Hardwood timber flooring is an excellent choice for homes or offices because of its exquisite appearance and rational benefits. However, in spite of its elegance, it is sensitive to damage or at risk from the water. There can be several reasons behind it varying from burst pipes, roofs that leak to overflowing toilets etc. and trying to wipe them clean with a few towels and drying it off with some flow from a fan are not enough to handle the wet timber flooring. Some ways to dry out hardwood timber flooring on your own are.
Hardwood Timber Flooring
Remove all furnishings from the floor
The furniture or the rugs kept in the room should be removed at priority so that they do not absorb water. The room should be completely emptied of all light and heavy stuff. All the furnishings that have been removed from the room should be placed in the sun to dry. Once the flooring is vacant it can be easily accessed and dried out. If your efforts prove inconsequential, hiring the services of the professionals may be another open option for you.
Use the services of vacuum
Once the flooring has been emptied, vacuum the remains of water still visible on the floor. It is essential to understand that the vacuum we are referring to here is not the regular vacuum cleaner or the steam cleaning vacuum. It is a particular kind of vacuum that is only available at a home repair store or an auto part retailer. This vacuum effectively absorbs the remnants of standing water, but the floor should be kept on being vacuumed until completely dry. It helps to bring out and dry the water, in the hidden openings.
Hardwood Timber Flooring
Cleanse the surface of the flooring
When you are done with removing excess water from the hardwood timber flooring, scrub the floor with a disinfectant. This is done to ensure that no dirt or remains are left after the vacuuming. After the application of the disinfectant, the flooring should once again be vacuumed.
Exhaust the humidity with fans or dehumidifier
Moisture doesn’t go off as easily as the water. It gets stuck in the wood for a long period of time and soils it from within. It is essential therefore to dehumidify the moisture from the hardwood timber flooring. Take help of a dehumidifier and place it on the flooring at the extreme level for a period of not less than 24 hours, switch on the fans or place huge fans directing the floor or switch on the air conditioner to completely dry out the moisture.
Keenly observe molds and mildew
Hardwood Timber Flooring
Excess moisture results in molds that are pretty harmful to the flooring. Mildew is also threatening to it as it damages the wood from inside out. If you observe any vulnerable spot on the flooring that looks mold or mildew infected, scrub the spot with a special mold release agent and vacuum it dry.
Have the floor meter tested
Once you have taken care of all the aspects that include emptying the floor of furniture, vacuuming the remnants of hidden water, fanning dry the flooring, you may still observe moisture lying dormant in the depths of the flooring. It is advisable therefore to have the moisture meter tested.
Removing water from the timber flooring can be a tedious task with no guarantee that your flooring hasn’t already been dampened enough to have left permanent damage. It is therefore advisable that even after trying your best; go in for a professional advice and inspection so that you are saved from the unnecessary cost of replacing the flooring.
Enacting upon the above methods may come handy while drying out your hardwood timber flooring when affected by excess water logging.
