How water affects any given room in your home depends on what is in that room—meaning, the materials used. At Spectrum Cleaning & Restoration we understand that most people have no idea the long term damage water can have on the materials in your home and restoration that has to go into cleaning that up. Let’s take a look at the specific impacts that water damage can have on different materials used in your home:
Wood – If you have hardwood floors that are affected by incoming water, you’ll know it. Water makes the boards in wood floors warp and swell. You can see this damage and also feel it when you step on the boards. Any water infiltrating your home through a window or the ceiling could lead to broken trim or the appearance of crumbling wood, which is never normal. Saturated wood can develop into rot, which can affect your floors, baseboards, trim, cabinets, and furniture. Once rot develops, you need to remove the wood, whether it’s a piece of furniture or part of your floor or walls. Otherwise, mold will start growing quickly here in Southwest Florida.
Carpet – Unless someone has spilled a drink or you have pet that’s just had an accident, wet patches on carpet can be indicators of a problem, whether it be a leak, a plumbing problem, or a faulty appliance. If you notice an area of unexplained moisture on your carpet, you should pull up the carpeting and check the floor underneath for signs of water damage. The amount of repair needed on carpeting depends on the type of water damage. Black water damage, stems from groundwater flooding or sewage backups and is loaded with contamination, microbes and biohazards. If you’ve had black water damage in a carpet, it will need to be ripped out and replaced with new carpeting. If you’ve had grey water damage, which is water that has cleaning contaminants in it from washing machines, dishwashers, bathtubs and sinks it may or may not mean ripping out the carpet and replacing it. That will depend on how long the water stayed in the carpet and whether or not it became moldy or if the cleaning solution in the water damaged the carpet fibers.
Drywall – Often used for construction of interior walls in a home or business, drywall is also a porous material and one that is affected by even minimal amounts of water. Any drywall that becomes saturated will develop visible issues: usually in the manner of bubbling and swelling. If that drywall has been covered with wallpaper, the wallpaper will curl off the walls in time, in reaction to the saturation of the moisture.
Tile – Tile is a popular flooring choice in kitchens and bathrooms in Fort Myers and Cape Coral because it’s waterproof and it keeps your house cooler than carpeting. Your tile may be impervious to moisture but the grout interconnecting those tiles is less durable. It will deteriorate as time passes, meaning water can seep underneath the tile and do damage to your sub-flooring, potentially causing it to warp, swell, and even rot.
Concrete – Almost everyone’s garage has concrete flooring and many homes here in Southwest Florida have concrete as the base foundation. C Concrete may look sturdy and waterproof, but it’s surprisingly susceptible to being affected by water damage. The consequences can include bubbling, swelling, ripped seams, and even deterioration to the point of crumbling.
As you can see, most materials that make up a house are susceptible to water damage, especially if it is left wet for a long period of time. So you should be sure to call Spectrum Cleaning & Restoration the moment you find any water damage.
