After flood or other water damage disasters, drying out the property is crucial. However, proper concrete floor water damage repair introduces unique challenges.
When inexperienced contractors dry the walls and materials, concrete floors are often presumed to be dehydrated. Folks then proceed to reestablish their room and include new flooring. Not too soon after, they begin to have difficulties with the new flooring and assert it’s defective. The actual problem is most likely that the concrete wasn’t entirely dried if they laid the new flooring down.
Many contractors are unaware of this and may cause problems for their clients by failing to remove excess moisture in the concrete.
The Water-Based Adhesive Problem
An issue you can encounter with concrete floor water damage is that water-based adhesives will not heal properly. As water-based adhesives are becoming popular, this is now a bigger issue when dealing with restoration.
When the glue absorbs more moisture, then it cannot stick to the ground correctly. Since the glue fails to become fixed, it will soften and proceed. A sign this has happened is bubbles or blisters in certain flooring materials.
After employing tile, the glue may ooze or leak out over the edges of the joints or seams. Individuals can believe that the flooring material is defective, but the real issue is that the concrete has not been dried properly. Thus, water-based adhesives are incredibly effective only when used under the right conditions.
How professionals dry water-damaged concrete floors
Successfully drying concrete following water damage demands the help of a professional restoration firm. Just when professionals correctly dry the concrete can you install new floor coverings.
Listed below are key tools and techniques that professionals use:
- Containment chambers assist with the evaporation of the moisture in the concrete. All these are either bubbles or boxes of plastic taped to the floor. By trapping the moisture released from the cement in a little space, you can reach the ideal amount of humidity quicker.
- Thermo-hygrometers and non-evasive meters are all utilized to help determine if the concrete is reaching the ideal humidity. Since concrete is water-loving, this right humidity may often be at the upper 60s. Any reading below 72% is enough to install carpeting or tile flooring. Wood floors should have readings under 70%. If your flooring still needs more drying, that is no problem for a professional water damage restoration firm.
- Low Water Resistant (LGR) dehumidifiers — these apparatus lower air temperature in the moisture-filled area, which aids the dehumidifier removes more moisture from the air that passes through it.
- Additional drying can be accomplished through air movement. Taking away the boundary layer in the surface of the concrete also facilitates drying.
Note that each one of the various trades connected with installing floor coverings has generated installation criteria. These standards need the installer to determine that the subfloor (regardless of type) is in a satisfactory condition to allow proper installation of any floor covering.
For concrete floor water damage repair, contact PuroClean!
In case you’ve experienced concrete floor water damage in your home, it’s crucial to get hold of restoration professionals, for example, PuroClean. We have the proper tools to wash your home’s concrete flooring correctly.
We’ll help minimize the reduction to prevent additional harm. We’ll then provide restoration services to return the property to some pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. All PuroClean offices have well-trained specialist technicians. They provide the latest state-of-the-science solutions to all or any property damaged from fire, water, smoke, mold, and other disasters. Visit them for more information.
Learn how to protect your property from water damage and read this manual on things to do after suffering water and storm damage.