Water Restoration for Kalispell Historic Homes

5/7/2023 (Permalink)

Quick action is required to dry wood damaged floors. Contact SERVPRO to evaluate the situation and start the restoration task.

SERVPRO Restores Water Damaged Hardwood

Property owners appreciate the warmth and beauty of hardwood floors in the residences of the East Side Historic District. When floods, leaks, or appliance ruptures threaten century-old building materials, it is a relief that highly-qualified technicians invested in our community are available to mitigate and remediate the effects of water damage. Recovery of wet hardwood's function and appearance is achievable when an Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)-certified company and its experienced workers respond quickly.

Saving Hardwood Floors

When hardwood is water damaged, quickly reaching out for professional water restoration is Kalispell property owners' best response. Whether the damage is from spills, seepage, or standing water after a burst pipe or storm activity, SERVPRO's IICRC-certified technicians and specialized equipment save rather than tear out and replace affected floors. If emergency services are delayed, expect to see some or all of the following issues:

• Staining and deterioration of finishes
• Swelling and warping of wood, which dangerously distorts the surface, described by experts as:
• Crowning and cupping--strips and planks either rise along the middle (crowning) or push against adjoining wood with edges rising and the centers sagging (cupping)
• Buckling, where the swelling is so extreme that hardwood pieces pull away from the subfloor and rip up nails or other fasteners
• Weakening of the floor if underlying unfinished sublayers are wet and breaking apart--floors may squeak excessively and bounce when walked on

How Does SERVPRO Restore Hardwood?

Our technicians immediately remove standing water using powerful extraction equipment. Because floors are multiple-level structures, it is essential to pull moisture from underlying materials during water restoration. We use strategies such as:

• Loosening the ends of strategically chosen planks to direct warm, moving air beneath
• Drilling tiny holes through the finish to speed up evaporation
• Using negative pressure (suction) equipment to extract moisture from the top down--floor mats attached to the floor connect to hoses that apply the suction
• Placing air movers and dehumidifiers in the space to increase the moisture evaporation rate to complete restoration efforts

SERVPRO of Flathead County specializes in IICRC research-based water restoration, including returning damaged hardwood to a dry and beautiful condition. Call (406) 300-0435 to schedule a consultation to discuss your options.