laminate floor is a soppy mess (Update 3/23 - Mold question please help!!!)

[joules]

Our tenants called on Sunday night and said they noticed a water mark on the ceiling.

Monday morning the plumber came and found the leak in a pipe behind the washer on the 2nd floor. Later that day, someone came with a quote on the drying process. We decided to have them do it this morning.

They set up the fans and dehumidifier upstairs and downstairs around 10:30am. Got a call from our tenants an hour ago. The downstairs dehumidfier (i assume that's what it is), wasn't hooked up properly. There is supposed to be a hose that runs to the sink. There is water everywhere on the laminate floor!

Does anyone know what happens next? Is the floor save-able? What about our renters furniture?

They are sending someone over within the next hour. DH and I will be there to take a look at the damage.

[Indianamom2]

Ughh...I don't have any advice because our water situation was a bit different, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I completely understand what a pain it is to have to have water remediation and those fans and dehumidifiers. They definitely have to drain into a sink or something because they extract a pretty significant amount of water.

I am so sorry....hopefully everything will be salvageable.:grouphug:

[joules]

We went over last night. Water squished out from under the boards when we walked on the floor. The floor *looked* good, but not sure how it'll be today. I'm going over in a little bit to take a look again and meet with the company.

They said they will replace the floor if it's not fixable. I don't understand how it's fixable tho. I thought laminate is ruined once it's soaked.

I feel so bad for our tenants. They have a 2 year old...I hope they were all able to get some rest last night.

ETA: I just went over. The floor still looks ok. But if I run my hand over it, I can feel all the ridges. The edge of each plank puckers up a bit. When do the same at the other side of the room, where the water wasn't sitting, the floor feels completely flat. Will meet with someone between 11 and 1.

[wellyes]

Yikes. No advice, lots of sympathy.

[joules]

The plumbing company took full responsibily for their error. They will be replacing the entire floor with something similar. Work will be done through their restoration division. DH and I are thinking about talking to them about upgrading to engineered hardwood, even if that means we need to pay the difference. We would like to sell the place eventually and I think the engineered wood would be better.

I feel so bad for our tenants. On Wednesday, they put in 3 more fans. It was so loud in there. Luckily, today they were able to take out 2 fans and hopefully tomorrow all the fans and dehumidifier will be gone.

Their son's 2 year old birthday is this weekend. I bought a birthday card and $50 Target gift card (I noticed a lot of the stuff laying around was from Target). Do you think that is enough? I wanted to give them a little something for all the inconvenience.
I wanted to give them $100 gc, but DH says $50 is enough.

[Indianamom2]

Well, that's encouraging news that the plumber is going to replace the flooring. That would be the best possible outcome in this situation, I think. Definitely ask for the upgrade if you want it. You will have to pay the difference, but my guess is it won't matter to the plumber otherwise. We did that with some of the things in our bathroom that was basically gutted and as long as we paid the difference, the installers didn't care at all.

And I think it was very thoughtful of you to give the card/gift card. $50 is a fortune for a little kid!!

[joules]

UGH UGH UGH.

I wasn't able to be there on Friday (I went with my mom to her chemo). The tenant's husband was working from home that day so he let the plumbers in. They called DH to see if they could take a "sample" of the floor to see if they could match it. DH said ok. Well a "sample" turns out to be half the dining room!!! This is a SMALL townhouse. It's a combined living/dining area. Not only is 1/2 the dining room flooring gone, there is a plastic "wall" there now to act as a barrier. And.....they found another wet spot in the ceiling so they cut open another hole and the fan is blowing debris all over the place.

It was a Friday!! Now the tenants have to look at that crap for a whole weekend. And she just emailed to say there is an odor over the area where the flooring was removed and wants to know if it's safe to be breathing in it? I don't know! I don't *think* it's mold. The floor was wet Tuesday night, they came in Wednesday morning and with the infrared camera saw that there was no water puddling under the floor, just in between the planks. They removed the baseboards on mostly 1 side and blew fans to dry the wall there. I think they removed one of the major fans there on Thursday because the wall there was dry.

Do I call the plumbers and demand they check for mold today?

ETA: The laminate was floating over our slab concrete. Also before the email about the "odor" we had already called the plumbers and asked to speak with the field manager. They said the would leave a message for him and have him call us back. We haven't received a phone call yet. I assume we won't this weekend.

[Katigre]

How much do you want to keep the tenants happy? If it were me I would offer to pay for one night at a hotel just to be nice.

ETA: I would document everything and Terry to get the company to reimburse for some of the hardship stuff too.

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[Reader]

I would also offer to pay for a hotel room. If there is mold, they definitely don't want their 2 year old breathing it in.

[joules]

We like them a lot. I already told them to get a hotel tonight if they are uncomfortable with the smell and to deduct the cost from the rent.

[MamaMolly]

You are a very considerate landlord!

[minnie-zb]

You are a very considerate landlord!

:yeahthat: You are being very considerate. I think that is wonderful.

[Indianamom2]

I doubt there's mold already, especially if it's over concrete. We smelled some interesting odors with all the fans running, but nothing moldy. The smells did go away once the fans stopped blowing air everywhere.

I think you're being a really considerate landlord. :hug:

[joules]

Thanks soooo much for the advice and reassurance.

I'm so stressed out over the situation and the reassurance that we are doing the right thing helps A LOT. I struggle with trying to figure out if we are doing enough or too much.


I doubt there's mold already, especially if it's over concrete. We smelled some interesting odors with all the fans running, but nothing moldy. The smells did go away once the fans stopped blowing air everywhere.

I think you're being a really considerate landlord. :hug:

I also doubt it's mold. But I don't want to say that. We lived there previously and I *know* it's not pet urine or anything gross. We're definitely not in this for the "profit". With the mortgage, HOA, insurance, taxes, etc. We barely make any profit. We are just trying to hold on until the market gets better.

I just want to make sure we're being fair to them and to us.