How Water Damage from Your Leaky Windows in Chicago Affects Your Wooden Floors

8/17/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage can be so unpredictable, call SERVPRO today for your Chicago water damage.

Contact SERVPRO Before Water Damage Ruins Your Hardwood Flooring

There are several reasons window leaks can happen, but usually, they are from poorly installed windows or windows that have parts that are worn, causing the breakdown of sealants. If your Chicago home’s windows are leaking, you have a big problem with your hands. Window leakage is not just annoying. It can create damage to your home, including mildew and mold growth, rotting wood, and even problems with your foundation.

If you notice the windows in your home are leaking, do not ignore them. You should think about having them repaired or replaced right away, and if there is already water damage to your Chicago home, contact SERVPRO immediately to help you clean and repair the damage.

Save Your Hardwood Flooring From Water Damage

When you have wood flooring under a leaking window, our team can help you restore it. We understand how moisture affects different materials and how to dry them properly. Exposure time and permeance are the two primary variables in figuring out how much damage has been done. Permeance refers to how quickly water vapor can go through a material, while exposure time refers to how long the floor was wet. It is, therefore, necessary to contact us right away when you notice a problem to avoid additional damage.

Wood naturally contains moisture but it expands when it absorbs excess moisture. Boards can warp and expand one's butt up against each other, causing buckling at the joints where the boards touch or where they meet the walls. The flooring needs to be replaced if proper drying and refinishing cannot get rid of the damage.

Cupping happens when the water absorbs from the sides and bottom of the wood. The edges raise up slightly. We can typically sand cupping out of the wood.

Crowning occurs when the top of the wood has more moisture than the bottom and sides, which makes the wood arch, making a bowed shape in the middle. It usually happens when the bottom of the wood is over-dried. SERVPRO techs generally cannot sand out this type of problem.

If your leaking window has caused damage to your wood flooring, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can assess whether we can dry the wood out and fix the problem or if the flooring must be replaced. Either way, residents in the areas of Chicago, Downtown Chicago, or Ford City should call us as soon as they recognize a problem at (773) 337-3993.