Hardwood flooring systems serve as a focal point for some of the finest houses in all the world. Hickory, oak, and Brazilian cherry are but few of the more popular choices on specifiers’ lists. When First Lady Nancy Reagan remodeled the Oval Office for her husband, she chose a combination of oak and walnut for the floors (hitherto they had been linoleum, a fact that’s as surprising as it is appalling).

But we refer to these kinds of floors as “systems” for a reason. They’re large, certainly. They’re also complicated. And with complexity comes a certain measure of vulnerability that lurks behind the toughness of a handsome veneer. Hardwood floors can fail for a number of reasons. Lack of moisture causes checking and cracking. Low humidity levels can cause engineered planks to dry cup. Inadequate adhesive, or adhesive application, may result in delamination for these same planks. The list goes on. In fact, the National Wood Flooring Association documents 18 different types of wood distortion, their causes, and methods of correction.

Identifying the damage to your floors, who or what is behind it, and how to react is why Flooring Detective is here. We’re an investigative service that gets information by way of meticulous study, on and off the jobsite. Documentation in the form of photos, temperature, humidity, and lab testing is a regular part of our process. Other wood flooring inspectors may see. At Flooring Detective, we see and observe, determined as that famed detective in the old Conan-Doyle stories to pursue the facts, and therefore discover the truth.

If your hardwood floors are failing and you don’t know why, don’t let a hired gun inspector compose a rushed report of opinionated findings. Call the investigator with an eye for detail. Call Flooring Detective at 310-340-0634.