This is problematic as water can ruin hardwood flooring due to the porous texture of the wood. As a result, the floor will easily absorb water and start to stain, but thankfully you may be able to prevent this from happening by taking the right steps as soon as you are aware of the flood.
If your floors are flooded, here are the first four steps that you need to take once you know that you and your family are safe.
First, Clean The Hardwood Flooring
Start by removing all objects from the floor, especially wet objects, and then soak up all of the remaining water using towels. Once you have done this you should clean the hardwood floor with a disinfectant cleaner to remove any dirt and bacteria. Afterward, you should place a dehumidifier on the floor for at least 24 hours to properly dry the floor, and then you can check for moisture using a moisture testing meter. Once you are sure that the floor is dry you can think about re-staining and resealing the floor.
Secondarily, Contact Your Insurance Company
The second step to take if your house floods is ring your insurance company to let them know about the flood and start a claim. If there is still water in your home you have may to wait for the water to be removed before your home can be assessed, but either way your insurer will advise you on how to proceed. This is very useful as they will have experience with flooding, but it is worth noting that your insurance may be more expensive if you live in a state with a high risk of flooding, such as Georgia, Virginia or Massachusetts. The final step is to find out if your home insurance comes with flood coverage, as this can vastly reduce any costs that you need to pay. This is very useful, but currently less than a quarter of homes in the US have flood coverage, so there is a good chance that your insurance won?t have it.
Third, Contact Gas, Electric and Water Companies
Once you have spoken to the insurance company you can ring your utilities providers to let them know about the flood. They may give you extra advice to follow, such as shutting off the water and electric appliances, or they may simply ask you to leave if there is still standing water that could be creating a dangerous situation.
Finally, To ensure proper time to get your wood to settle back to it's normal state.
A flooded floor isn?t an ideal situation, but following these three steps will keep you safe and lower any costs you have to pay. This is very useful, especially if you have expensive flooring such as hardwood or cork.
