12 Dec Drying in Place vs. Tearing Out

Photo by: LBX Company

Drying in Place vs. Tearing Out

Once your property has flooded, and you have cleaned up the immediate water and debris, you are now faced with the daunting task of repairing the damage.  Oftentimes in a flood the most affected part of the property is the flooring.  If your home has hardwood floors it can be hard to know right away how much harm has been done.  See the article, Do My Wood Floors Have Water Damage? for more information.  Once you have assessed the actual damage, do you try and dry the floors as they are, or tear them out and start fresh?

Obviously, keeping the floors you have in place is usually the most desirable option.  Drying floors in place can be as simple as letting the natural air in the home circulate throughout the room to regulate the moisture content.  However, it is usually more effective to use fans, dehumidifiers, and other forced air equipment to speed up the process.  (See also: Drying Out Wood Floors)  Generally speaking, drying out the floors in place is the most cost effective, and is less detrimental to your daily living than tearing out the wood and starting new.  It depends on the flood, but drying is usually recommended before more drastic measures are taken.

If, once your floors are completely dry and they are still damaged beyond repair, or if the flood was too large to begin with, tearing out the floors is sometimes the better option.  If the wood has been completely dried, and is still showing significant signs of buckling and swelling, replacing the floors may be necessary.  The best way to know what needs to be done is to call a professional.  KADE Restoration will always do all they can to make sure your floors are repaired correctly.