Even with its reputation for having a highly durable finish and built-in water resistance, laminate flooring can still fall victim to premature damage from spills, puddles, and other sources of moisture. Learn how you can protect your laminate floors from water damage, as well as how to spot the signs early on below!
Prevention Is Your Best Friend
While there are certain aspects of water damage you may not be able to control (i.e. flooding), the vast majority are often preventable. From wiping up spills immediately, ensuring your boots don’t track in snow over the winter, to keeping an eye out for leaks around sinks, appliances, toilets and more, prevention is the best method when it comes to avoiding water damage. Stay vigilant around your home, and always deal with any issues right away to reduce your chance of long term detriment to your floors.
How To Spot The Signs of Water Damage
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, water damage may still occur. Whether from a leaky pipe while away on vacation, an unnoticed spill, or even something more catastrophic like partial flooding, linoleum can be left vulnerable after a long period of being exposed to moisture. Signs that your floor has experienced water damage include:
- Buckling
- Splitting
- Warping
- Cracking
- Discolouration
- Visible mould/a mouldy odour
- “Soft” spots in affected areas, and more.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s vital to have your floors inspected right away.
Repairing Water Damaged Laminate Flooring
Unfortunately, repairing water damage done to laminate flooring can often be difficult because it’s hard to find new laminate to matches the exact shade and pattern as the damaged flooring. Thankfully, due to the lower price of laminate floors, homeowners often choose to replace the entire floor rather than a single section. Prior to repairing or replacing, it’s important to have the space under your floor planks inspected for mould to give the area plenty of time to dry out. Failure to skip this step can lead to significant problems later on, as well as health risks for the whole family.
Need to replace your damaged laminate? We can help!
Contact Ashley Fine Floors today to learn more!