4 Signs of Floor Damage to Watch for During a Home Inspection

Before signing all of the documents that make you the official owner of a home, one of the last things you’ll need to do is get the home inspected. During an inspection, you’ll learn about some of the potential problems the home might have. One of the most important things you and your inspector should be looking for is damage to the floors. The staff at Unique Flooring, a leading provider of flooring in Oceanside, has put together a list of 4 major signs of floor damage to watch for.

1. Separation
   Hardwood flooring that has separated between the boards, or is beginning to separate, needs to be repaired. Wood separation can be very subtle, requiring you and the inspector to check it closely. A common reason for this separation, apart from water damage, is the wood not drying completely before installation. Regardless if the floor was installed prematurely or not, wood is a natural substance that can expand and contract without warning.
2. Termites
   Termites can be catastrophic to wood floors, and they can cause a dangerous situation in a home. If the floors squeak more than normal or you hear a hollow sound when tapping on the floors, you need to get a professional to check for termites. Termites cause cavities within the wood, changing the integrity and stability of the wood. In severe cases, a floor may collapse completely and need to be rebuilt.
3. Cupping and Crowning
   Crowning is when the center of the wood flooring raises upward, and cupping is when the edges of the boards are higher than the center. In both cases, water or moisture is likely responsible for the warping. Always clean up spills and try to keep the humidity at an appropriate level if there’s a chance your floor will warp.
4. Buckling
   This is one of the most extreme cases of flooring damage. Buckling occurs when the wood or linoleum floors raise several inches off the subfloor after a room has been flooded and the floor has been exposed to standing water for an extended period. If caught early, a spot repair may be possible, and you may be able to dry out the moisture beneath the floor before more damage occurs.

Even if the floors in your new home aren’t damaged, you may still want to replace them for aesthetic purposes. At Unique Flooring, we offer a wide variety of affordable and attractive flooring options, including the wood, carpet, tile, and laminate flooring Oceanside homeowners prefer. Stop by our showroom or give us a call at 760-945-0010 for a free quote.