hardwood floor started cupping/bowing out of nowhere - why?

[Humpy]

I'm skeptical that the leak is in the ceiling and caused damage to the floor above before you noticed it below.

I'd start upstairs.

Is there a shutoff valve behind the fridge for the water line? Some people install those with a "saddle valve" (google it) that can leak. Even if not that's still where I'd start cutting into sheetrock if necessary. Water will tend to move parallel to floor boards and point back to the source.

 

[purbeast0]

so i cut 2 holes in my basement ceiling and it's like the water is going along the joists in 2 spots. it's nothing obvious at all.

http://imgur.com/a/YFiR7

on the other side of that joist, it's wet right at the same spot on the other side but nowhere else.

so you think cutting into the wall behind the fridge may pull up something? i didn't even think about that.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Sounds like you need a plumber. Even if you find the leak you've already stated you don't know how to fix it.

 

[Humpy]

so i cut 2 holes in my basement ceiling

Damn it, No!

Be the water.

You have a source.

Alone you are powerless in the war between gravity and your own surface tension.

You have great power under pressure.

You are predictable.

 

[purbeast0]

well humpy i took your advice about looking again behind he fridge, and low and behold, there was this pinhole leak in the water line running from under the sink to the back of the fridge. i didn't even "see" the leak, i went back behind the fridge and i felt it. it was sssssooooo tiny but it was a continuous spray. i then noticed this tiny little puddle on the ground.

so i just ran to home depot and got a new line and replaced it.

so i'm just glad i figured out the problem and could fix it without spending an arm and a leg. i'll have to patch 2 holes in my basement ceiling, but in the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal and is kind of what led me to what i saw in the end.

so is there a chance my hardwood will go back to normal? or is it screwed? i plan on not filling the holes in until i see it's dry from underneath too, not sure if that matters but i figure i can at least let some more air go in there maybe to help dry it.

 

[Greenman]

well humpy i took your advice about looking again behind he fridge, and low and behold, there was this pinhole leak in the water line running from under the sink to the back of the fridge. i didn't even "see" the leak, i went back behind the fridge and i felt it. it was sssssooooo tiny but it was a continuous spray. i then noticed this tiny little puddle on the ground.

so i just ran to home depot and got a new line and replaced it.

so i'm just glad i figured out the problem and could fix it without spending an arm and a leg. i'll have to patch 2 holes in my basement ceiling, but in the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal and is kind of what led me to what i saw in the end.

so is there a chance my hardwood will go back to normal? or is it screwed? i plan on not filling the holes in until i see it's dry from underneath too, not sure if that matters but i figure i can at least let some more air go in there maybe to help dry it.

Depends on the hardwood, how it was installed, how much it's already warped, and how much water is still under it. If I was a betting man, I'd put ten bucks on it getting a little worse over the next few days, and not returning to it's original position.

 

[purbeast0]

Depends on the hardwood, how it was installed, how much it's already warped, and how much water is still under it. If I was a betting man, I'd put ten bucks on it getting a little worse over the next few days, and not returning to it's original position.

would there be any benefit at all pointing a fan at the wood that is warped?

 

[Humpy]

Yes. If you can live with the floor as it is (i.e. it's not a hazard), give it time, a month or so, to fully dry out and see what happens. It can only get better and you may be surprised at how much better it can get. I believe you said it is solid wood floor which gives the best chance at laying back down flat. Remember, those boards were soaking wet when they were part of a tree so a little re-wetting isn't necessarily catastrophic.

If you end up wanting to get the floor sanded and refinished the first step is to let it dry out, so you have nothing to lose. If it flattens out satisfactorily on its own but there are some larger than normal gaps between the boards in the damaged area I'd again suggest being patient. Give it a full year to go through a complete seasonal movement and they may very well close up.

Not a bad idea to leave the holes in the basement ceiling for a while either as long as the cat can't get up there.

 

[Humpy]

would there be any benefit at all pointing a fan at the wood that is warped?

My experience tells me to let it dry slower rather than faster. It wasn't a major leak.

 

[Humpy]

Depends on the hardwood, how it was installed, how much it's already warped, and how much water is still under it. If I was a betting man, I'd put ten bucks on it getting a little worse over the next few days, and not returning to it's original position.

If you would like relevant information beyond your experience I'd suggest fully reading the National Wood Flooring Association Technical Publication No. A100 which covers the situation in this thread.

