Will I Need New Tile After a Flood?

6/14/2021 (Permalink)

Can you reuse tile after a flood?

A flood in your Charlotte, NC home or business never comes at a good time. If your home or business does flood, one of the vulnerable elements of your property can be the floors, which are often completely submerged during a flood. In the process, water seeps in and causes a domino effect of problems. 

Luckily, tile floors are known to fare the best in a flood - tile itself is a waterproof material, however, this does not guarantee that flood water won’t find its way to seep into the subfloor. 

Tile is Resilient

Tile happens to be the most resilient to water damage. While it is semi-porous like wood flooring, it is more likely to release water than wood. In some situations, ceramic tile will dry along with the concrete or plywood foundation below it. 

If the flood was relatively minor, and the floor was not submerged for too long, it may be sufficient enough to just dry everything out with dehumidifiers. 

Be aware of the fact that if water is trapped under the tile, mold can grow without proper mitigation techniques. To prevent this it is important to call your local water damage restoration company as soon as possible because every second counts. 

Why Tile Should Be Removed

The only time tiles may need to be removed is if the tiles and grout have loosened, or the plywood subfloor is too wet and cannot be dried properly. In this situation, the tile will need to be removed so that the plywood subfloor can dry properly. 

Can I Reuse Tile?

You may be wondering if you can re-use the tile if you find yourself in these circumstances. If you are able to remove the tile without breaking it, you technically can re-use it, However, the time it will take you to carefully remove the tile without cracking it, and then chiseling off the mortar that is on the bottom of the tile may not be worth all of the effort such a project would require.

What Next?

When disaster strikes following a storm, flood, or other source of water damage, it is crucial that action is taken quickly. SERVPRO of South Mecklenburg County can assure you that an experienced team of technicians can respond to your situation as quickly as possible and assess the water damage properly. 

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