Have you had a flood in your home? Whether the toilet overflowed or what levels rose throughout your home, here’s what you need to know about replacing your flood damaged flooring.

The biggest factor is the kind of flooring you have.

Indoor carpet – you should remove it as soon as possible. Carpet and padding are too thick to dry after extreme flooding. If left on the floor, it can quickly allow mildew and mold to grow, which can cause buckling or even ruin your subfloor.

Outdoor carpet – if this is on a concrete subfloor, water damage might be held to a minimum. By sucking out the standing water and allowing it to dry thoroughly, you might be able to save the outdoor carpeting.

Hardwood – In most cases, a wait-and-see attitude works best. Work to dry out the flooring as quickly as possible. You might pull up a few planks once it is thoroughly dried to determine how the subfloor looks and feels. If any planks buckle due to moisture, don’t try to straighten them out until they are dry. Once everything is thoroughly dry, you might be able to strip and rewax your hardwood and return them to as good as new.

Vinyl – check for moisture bubbles underneath the floor. If there are any water pockets below the flooring, remove and replace the flooring once the subfloor is completely dry.

With any flooring, the key is in cleaning the area from top to bottom. Mold growth can cause major health problems, so quick and thorough cleaning is the key to keeping the mold at bay, and your family safe and healthy.