Steps to Take When Dealing with Water Damaged Carpeting

Water damage to your home or business is no laughing matter. The mess is awful, you have to replace everything that was ruined and you’re generally overwhelmed. Whether it was a water main break, a sewer backup or a natural disaster, no matter how the damage occurred, it’s important to know what it is you are dealing with and what you need to do to fix it.

Carpet repair professionals are constantly asked about the best ways to fix water damaged carpeting. The answer? There’s more to it than simply drying the wet carpet. Keep in mind that while you may need to call a professional for water damage carpet repair in Newport, OR, there are some steps you can take to deal with a water damaged carpet yourself.

Step 1: Assess the scene

Although you want to start drying the carpet as soon as possible, you first need to step back and assess the situation. Figure out where the water is coming from and if the flow has stopped—you want to make sure the wet carpet is safe to touch. If hazardous materials are involved, call a specialist for cleanup. If the damage was caused by water alone, you might be able to salvage the carpeting. This is usually water from pipe bursts, water main breaks, rain or snow. It’s generally not safe to keep a carpet that has been soiled by water from any other source.

As for flood-damaged carpets, these situations are especially toxic. Flood waters are contaminated with nastiness, including life-threatening bacteria and mold spores. It’s strongly advised that you not attempt to salvage flood-soaked carpet.

Step 2: Drying the carpet

If you plan to tackle a wet carpet yourself, be sure to wear protective gear like a waterproof mask, gloves and boots. Keep people and pets off the wet carpet as much as possible while it dries. Time is of the essence, as water damaged carpeting is quick to play host to mold growth, which is a serious health and safety concern. The first 48 hours are crucial, during which time the carpet has to completely dry. The thing is that you might not notice the water damage right away, or have trouble drying it because too much water has soaked in. Regardless, act as quickly as possible and don’t hesitate to call a professional for help.

Step 3: Ways to dry wet carpeting

A wet vac works wonders on newly water damaged carpets. It will require some time to do, but it’s the most inexpensive drying method. Read how to use it properly—don’t run it over the carpet like a regular vacuum. This will just push the water around the fibers. Instead, do long strokes with many passes over the same spot to thoroughly dry the carpet. In addition, turn on fans and open the windows (unless it’s humid or raining outside).

If you need water damage carpet repair in Newport, OR, don’t hesitate to call the team at Paradise Carpet Cleaners Inc. We bring over two decades of experience to every job!

Categorised in: Water Damage Carpet Repair

This post was written by Writer