How Do I Protect Hardwood Floors from Water Damage?

Water is the biggest enemy of hardwood floors. After a flood, your best chance of recovering your hardwood floor is to hire a professional restoration company immediately. However, failing to protect your floor from moisture or spills on a daily basis can also cause irremediable damage. Here is what you can do to keep your hardwood floor dry and undamaged:

• Remove wet, moist or damp items, such as carpets, clothes, boots or appliances, from the floor as fast as possible.
• Wipe up any spills from the surface of the hardwood floor immediately to prevent the liquid from penetrating the floor.
• If a room with hardwood floor has an exterior door, place a rug in front of the door.
• Inspect the plumbing and fix any leaks that could cause water to leak into the floor (or any structural component for that matter).
• Control the humidity in your home. Be aware that during the summer, air tends to be moister and during the winter, the air is dryer than usual. Both moist and dry air can affect wood, so adjust your humidifier accordingly.
• Reinforce the sealant on your hardwood floor periodically. Wax sealants should be refinished annually. Polyurethane sealants (oil or water based) last longer and only require maintenance every few years.
• When cleaning hardwood floors, use a quality product intended specifically for hardwood floors. Make sure you don’t leave pools or puddles of liquid, no matter how small, on your floor. Don’t soak the mop head or the cloth you are using; instead, only dampen them a little.

To learn what to do in case your wood floor has been flooded, check out this article. For professional fire, water and mold restoration services, contact your local PuroClean office.