What To Do With Water-Damaged Carpet

5/19/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage to carpet floor in Zirconia, NC.

What Should You Do If Your Carpet Is Wet?

If you experience a pipe break or other source of water damage in your Zirconia, NC, home, you may wonder if you can save your carpet or if it must be replaced. Fortunately, in some cases, this type of flooring can be salvaged if you act quickly.

Restoration
If the source water is clean, such as from a supply pipe break, you don’t have to worry about mold growth or other bacterial contamination for at least 24 hours. Dry the flooring out using the following equipment:

• Fans
  
• Dehumidifiers
  
• Wet/dry vacuums
  
  

If the carpet was soaked through to the underlayers, pull up the flooring and hang it out to dry. Replace the padding if necessary. An experienced restoration service can help you determine what must be thrown away and what can be salvaged. They also have commercial equipment that can get the job done quickly and thoroughly.

Replacement
In other cases, carpeting must be replaced. If the source is not clean water, or if the water has been present for more than 24 hours, bacteria and other contaminants are likely to present. Carpeting is difficult to completely sanitize, and it is generally safer to replace the flooring. An exception may be small rugs that can be thoroughly cleaned with a fabric sanitizer and hot water.
In other cases, it may simply be more practical to replace the flooring than restore it. Even if the water is from a clean pipe break, it may not be worth the hassle to restore carpeting that is old or inexpensive. Pulling up the carpeting often requires cutting it into smaller pieces, making it impossible to reinstall.
Carpet is expensive, and many homeowners wish to salvage their investment from water damage. If the water is from a clean source and is removed quickly, it is usually okay to restore rather than replace the flooring.