Aftermath of a leak... and laminate flooring (woo yay)

dizziblonde

As if the endless chaos of moving house in the last batch of snow wasn't enough (my sofas will never be the same again - thankfully I vetoed the husband's suggestion of just launching them over the 7 foot fence and made them do it carefully since I don't think sofa chucking will make it as a new sport) - now we've had a leak.

Background - kitchen of incredible beige had laminate flooring in it (about the only thing in it that had moved OUT of the 1980s). Laminate was already warped slightly at the edge of each plank round where the washing machine plumbing was - fair dos, stuff gets spilt and I sincerely doubt this is the waterproof stuff to be honest. Anyway, we move in, and I notice there's a constant patch of damp around the edge of each of these planks and when you step on them it forces water out from around the edges (just a tiny bit) - hubby pulls the dishwasher out last night and one of the cold water pipes into the washer and dishwasher is drip dripping away quite merrily (I'm currently half deaf in one ear so couldn't hear the drip - I can't hear the TV half of the time either).

He reckons he's fixed it - but the planks are still squelching out a bit of water. Now my reading of laminate is - a) the floor's knackered long term (knew that anyway) and that b) it absorbs water like a sponge. Would I be right that the water that's obviously been soaked up over quite a long time just naturally has to dry/squelch out over time - or do I drive the husband crazy that the leak may well not have been fixed at all? My head's saying it's just the previously leaked water coming out - but the irrational part of me that fears repair bills ticks over and works quadruple overtime.

Floor's laid onto concrete we believe so minimal worries there, not too bothered about the laminate being damaged as long as it's short-term liveable since we plan on getting a new kitchen done at some point next year - more worried about me kitchen cupboards I've spent hours painting yesterday having to be ripped out to play chase a leak to be honest!

Am I right in assuming it's just the stored water the laminate's absorbed having to work its way out over a period of time now? (I think the leak's fixed, it was just a very very slight drip drip but, as the house was empty for 2 years, it's had a very long time to drip away quietly).

27col

It ought to be easy enough to know whether a leak has been fixed. There aren't that many pipes in a kitchen. The floor is obviously ruined so leaving it down for a while longer won't matter. Probably best to put up with the wet floor until after Christmas and then see about replacing it. It is very unlikely that a leak will be anywhere else than where the W/M and tap connections are. Even if one or two freshly painted units did have to come out, it's not the end of the world. I tend to think that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

dizziblonde

27col wrote: »

I tend to think that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Not really - just wanted to know if I was right in my assumption that laminate soaked up water in a sponge-like way. If I am, there's no problem, if not - there's obviously still an issue with the leak that needs fixing.

Floor's ruined whatever - was already iffy and warped when we viewed the house so I'm distinctly unconcerned over that one since the kitchen's only a short-term make it liveable anyway. I just don't like things going wrong and going unfixed in case they become bigger problems.

dizziblonde

Thanks - we've had everything plumbed in pulled out again tonight to confirm there's no more water dripping (put a tissue underneath to check - highly scientific) so hopefully it's just the old water that's coming out now.

Annoyingly all this is happening right by the cat's food bowl so everytime we go into the kitchen on dripwatch we have to trip over a miaowling moggy thinking we're there to serve her every needs!

27col

You ought to know by now that you are indeed, only there to serve your Miaowling moggy with her every need. At least, that is what our cat thinks.
Dogs have owners, cats have staff. How true!

dizziblonde

Seems to have dried out a lot overnight when I cranked the heating in the kitchen up a bit - floor's liveable with the warping till the kitchen gets replaced anyway. Still some water to come out from under the laminate layer but seems less bad than it was by far.

Definitely NOT going for laminate in the new one - what a stupid idea to stick absolutely bog standard laminate in an area that inevitably gets water dripped on it anyway! Laminate in the lounge - yep... watching a three legged cat work herself into the usual illogical feline frenzy and then try to decellerate and turn a corner on laminate is hilarious to watch.

vaio

dizziblonde wrote: »

.....watching a three legged cat work herself into the usual illogical feline frenzy and then try to decellerate and turn a corner on laminate is hilarious to watch.

youtube please