When your home is destroyed by a flood, termites, hail, or even a wildfire, you initially feel out of place and hopeless. The place that was once your sanctuary is now unsafe and unlivable, and you're not sure what to do first. Actually, your first call should be to a home restoration company. They have the equipment to dry out your home, assess the damage, and then make the necessary repairs to make it livable again. It may not be tomorrow, and it may not be next week — but you'll have your home back. Learn more about restoration and home repairs by reading the articles we've collected on this website.
Water damage can damage many things in your home and many areas of your home itself. Wood is one of the many areas of concern you will have about your home, as well as many of your belongings made from wood if your home has been exposed to an extensive amount of water. Here are some of the things you want to know about water damage and wood:
Wood furniture can be destroyed
Wood furniture can be damaged in a way that requires it to be cleaned or restored. However, it can also end up being damaged in a way that destroys it. All belongings in affected areas of the home should be removed and inspected. Items beyond repair should be discarded properly and anything that can be cleaned or repaired should be taken care of and not placed back in the house until the house has been restored from the water damage.
Wood floors can be destroyed
The flooring will be a major area of concern because it will be one of the areas that were exposed to the water the most and the longest. Not only can the wood be damaged on the surface, but it can also be damaged on the underside. The extent of the damage has a lot to do with the amount of water the floor was exposed to, the duration of time that went by before the water was dried, and other factors including things like the humidity.
Even if the wood floors don't look affected, they still need to be inspected to ensure there isn't mold in the areas that aren't visible or that there isn't other damage. If flooding occurred from the upstairs of a two-story home, then not only will the flooring on the bottom level be a concern from the water coming downstairs, but the upstairs flooring will be a concern as well. If the upstairs flooring is damaged, there is the added concern over the integrity of the flooring that can lead to problems like collapsing.
Wood framing can be damaged
The entire framing of the home that has been exposed to water and the framing near the exposed framing will be at risk of water damage. In minor cases, the work needed to fix the issues will be minor. However, in serious cases, the work can be extensive. In fact, in worst-case scenarios, the home would need to be condemned, torn down, and rebuilt. There are also cases that fall anywhere between these two extremes.
Conclusion
You need to act as quickly as possible when it comes to getting someone to come out to take care of your water damage issues. The sooner they are able to dry the house and get started on the water damage restoration, the better off you will be in many ways. Acting fast means less damage and that means less work to be done.
For more information, reach out to local water damage restoration services.