flooded kitchen - replace the floor?

[Andy Burns]

On 21/04/2007 17:29, camjay wrote

chipboard doesn't survive soaking and drying out very well

[camjay]

A pipe managed to dribble water out from under my kitchen sink for a period of several days before I noticed it. Water has leaked under the vinyl sheet floor and and made wet the floor underneath, so much so that water has started to soak up the skirting boards on all four sides of the room. The floor appears to be hardboard glued to 18mm chipboard. Although the it still appears solid because of all the hardboard and glue on top, I would like to replace the lot. My insurance company are due to visit on monday, and I am worried that they will tell me the floor will be fine once it has been allowed to dry out. Would you accept this or do you think it is reasonable to insist the floor is replaced?

[Stuart Noble]

Insisting is water off a duck's back to insurance companies. Better to play the damsel in distress and hope.

[Lobster]

Has the chipboard swollen up like weetabix - if so it's not reversible and the floor is likely to be uneven and weakened, and there would probably be justification for replacing it. Otherwise not, I'd say.

David

[The Natural Philosopher]

It will be fine as long as it dries out within a few weeks.

mild soaking over a period of years is the real killer.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Floor grade is OK.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|!camjay wrote: |!> A pipe managed to dribble water out from under my kitchen sink for a |!> period of several days before I noticed it. Water has leaked under the |!> vinyl sheet floor and and made wet the floor underneath, so much so |!> that water has started to soak up the skirting boards on all four |!> sides of the room. The floor appears to be hardboard glued to 18mm |!> chipboard. Although the it still appears solid because of all the |!> hardboard and glue on top, I would like to replace the lot. My |!> insurance company are due to visit on monday, and I am worried that |!> they will tell me the floor will be fine once it has been allowed to |!> dry out. Would you accept this or do you think it is reasonable to |!> insist the floor is replaced? |!> |! |!Has the chipboard swollen up like weetabix - if so it's not reversible |!and the floor is likely to be uneven and weakened, and there would |!probably be justification for replacing it. Otherwise not, I'd say.

Just replaced some of my chipboard kitchen floor which was just like that. I could not tell until the hardboard was removed, then it was clear that it had to go. Now getting rid of all chipboard in my kitchen which may get wet, under washing machine, sinks etc.

[camjay]

. Well, the loss adjuster came today. He touched the damp hardboard, said hmmm very wet, and booked some contractors in to give me a quote for replacing the lot. Now I just have to get them to use plywood instead.