Flood season is in its full swing. If you read this article, there is a big chance that your house has already been affected by the disaster. A flooded carpet is one of the most common and annoying water damage scenarios any homeowner can imagine.
It is tough to clean and restore, but there is also a big chance that your precious carpet will be damaged beyond repair. Moreover, a water-damaged rug can become a severe problem for your property once it is not treated on time. It can start accumulating dirt and bacteria and become an incubator for mold, fungus allergens, and other hazards for your home and your health.
In this article, we shall talk about how to repair a flooded carpet and whether you should do it at all. We shall also discuss different ways to easily protect your house from floods and prevent water damage to your property.
Why is flooded carpet a problem?
Indeed, if your carpet is not something expensive, dealing with water damage does not seem too complicated. You should dry it out and put it back like nothing has happened. Right?
Not entirely. Any water damage may carry unobvious dangers that often reveal themselves several months after the disaster. And when they become visible, it may already be too late, and you will have to waste a great deal of time, money, and energy on overcoming those unpleasant surprises.
The main problem a flooded carpet can turn into is the development of mold and fungus in your house. It can damage the building itself and cause severe health problems significantly if you suffer from respiratory diseases or chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies, etc. Not to mention that mold often smells terrible. And when you start smelling that smell, it may already be too late - the mold has already spread its spores all over the room.
Another common consequence of a flooded carpet is damaged floors and flooring materials. Suppose you have wooden floors, parquet, or other water-sensitive floor material. In that case, there is a big chance that you will have to invest some money into the repair of the floors in addition to buying a new carpet after flooding.
How to treat a flooded carpet?
Your actions after flooding will mainly depend on the type of carpet you have in the house.
Let's go over the most common types of carpets and their placement that you can find in an average household.
A loose carpet with no padding.
It is the simplest scenario that is most likely to end up well. If your carpet is not glued to the floor somehow and can easily be removed from the room, do it as fast as possible.
Use a wet vac to remove excess moisture, and then place your carpet where it will be freely ventilated from each side until it dries out entirely.
Don`t forget to clean and wipe the floor of the room after you remove the carpet, and don`t bring it back until you are entirely sure that both the rag and the room are free from moisture and signs of water damage.
Loose carpets with padding.
Padding increases the lifespan of your carpet and your overall experience from it, but it can be a real problem in case of flooding. Once it gets in contact with water, the pad will act like a sponge accumulating water under your carpet and increasing the danger of severe water damage to the floor.
While the procedure with a loose flooded carpet remains the same - wet-vac and dry it thoroughly; the padding will be much harder to restore after flooding. Most experts will simply advise you to replace the pad.
Glued-down carpets.
If the carpet is glued to the floor, it will probably be impossible to remove it from the room and check the floor material for water damage entirely.
However, in most cases, it will be enough to wet-vac the carpet material and then make sure that the room is ventilated 24/7 to dry the floor out as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to use fans and unique blowers to move the room's air, boosting the process.
Any kind of carpet.
There are several standard rules for any kind of flooded carpet:
- Act as soon as possible;
- Make sure that flooding has stopped before taking action;
- Determine what kind of water has damaged the carpet. The best-case scenario is clean fossa water, the worst possible variant is floodwater contaminated with sewage;
- If you smell any solid and unpleasant odors, make sure to remove the carpet from the room even if it is glued to the floor;
- If the carpet remains wet, dirty, or smells 48 hours after you start to repair it, contact a professional. They will determine whether it is possible to restore your carpet or it will be easier and safer to replace it.
How to prevent water damage to the carpet?
A flooded carpet can become an ultimate nightmare, but it is straightforward to prevent all those problems and losses if you only pay attention to flood control in your house.
Such a simple yet efficient device as a flood barrier will tightly seal any door, gate, or other passage on your property, preventing floodwater from getting onto the house and damaging your carpets, electric appliances, furniture, etc.
It takes only several minutes to install a flood gate, which makes it an efficient solution even in the case of flash floods.
Contact Dam Easy today and learn more about our flood gates and other modern flood control solutions for homes and businesses. Investing in a flood gate once will save you from losing your time, money, and energy on water damage repairs in the future!
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