Salvaging Furniture After A Flood

Water damage is always unexpected. But what can you expect when you attempt to save your furniture?  What is the water was clean from a broken pipe? What if the house flooded while you were away for the weekend? Do you need to throw everything out? For the best chance of saving your possessions, get a full-service water damage repair team in the home as soon as possible to take every precaution with your furnishings.

Wood Furniture

Quality wood furniture may survive a flood, while furniture made from manufactured products such as plywood or MDF is probably total losses. Your solid wood furniture will need to be cleaned and dried and then assessed for damage. Moisture in wood furniture can also encourage fungus and mold growth, it can take weeks or even months to dry out completely.

Since wood is porous it will easily take up and release water and expand and contract. The fibers move in different directions and contract at different rates, so it is prone to warping and cracking as it dries. Veneer glues are vulnerable to softening by moisture so joins may separate or lift. Drawers and doors might stick; mold could grow on damp wooden surfaces.

Metal Furniture

The good news is that metal furniture doesn’t absorb water, but the bad news is that exposed metal may rust. Depending on the finish, the metal may begin to show signs for water damage in a few days. Sometimes, a simple vinegar solution can dissolve rust, sometimes the finish is ruined. Consult a water damage expert for specifics on your situation.

Upholstered Furniture

Upholstered furniture will absorb contaminants from flood waters. So, in most cases, flood-soaked upholstered furniture should be disposed of unless a very valuable antique. To restore heavily soaked upholstered furniture, professional restoration services are required.

ICC operates a full service residential and commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning division and brings this expertise to bear on the restoration of carpet, rugs, and furniture damaged by water, fire and other disasters.

Mattresses

Mattresses present the same problem as upholstered furniture. Fabrics absorb moisture and encourage the growth of mildew and bacteria. To be safe, experts recommend discarding any mattress that has experienced any flood damage. However, if the mattress was exposed to water for only a short time and if the flood water was clean, it might be salvageable. It is important to have it inspected by an expert that can determine the class and category of damage and suggest a course of action.

Mitigation Focused, Full Service

ICC Restoration is focused on restoring damage with as little reconstruction as possible, so the property is returned to normal faster. But if reconstruction or other services are required, they can be your single source of contact to take the project from start to finish. Special equipment and procedures can reduce the restoration by one-third to one-half the time. By 1) keeping restoration costs down and 2) preventing secondary damage such as mold, they are able to save more items.

In Rochester, you can be confident in ICC’s ability to properly estimate the loss and take the proper steps to restore the structure to pre-loss condition with as little reconstruction as possible. Call them at 888.352.2321.