aquarium water damage to hardwood floor?

[dragonfisher33]

so i have both saltwater and freshwater tanks and lately i noticed that my floor is creaking. this makes me wonder if this is due to the water dripping onto the floor every now and then because of aquarium related stuffs. obviously i have no proof of this and don't remember what it was like before i moved in, but if this is due to water damage, how should i go about it to fix the problem? i'm concerned, hopefully this isn't my fault

 

[Random Fishy]

If it is the water from tanks, I recommend taking a paper towel, and swipe the water off the floor whenever you see it. As long as the water is not concentrated in drops or puddles, I think it should be fine.

 

[phishfriend]

You said you just started to notice it. It could be the seasonal temperature change effecting you floors expansion and contraction. If you know someone with a moisture you can borrow it. check the lvl's in your floor and call the floor manufacturer to find out thier exeptable moisture range. They would also be able to advise you what your next step should be to correct and issue if needed.

 

[dragonfisher33]

If it is the water from tanks, I recommend taking a paper towel, and swipe the water off the floor whenever you see it. As long as the water is not concentrated in drops or puddles, I think it should be fine.

i always have a towel on the floor just in case something drips onto the floor, i always wipe the water off but i'm not sure about the "long term damage" this could lead to, if any.

 

[dragonfisher33]

but isn't saltwater more damaging than freshwater? wood rots in saltwater

 

[dragonfisher33]

You said you just started to notice it. It could be the seasonal temperature change effecting you floors expansion and contraction. If you know someone with a moisture you can borrow it. check the lvl's in your floor and call the floor manufacturer to find out thier exeptable moisture range. They would also be able to advise you what your next step should be to correct and issue if needed.

i only started noticing now because i never pay much attention to the hardwood floor before and for the first time that water damage to wood floor crossed my mind last night. like i said, i don't remember whether it creaked or not when i moved in; but it's definitely creaking now. what do you mean by "someone with a moisture i can borrow"?

 

[dragonfisher33]

do we have someone on AA who's specialized in carpentry or home improvement that can lend a hand or chime in this subject matter please

 

[phishfriend]

i only started noticing now because i never pay much attention to the hardwood floor before and for the first time that water damage to wood floor crossed my mind last night. like i said, i don't remember whether it creaked or not when i moved in; but it's definitely creaking now. what do you mean by "someone with a moisture i can borrow"?

Sorry I mean moisture meter. Its basically a digital readout with two pointed metal prongs that you press against the wood to get a reading.

Wood flooring has a pretty large moisture tolerance range because the environment its in is constantly fluctuating. Thats why you may notice it more now. Wood tends to swell in summer and constrict in winter. With the seasonal change bringing a colder dryer air. Even if its only a couple degree can make wood floor release moisture and constricting. which shrinks the board relaxing the contact pressure between flooring boards and allowing fractional movement. That movement is most likely the creaking you hear. Now, the easiest way to see if its normal expanding and contracting of the floor is to get the moisture readings from several places around the tank and call the flooring manufacturer. provide those readings and they would be able to tell you if the readings were abnormal. If there is a problem the readings will be way off. Hope this helps

P.S. I'm not a carpenter but I was a flooring rep specializing in hardwoods. I took a lot of these readings for concerned customers or warranty claims.

 

[tonedogz]

If your talking about a few drops of water falling on the floor every now and then and not an actual leak from your tank that will not do anything to the floor especially since you say you wipe it right up. It was probably pre existing and you just didn't notice it before. I don't think I'd be calling manufacturers or carpenters. Also so what type of floor is it.

 

[dragonfisher33]

If your talking about a few drops of water falling on the floor every now and then and not an actual leak from your tank that will not do anything to the floor especially since you say you wipe it right up. It was probably pre existing and you just didn't notice it before. I don't think I'd be calling manufacturers or carpenters. Also so what type of floor is it.

I was only told that it's hardwood floor, constructed less than 2yrs ago. maybe i can take a pic of it and have someone here identify it

 

[tonedogz]

I don't see a problem

 

[rmiller]

My bf's uncle owns a flooring business so I asked him. He said if your floors are properly sealed, a bit of spillage during wcs won't hurt. Just don't leave them sit for any length of time. He said its either due to the change in weather or you have too much weight and your joists are starting to have an issue. Properly laid hardwood should not squeak for any reason.

 

[dragonfisher33]

My bf's uncle owns a flooring business so I asked him. He said if your floors are properly sealed, a bit of spillage during wcs won't hurt. Just don't leave them sit for any length of time. He said its either due to the change in weather or you have too much weight and your joists are starting to have an issue. Properly laid hardwood should not squeak for any reason.

thank you so much for the reassurance. if not too much trouble, can you also ask if what he meant by too much weight? i have a regular 29gal tank with approximately ~40lb live rock, sand, and some reef equipments sitting on top of a sturdy dresser in my 2nd floor bedroom. could the combination of my setup be "too much weight"?

 

[rmiller]

Your floor joists can only support so much weight, too know how much you essentially need a degree in structural engineering. As long as you have the dresser sitting perpendicular to the joists, is supported by multiple joists, and the joists aren't rotting you should be fine.

In this case my bigger concern would be the dresser. They aren't built to hold that much weight. Water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon, plus the weight of the rock and tank. Some older furniture could probably handle it long term, but most modern stuff is too flimsy.

 

[dragonfisher33]

my dresser is very well made, none of those MDF stuffs. i was surprised by its quality on the day i picked it up. when it comes to whether or not it can hold the weight of the tank, i have no worries

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I agree a little water won't hurt, the cracks probably from the seasonal change. And typically you don't have to worry about weight until you approach 200 gallons.