How long to dry floor out?

[braniff]

Good Day All.

1890 three storey Victorian terrace. Laminate flooring in the first floor kitchen. A capped off radiator pipe leaked and waterlogged about 2/3 of the laminate, and of course the floorboards. It was dripping into the ground floor.

Laminate is all removed, and an edge floorboard to allow circulation beneath, as I assume the joists are wet too.

I assume when the top surface appears dry there will be a wait for the joists etc.

What would we need to do to be sure the structure is dried out? Boards up and inspect? And am I expecting to wait weeks or months?

 

[KenGMac]

braniff, good evening.

Short answer is how long is a piece of string, OK No answer, but just too many variables, such as length of time water leaking, ability of floor [laminate is a write off] to recover, Etc. Etc.

Further answer is week not months.

Given the age of the original flooring, it will [Pre-incident]be dry, meaning well seasoned, and would be difficult to saturate unless totally immersed for several hours.
but unless exposed to saturation over time
Can I suggest that you use a fan, no heat needed to move the air within the room, preferably near the floor to in effect assist drying out of the floor boards.

As an aside?? this constitutes an Insurance Claim made against your home Insurer?? just a consideration?

In this age of property, there will be Ash Deafening between the joists, it will have been totally dry before the leak it may now be [in places] damp?

Ken

 

[foxhole]

You could remove a couple of boards and run a fan underfloor to speed drying .

 

[Deleted member 174758]

When we've had flooding locally (5 times since 2000) it's generally taken 3 to 4 months for friends to dry out the woodwork/flooring in their houses, and that's with some floorboards removed and a dehumidifier going. Plaster work and masonry can take far longer. I'd be more concerned about the soaking having kick started rot in the joists ends than anything else, so I'd keep an eye on them for a year or two

 

[braniff]

Thanks for the answers. I agree, its "how long is a piece of string" type situation, and I'll be in no rush.

braniff

 

[Deleted member 174758]

BTW if you want the technical answer the core of the timber must have dried to below 16% MC (moisture content) to ensure that rot doesn't begin

 

[braniff]

Thanks - I presume that would be assessed with one of those meters with two metal spikes stuck into the timber?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Yes

 

[braniff]

Invaluable info. Many Thanks.