Wide-eyed and frantic, you race to find a Shop-Vac and the phone number of your restoration professional, you think, “Can my carpet be salvaged?” A costly investment, the average low installation of 500 square feet is $1,700, and high-end products can be three or four times that!
Thankfully, wet floor coverings can often be saved by getting professionals to work immediately. They can quickly determine if your wet wall-to-wall can be recovered by examining the factors involved:
Type of Water
Identifying the leak is paramount to your investment’s chance of recovery. Restoration professionals use three categories to classify water based on the level of contamination.
- “Clean water” from sources that are not health hazards, like rain, a broken water supply line, clean basement seepage, or runoff from your yard, are all considered Category 1.
- Category 2 water contains contaminants that can potentially cause illness. Typical sump-pump failures or backflow from washing machines are also called “gray water.” Such an exposure can often be remedied by cleaning the carpet and replacing the dirty pad.
- However, “black water” like raw sewage contains bacteria and viruses and is a serious health threat to humans. Industry guidelines recommend the removal and safe disposal of all porous furnishings involved in a Category 3 disaster.
Length of Exposure
Speed matters since the condition of the water in the carpet can quickly deteriorate; factors like stale air and room temperature can worsen the rugs’ condition. Always replace padding because it is nearly impossible to clean. (It is also very inexpensive, so upgrade to the next highest density.)
Again, fast action is essential; the longer the carpet in the contaminated water stays wet, the more mold grows. Mold can begin within 48 hours; exposure can cause health problems for some people by irritating the nose, eyes, throat, or lungs. Breathing airborne spores may trigger symptoms in those with hay fever, asthma, and allergies.
Adequate Ventilation?
Are you able to get a steady supply of clean, fresh air across the room from the disaster until the final cleanup? Floor dryers and dehumidifiers will help speed up the process of drying.
- Be sure to keep the fans working without disruption. Turning the fans off at night will only extend the drying process and enable microbes to breed and stay on the carpet.
- Keep foot traffic on the carpet to a minimum during the drying process.
Is It Worth the Effort?
Replacing aging and worn carpet that has been affected by flooding may be the most practical choice. Consult professionals to help determine its value using defined industry standards. Since every water damage situation is unique, the best way to determine if your wet carpet can be saved is to have a local restoration company inspect and evaluate the situation.
Local Experts
Southeast Restoration provides emergency clean-up assistance for unexpected water damage of all kinds, ranging from minor plumbing leaks to major plumbing bursts, even bathtub overflows. In addition, we can offer advice and service for mold remediation and cleaning; we always create an individualized plan based on your situation.
When the 24-hour contact center receives your call, the emergency response teams move into action within hours to salvage all items as possible. We also provide professional deodorization, complete sanitizing, air duct cleaning, odor removal, and structural repairs.
Southeast Restoration is licensed in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. For more information, please contact the team at the first sign of water damage in your home at (877) 688-6050.
