Why Did My Hardwood Floors Buckle?

6/13/2022 (Permalink)

Prolonged exposure to moisture can warp even the heartiest hardwood

It is difficult to overlook the obvious when your hardwood floors begin to buckle, but have you ever wondered why? The short answer to that question is moisture. Moisture causes wooden textures to expand as they retain it. The question that requires more thought process is: where is the moisture coming from? Our team at SERVPRO of Burlington/Middlebury want you to be aware of all scenarios. Here are a few examples of what may have been the cause of your flooring issues:

• Slow leakage- In some cases, there may be a slow leak that has gone unnoticed and caused damage to its surrounding areas, including wooden floors. Once your floor has buckled it usually has to be replaced due to the expansion of the wood itself. 
• Seasonal Moisture- During more humid seasons like spring, it is a good idea to set up dehumidifiers in areas of your home or business that are more susceptible to humidity collection. It would take quite a bit of time for this to cause your wooden boards to buckle up, but this is still a possibility. 
• Water damage- Water damage is the most common reason that we see all the time that causes permanent damage to your wooden floors. The quicker you assess the water damage, the more likely you are to salvage them from buckling up.

 We recommend that you follow your flooring manufacturer guidelines to properly maintain and treat your wooden floors in order to prevent damaging them. When water damage itself does occur, the best solution would be to call us at SERVPRO of Burlington/Middlebury as soon as possible. The sooner we can address the issue, the less damage that will ultimately occur. Our team is here 24/7 in your time of need!