How to Tell If Your Carpet is Spent

When a carpet is water damaged, it is crucial to act as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to property and to avoid creating a health hazard.  Mold grows out of control very quickly. If you are returning to a flooded home after 48-72 hours have passed, it is important to wear a respirator to prevent mold spores from getting into your lungs. First, remove any water that you can. Then, you must pull up you carpet, or any other flooring, to dry your sub floor. Open windows and use fans to get air flow. It is necessary to completely clean the carpet to prevent mildew and odors. While bleach is considered a good disinfectant, it can damage some carpets beyond repair.

Not all carpet can or should be saved after being water damaged. The severity of the situation depends upon where the water came from. A busted pipe causes less contamination than a busted dishwasher or toilet. Flood water coming in from outside the home is always particularly dangerous due to high levels of bacteria. If your carpet has been damaged by flood water that may have been contaminated with sewage, you must discard and replace the carpet for health and safety reasons unless it can be professionally disinfected. Carpet that was completely submerged for more than 24 hours should also be considered contaminated even if the water was from a clean source. The padding under the carpet cannot be easily cleaned and will need to be replaced.

Why should you hire a professional for carpet restoration?

• Finding and eliminating hidden moisture requires special equipment. Because it takes only 48 hours for mold to grow and become problematic, carpets need to be thoroughly dried very quickly.
• Preventing mold growth is crucial to you and your families health. Breathing in mold spores is dangerous. Without professional evaluation, you might have mold that you can’t see.
• Drying the water damaged floor with professional speed can prevent costly damage to your subfloor. Otherwise, you could be waiting months for your subfloor to dry completely to put carpet back down.
• Disinfecting the carpet with professional products and equipment ensures that bacterial and fungal contamination is completely eliminated.

Time is critical when it comes to carpet restoration so contact a professional immediately for the greatest chance of success.