What happens if my floors experience water damage?

The first thing you should do is this: Don't panic! Do act quickly, though, especially since hardwood can warp, cup and crown, and mold can start growing with an unattended wet carpet. With fast action and professional advice, you'll be fine.

If your carpet or hardwood gets wet?

It sounds strange, but sometimes a rug can be wet, and you won't know it; if there's a musty odor that you can't get rid of, there's water somewhere, and it's probably in the padding. So the first thing you should do when a rug gets wet is to get rid of that cushion. If you let it sit, it can damage the subfloor. Get a wet vacuum (you can rent one in hardware stores), go over the rug, open windows, turn on fans, and use baking soda. The final thing is to hire a professional cleaner; deep steam-cleaning will eliminate toxins and bacteria.

For hardwood flooring, remove all wet items, such as rugs, wet upholstery, and towels. Wipe the floors dry, and create ventilation. Also, be sure to clean them with some antibacterial cleaner to remove toxins and bacteria, as it can damage the wood. Here, however, you should still have a professional look at it, as water can hide under the planks.

Avoid the problem altogether with wood-look flooring

If you're installing in a home prone to leaks, if you want to install in a higher-than-normal moisture room where wood isn't recommended, you might consider going with a waterproof flooring like luxury vinyl (LVF).?

This flooring is so realistic that even experts sometimes can't tell the difference. It's a stunningly natural look of wood, stone, or tile, and you can even amp it up with a unique advanced core to turn it into WPC flooring (wood plastic composite). That and SPC (stone plastic composite) floors provide the highest water and moisture protection level and won't peel or ripple no matter how much water it's exposed to or for how long.

Our motto is "flooring made simple." We know it can be overwhelming, so rely on our expertise to guide you through the process. To find out more about water damage?or our products and services, come into the Vogel's Carpet & Flooring showroom on Aurora Avenue North Seattle. We serve the greater Seattle area and will give you a free estimate for your floors.