How to Dry a Wet Carpet
It seems pretty obvious how to fix wet carpets. Just dry them right? Well, for small carpets and rugs this is easy because you can easily move them to a dry area and the let the air do it's magic. However, in the case of wall-to-wall carpeting, this isn't practical since the carpet is so large and, when full of water, extremely heavy to move.
Wet Carpet Padding
Most carpets have a soft layer of material underneath called padding which provides a more cushioned surface to walk upon. However, when wet, padding becomes a giant sponge soaking up and storing huge amounts of water. When you want to dry out a room, removing the carpet and padding is critical so you can reach the sub-floor, which is the most important part to be treated.
Always remember that you have to throw away wet padding since it's impossible to completely dry out even with professional equipment. This requires it to be thrown away to prevent mold and bacteria from growing which would cause wood sub-floors to rot.
Water Damge to the Subfloor
To treat the sub floor, you must first get rid of all standing water. Next, fans and dehumidifiers are used to remove leftover moisture and to dry out the affected areas. To help prevent mold from growing, apply an antimicrobial spray on the floor. Once these steps are done, a new carpet pad will be installed.
Types of Water Damage
It's important to know what type of water damaged a floor when you want to dry carpets. This will be a critical factor in what course of action you should take to address the problem. The 3 types of water damage are separated into 3 categories. Category 1 is clean water from a burst supply line. Category 2 is murkey water that has been contaminated with biological material from a kitchen sink for example. Category 3 is toxic water that is full of home or commercial sewage. If Categories 2 or 3 are the water source, you can't save the carpet since the health risks prohibit this. The carpet has to be disposed of as well if mold has started to grow on it. However, carpet can be saved if it had category 1 water and no mold has formed.
Hire A Water Damage Expert
Obviously, drying wet carpets is a hassle that most people would rather pay to have done than do themselves. Fortunately, there are many water extraction and water damage restoration specialists who would be glad to do the job for you. A great benefit here is that they already have all of the necessary equipment and tools to do it properly. Call us now.