If you've recently experienced flooding, then you may be concerned that your surfacing has endured irreparable water damage. At Completely Floored, we help our customers by answering a wide assortment of questions about surfacing, one of which concerns when to decide if they need to replace their hard surfacing. As such, our Everett, WA showroom experts have come up with this great guide that outlines what homeowners should look for, the tell-tale signs their floor installation needs replacing:
Discoloration
Usually, the material used to construct these planks is highly resistant to color changes. Yet, in cases where the slats see a lot of water, where the possibility of stagnation underneath is an issue, discoloration may indeed occur because of excess moisture. While some color changes may be subtle, others will be more noticeable as you walk around the room. Use a flashlight, shining the beam at an angle to the planks, to be able to see color changes better.
Buckling and Loose Boards
Aside from discoloration in the flooring installation, damage from water can cause planks to become loose. Over time, warping and buckling is an issue as well, due to excess moisture. When you walk across the room, are there any areas that feel uneven? When pressing your foot into the slats, do they give way? In both of these cases, if your answer is yes, then you're looking at an unstable structure that is quite dangerous, and warrants an immediate call to your laminate floor installers.
Mold Growth
When water gets trapped under the boards, it creates a dark, moist environment that's ideal for the growth of mold. Eventually, this mold will creep upwards from the sub-floor to the top of the surfacing. At this point, without a doubt, you'll need a new flooring installation. Look around the room and see if you can find any signs of mold growth, including a musky odor, as well as black or dark green streaks in-between the planks. If it ever gets to this point, you'll need a full replacement, as the mold can infiltrate your home and wreak havoc on your health.
