Leak question
Author
Discussion

freenote

Original Poster:

805 posts

192 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Hi,
I have a leak under my flat. I have found where it is coming from and will fix that.
The flat has oak flooring on top of chipboard suspended above a concrete slab. I'm sure there is a fair sized puddle formed on the lowest part of the concrete. The question is: do I need to rip up the (new) flooring and soak up the water or will it disappear by itself over time? And if so how long is it likely to take and would it be absorbed by the concrete?
Thanks for the help.

sherman

14,920 posts

239 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
A concrete floor will absorb the water eventually but I would be worried about the water warping the floor above it.

If it is just damp it will be gone within a week and little to no warping. If its more of a puddle it will take longer and more warping of the wooden flooring.

freenote

Original Poster:

805 posts

192 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Thanks,
Unfortunately there's no way of knowing the amount of water without pulling up the floor and potentially damaging it...to my knowledge anyway. There's enough water for damp to be coming up the bottom of the surrounding walls so I assume there's a fair amount.

Gingerbread Man

9,173 posts

237 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
It sounds like you can get at the leak to fix it - presumably under your floor? Can you get a dehumidifier near it to help dry out the area?