Water spill in my closet (1 Viewer)

[Steeler]

I had four 2.5 gallon water jugs stored in my closet (because my pantry is full) and they've been in there a while. Just went to check on them to rotate them out for new ones and found that one of them is empty... so 2.5 gallons of water spilled in my closet and I don't know how long this happened. The jugs were sitting on top of my safe and the only water damage I see is under the safe (after moving it). The floor under the safe is discolored a bit but that's all the damage I see. We wiped up all the standing water we saw. I can live with the discoloration of the wood floor because the safe covers that area. I also have a silica gel pack in there right now trying to absorb any moisture that remains, but that might not be enough to absorb all the moisture from 2.5 gallons of water.

How concerned should I be about mold? Should I get a full sized dehumidifier to ensure the floor dries properly? Or is that overkill?

 

[Dezbelief]

I'd put a fan in the closet.

Was it a pinhole leak in the bottle? Most of the water is probably already evaporated.

 

[Phil Elliott]

You can get a moisture detector at Home Depot. Very easy to use.

 

[GroveDiesel]

You can get a moisture detector at Home Depot. Very easy to use.

This is a good idea. They’re like $20 and all you need to do is stick the pins in the wood.

With having no idea how long ago it occurred or how long the process took, I wouldn’t immediately freak out.

 

[ChiefD]

I'd put a fan in the closet.

Was it a pinhole leak in the bottle? Most of the water is probably already evaporated.

agree. And run the fan 24/7 for a couple of days.

 

[Steeler]

I appreciate all the replies. I'll tell my wife not to immediately freak out, oops, too late.

 

[belljr]

Congrats on the European bathroom

 

[culdeus]

I appreciate all the replies. I'll tell my wife not to immediately freak out, oops, too late.

You should have burned the house down while you still had the chance

 

[Steeler]

The moisture meter is pegged in the corner of the closet where the safe used to be sitting - almost exactly the size of the safe. It's just the floor, the walls/baseboard don't have extra moisture which is a good sign, I think. So I guess I run the fan for a few days and see if that helps? Or is a dehumidifier an option now with this new information?

 

[belljr]

Fan should be fine, it just needs air flow to help it dry out.

 

[GroveDiesel]

The moisture meter is pegged in the corner of the closet where the safe used to be sitting - almost exactly the size of the safe. It's just the floor, the walls/baseboard don't have extra moisture which is a good sign, I think. So I guess I run the fan for a few days and see if that helps? Or is a dehumidifier an option now with this new information?

Is there a floor under that closet (1st floor/basement)? If so, you probably need to pull a couple of floorboards and take a look. A dehumidifier would definitely help if the floor is that wet.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

 

[Steeler]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

I dont think that’s necessary. What kind of floor? (I know you said wood but typically true hardwood doesn’t go down over a cement slab, usually there is some type of subfloor or underlayment.

 

[the moops]

Fan and dehumidifier and don't worry

 

[gianmarco]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

First floor in FL in May?

There's probably less water in the water that spilled than was already in the air in that closet.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

First floor in FL in May?

There's probably less water in the water that spilled than was already in the air in that closet.

this is also true.

 

[Steeler]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

I dont think that’s necessary. What kind of floor? (I know you said wood but typically true hardwood doesn’t go down over a cement slab, usually there is some type of subfloor or underlayment.

It's tongue and groove hard wood. Helped my buddy install some of this flooring a couple times and he just used plastic sheets for the subfloor... maybe that's cutting corners, not sure, but it seemed to work. I can't imagine what's in my house is much more than that.

 

[Steeler]

Fan and dehumidifier and don't worry

I'm going this route.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Just clean up the mold first. Otherwise you’re blowing mold spores all over the house.

What’s under this area?

This is on the first floor in FL, so the house is built on a cement slab. I don't see any mold on the surface, or are you saying I should pull up the flooring?

I dont think that’s necessary. What kind of floor? (I know you said wood but typically true hardwood doesn’t go down over a cement slab, usually there is some type of subfloor or underlayment.

It's tongue and groove hard wood. Helped my buddy install some of this flooring a couple times and he just used plastic sheets for the subfloor... maybe that's cutting corners, not sure, but it seemed to work. I can't imagine what's in my house is much more than that.

Yeah, true hardwood doesn’t get glued right to the floor otherwise the moisture would cause it to pop (unless you keep up with the humidity all the time which would be difficult)

So basically - The wood most likely absorbed the the water and the plastic kept it from seeping to the slab and dried out.

If the bulk of the water managed to get under that plastic you used it would essentially be wet forever.

Judging that there isn’t any visible mold or wood popping/curling you should be fine. Leave the fan on until it’s all the way dry.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Fan and dehumidifier and don't worry

I'm going this route.

I think you’ll be fine just being on slab. If you start to notice a moldy odor, then it will be time to further investigate. Until then, you’re probably good.