 

[purbeast0]

Yes. If you can live with the floor as it is (i.e. it's not a hazard), give it time, a month or so, to fully dry out and see what happens. It can only get better and you may be surprised at how much better it can get. I believe you said it is solid wood floor which gives the best chance at laying back down flat. Remember, those boards were soaking wet when they were part of a tree so a little re-wetting isn't necessarily catastrophic.

If you end up wanting to get the floor sanded and refinished the first step is to let it dry out, so you have nothing to lose. If it flattens out satisfactorily on its own but there are some larger than normal gaps between the boards in the damaged area I'd again suggest being patient. Give it a full year to go through a complete seasonal movement and they may very well close up.

Not a bad idea to leave the holes in the basement ceiling for a while either as long as the cat can't get up there.

okay thanks this gives me hope!

yeah the floors are the original hardwood in the house when it was built in the 60's. it's in really great shape too and when we purchased the home in 2012 the owners just had it refinished and it still looks fantastic.

i'm glad you said it may take time because i would probably have given it a week then maybe tried to do something about it lol.

worst case scenario that the wood doesn't flatten out, how does one go about getting wood that will match existing flooring? is that pretty much not possible?

 

[gururu2]

Depends on the quality. If it is just straight edge planks, you can order correct dimensions of the same wood at a local lumber mill. You might have to rework it to get a perfect fit once you cut out or pry up the old ones. Then you will probably have to hire someone to refinish the whole floor. This will probably be cheaper than replacing the whole floor with the same quality wood.

 

[Humpy]

Replacing a section is straightforward, the common profiles used in 60's are still common. I'm guessing your floor is oak (?) and and easily available. Your floor guy should also be able to source reclaimed material that might better match your 50 year old boards.

Based on what I've read though, the worst case is sanding and refinishing the whole room. You might have to refasten a few boards if you are adverse to floor squeaks.

If there isn't a tripping hazard or splintering that might jam up in between you toes or through your heel, just be patient. Enjoy the holidays and revisit the issue in the spring.

 

[Greenman]

If you would like relevant information beyond your experience I'd suggest fully reading the National Wood Flooring Association Technical Publication No. A100 which covers the situation in this thread.

I can read till I'm blue in the face, it won't change a lot of years spent remodeling houses and repairing damaged hardwood floors. As I said before, it all depends on the material, and how soaked it was. I've seen 5/16 strip rotate 70 degrees, irreparable under any conditions. I've seen 3/4 t&g oak survive a pretty good soaking in a limited area with just some raised edges, but I've also seen it buckle to the point that you could trip over it. So without actually evaluating the floor in question, my bet is it's going to end up looking like a hardwood floor that got wet, cupped boards with raised edges.

 

[Humpy]

I guess it's just hard to accept that what one guy has never seen in 30 years, another has seen, being that it's pretty common industry knowledge, a dozen or so times.

I hope the OP doesn't hire someone that insists the floor is permanently damaged and begins expensive, premature, and potentially unnecessary repairs.

 

[purbeast0]

minor update:

the floor is definitely flattening out and it's almost completely flat. i still haven't fixed the hole in the ceiling in the basement just so air can get up there so i plan on keeping it open until it is completely smoothed out or until i notice it isn't changing anymore if it doesn't go quite completely flat. but it's kind of neat to at least know it has somewhat fixed itself as it's dried out.

 

[skyking]

OOPs, I gotta keep up better.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

FYI, when the wife and I came back from our three week vacation in 12/2014, the first water bill we received in early January 2015 was twice than normal--we actually expected it to be less than half as much.

Turned out a fine 1/8" long slice by a sharp rock on the underside of the main water pipe coming into the home had caused a leak. No obvious signs other than the trickle indicator when the water cutoff just inside the basement was turned off (along with the irrigation system outside).

We were losing 5 gallons/hour and when the wife went back at past months water bills we noted about when the issue began. There was a nice rough estimate of 10,000 gallons had leaks into the ground without ever making it to the surface, or into the basement.

Plumber dug up the main water line and 'bingo'. When he tried to lift the suspected portion of the polymer pipe it shot water out of the 3' foot hole is stood in (that he dug), and then admitted he forgot to turn the water off.

Trying to find water leaks can sometimes be a big mystery. $1600 later and a day of work and all was normal again. I dread the day I have to repair drywall in my now finished basement.