Parquet Flooring buckled after leak now a musty smell

[geo1986]

Hi all - bit of advice needed. I had a leak from an upstairs radiator and alot of water came down the wall. Obviosly it got under the laminate flooring and the parquet underneath. I didnt consider it at the time because I was too busy to even think it would cause a problem! Serveral months later the parquet buckled - I assume the water got as far as the concrete sub floor and had nowhere to go but into the wood. So I lifted the laminate and took a row of the parquet out. This is not a problem - I have had a plywood insert made to go in its place before putting a new laminate down. But the smell!! The smell is hoorendous - couldnt smell it at all until the laminate was lifted. How can I get rid of the smell? It has been drying out (windows open full during the day, on the latch at night for a full week) slight improvement but the wood is still stained in some of the joints but I can see the parquet shrinking down so i am guessing most of the moisture has now gone. Just need to get rid of the smell - which I assume is being caused by the bitumen...I dont want to lift the whole floor if I can avoid it lol

 

[dazlight]

You need to lift the whole floor mate.
That way it will dry out over time.

 

[dormermike]

Is it a musty smell or a bitumen smell ?

 

[geo1986]

Thanks guys. It's like a musty smell

 

[KenGMac]

geo1986, Hi

Looks like an Insurance claim to me?

 

[geo1986]

I did think about a claim at the time but the water only leaked until I drained the system - 15 mins max so there wasn't that much water and what there was dried out pretty quickly. I just never even considered the floor at the time as I was doing so much. Have lifted a small 3 inch section of the floor full length and it seems to be drying out pretty quick now. I think the smell has either improved or I'm just used to it now