Refinishing Water Damaged Hardwood Floor in Chicago
Replace 💦 Water Damage – 4” White Oak Rift & Quartered
When you do get water damage, it’s important to remove the water quickly and dry the floors – not only to potentially save the hardwood flooring (and sub-floor), but also to prevent mold growth (which can of course be a bigger problem and more expensive to resolve). A
ccording to the EPA, mold growth can start within 48-72 hours when your floors (or walls) get wet. Whether or not your insurance will be cover the damage depends on your insurance plan and the cause of the damage. Please note that most homeowners (less than 20%) have flood insurance. So, if the damage was from flooding (i.e. it came from outside the house), there’s a good chance you aren’t covered.
But, if the water damage was due to some sort of mechanical issue (e.g. leaky or frozen pipes, water heater bursting, toilet overflowing, broken appliance, power outage so sump pump wasn’t functioning) or a structural issue from the house (e.g. roof leak, ice damming), then there is a good chance you are covered.
Please note that you can use whichever contractor(s) you prefer to work with. You are NOT obligated to use the contractors your insurance company recommends. In fact, it’s not legal for them to do this. Use whomever you feel comfortable with. In my experience, generally the mitigation/clean up contractors they recommend are good, but the be wary of the other contractors as the insurance company often doesn’t know the best contractors in your area.
