Storm Damage to Nashua Home Floorings

2/23/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Damage to Hardwood Flooring in Nashua, Call SERVPRO for Help

SERVPRO Restores Many Carpeted and Hardwood Flooring Houses in Nashua After a Storm

Remediating damage from extreme weather can be an expensive and exhaustive process for a homeowner. Among some of the costs are the replacement of carpets and other types of flooring.

Homes in Nashua after storm damage are still restorable. Fortunately, residents have a partner in accomplishing this. SERVPRO maintains a 24-hour response team with the latest in equipment and training to our industry standards.

First, we stop the source of the water. This action may mean shutting off plumbing damaged by the storm or sandbagging the entrances to your home. If your roof and walls are damaged, our team secures your home from the weather using plywood and tarps.

Then, we remove standing water. Carpets can survive being underwater for an extended period depending on the circumstances of the flooding. But if the intruding water is contaminated, then the carpet and padding are not salvageabel. Hardwood floors begin to warp after just a few hours and require immediate water removal to mitigate water damage. Our technicians use a series of industrial pumps tailored to the size of each task. If the electrical system is unsafe to use, we also deploy generators to secure uninterrupted service.

Next, we lower the inside humidity level. Air that has a high moisture content is a poor environment for hardwood floors and carpets to dry safely without warping or other problems. The immediate goal is to lower the humidity to about 40 percent. We accomplish this by setting up dehumidifiers, refrigerated and chemical are available, and air moving equipment on the affected floors. These machines allow us to increase the air flow and draw moisture out of the carpets and floors at the same time. If it is possible to get underneath (floating a carpet), we also place an air mover there.

Once that has been accomplished, the next goal is to lower the humidity to 15 percent. With this achieved, response team members place commercial grade space heaters to raise the temperature of the room. This action continues the process of drawing out moisture from the floors without damaging wood or carpet. We also have heating units that are designed to slide over a rug, drying it without harming the nape.
If this step is taking an exceptional amount of time with a hardwood floor, then it may be necessary to pierce the finish. This device is a pin roller; it punctures a series of holes in an area of the wood that is usually covered by a piece of furniture or is otherwise out of sight. We take this action only with your express permission. Typically, after standing water has affected hardwood flooring, refinishing may be needed. If cupping occurred, SERVPRO technicians can attempt to sand down the high points to salvage this flooring.

Restoring your New Hampshire home after a disaster is neither simple nor accomplished quickly. SERVPRO of Nashua is pleased to be here, ready to help our neighbors put their lives back together. Call us at (603) 889-2311 today to begin.