water you must as per IICRC code S500-the standard for water damage restoration.remove contaminated materials. But what about a domestic water leak, a tub overflow, a dishwasher leak-these are types of water losses where wood flooring should be saved. Most companies come in, see the cupping(the warp) and immediately deem it not salvageable and want to rip it out. Not with Systematic. We have systems designed specifically to remove the water from underneath the flooring(wood or tile) and in most cases can save the floor. It may have to be sanded and refinished but thats a lot cheaper than replacing a wood floor due to water damage. We use a system that uses mats positioned across the floor with suction tubes attached to remove water and pump warm dry air below the floor. See below the system I am talking about:

Of course laminate flooring cannot be saved but almost all other types of wood floor can be restored using this or similar systems. Dont rip up a perfectly good floor because the company you are dealing with does not have the equipment or expertise to save the floor from destruction. Wood is a very resilient material and can stand the test of time. It will even withstand flooding if handled quickly and professionally be a good water damage restoration contractor. Dont let your floor get ripped up and removed because the remediation company doesnt want to put the time and effort into saving what you have. Call around and make sure the company you hire is outfitted with the proper tools, the proper equipment and the proper training to provide a service that will save you lots of time and trouble once the water has been removed and the house is dry.

    Ice dam signs
    Signs you are developing an ice dam.

    Preventing Water Damage from Ice Dams

    You wouldnt think that snow could cause extensive damage-even flooding- to your home. But if you made it through the winter of 2015 with no leaks in your house and you had snow and icicles hanging off of it like in this picture you are lucky, very lucky. We have had many calls from local homeowners with wet ceilings, wet walls, drips coming from the moldings around ceilings doors and windows. In some cases it was minor but in several homes it caused major damage. And if left untreated can cause mold and other problems. The main issue is when we have as many snow storms as we did, with few thaw times in between you get an ongoing freeze buildup. In most cases if the attics are kept cold and the home is well insulated this will not occur but in certain cases where roof angles come together, when solar radiation causes melting, and when you have heat melting the snow from underneath and refreezing ice dams occur and can eventually lead to water intrusion.

    What is an Ice Dam and how does it cause leaks?

    An ice dam causes flooding in a home by allowing water to puddle on the roof and in a lot of cases ice has backed up disrupting the lay of shingles so water will seep underneath and make its way into the home. The only way to stop this from occurring and prevent home flooding is to destroy the dam. This allows the water to run off the roof and doesn’t intrude into the structure. In a lot of cases this is a difficult thing to do because of access. If not done properly it can damage your roof and if you arent careful it can damage you. Working on a ladder or walking on an icy roof is hazardous to say the least.

    What Can You Do to Prevent Ice Dams?

    The most important thing is to stop the ice and snow from building up on your roof. This can be accomplished by using a snow rake to remove the last 3-4 feet of snow from the edges of your roof. This is easier said then done. Increasing insulation in the summer months and making sure your attic stays cold so there is limited under-melt is a prudent step to take. The added insulation will save you money on heating (and cooling) costs and prevent hot air from escaping from the main home area building up in the attic and creating ice dams. Another option is to install heat tracing lines along the edges of roofs and gutters so these areas remain ice and snow free no matter how bad the winter becomes. In many cases this work can be done by a roofer or local handyman and will save you lots of headaches and worry when next years cold weather arrives. Lets hope next winter is milder but with global environmental change occurring who knows what will happen. Some relatively easy maintenance now will save you trouble and heartache when next winter rolls around.

     

    destroyed room
    Damage restoration services are necessary after any disaster to restore your home and your life.

    Damage Restoration Services are required after a natural or man-made disaster.

    Damage restoration services are required after a natural or man-made disaster. These services are designed to get your life back to normal as soon as possible and to mitigate ongoing damage to your property. It is important that your damage restoration services contractor be able to provide service quickly and efficiently within the confines of your insurance policy so that out-of-pocket losses are minimized. For example with water loss if the water is allowed to stand and items remain wet we have the added issue of mold developing which greatly increases the size and scope i.e. money required to restore the property.

    So fast response is of primary concern. Of course having the right equipment to provide the damage restoration services is paramount as well. Without the proper equipment the job will take longer than necessary and typically the most expensive part of a restoration project is the manpower required to bring the property back to previous condition.

    In addition the know-how and expertise of the company management, supervisory staff, and laborers is all very important as well. You want your home or business going together as it was or better than it was. Having poorly trained staff to make the matter a lot worse than it needs to be.

    Having a loss that requires a damage restoration service is a very stressful situation for a home or business owner. There is a certain amount of finesse and sensitivity training that is required of all employees and management dealing with the client. A situation like this can be very overwhelming and if you’re dealing with a company that does not care it can add a lot of stress to an already stressful situation. With Systematic we have been trained under IICRC guidelines, have some of the most modern and state-of-the-art equipment available to the restoration contractor, and only hire people that are caring and kind (and of course background checked). We are family-run organization and we treat our clients like they are an extended part of that family. So if you need damage restoration services consider Systematic.

    We operate 24 hours per day seven days per week, can handle almost any damage restoration project, are fully certified under IICRC, are fully insured, and care about you in your time of need. We like to save that “we restore people, properties and reputations” but what we really do is restore your life. We take pride in the work that we do and we do it honestly and ethically. So if you have need for a water restoration, fire restoration, storm damage restoration, mold remediation or HVAC or carpet cleaning give us a call. Speak to one of our representatives, have one of our technical specialists come out and give you a free price quote. We can’t take all the stress away but we can certainly do our best to make a bad situation better. Good service is a commodity nowadays and we are happy to say that is a commodity that our company is abundant in.