Carpet Water Damage Restoration

Importance of Fast Flooded Carpet Drying

Wet carpet can cause allergies and respiratory problems, which are worsened once mould takes hold. Wet carpet from flood damage can begin growing mould within 24 to 48 hours, and the best defence against dangerous mould and mildew is to dry out the water damaged carpet as fast as possible. Carpet that remains wet after 72 hours may need to be replaced, especially if there’s padding beneath it. As long as your carpet and your home remain wet, you’re also exposed to potential electrical hazards.

Water Damaged Carpet Drying

Water damaged carpet drying techniques include using wet/dry vacuums, fans and dehumidifiers to quickly remove excess water and encourage drying. Use a wet/dry vacuum to begin removing standing water as soon as it’s safe to do so. Fans help speed up the flooded carpet drying process. You may even want to rent high-powered carpet-drying fans or carpet-drying air movers to achieve faster drying.

Because excessive moisture is present throughout the flooded area and not just the carpet, use a dehumidifier to effectively remove water from the environment. Removing moisture from the air also helps speed the drying process and limits mould and mildew growth in your carpet and other spaces.

Why Choose Jim’s Upholstery Cleaning

Even with all your efforts, it can still take days for the carpet to fully dry. The longer it stays wet, the more problems you may have, especially with mould. Professional water damage restoration from Jim’s Upholstery Cleaning can help accelerate flooded carpet drying. We use the latest techniques and machines to remove moisture and promote speedy drying. Our expert technicians assess the damage and set up specialised drying equipment to dry and restore the affected areas as swiftly as possible. Our professional water damage carpet drying and restoration technicians often can also salvage water damaged carpets with proper carpet cleaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you clean the water damaged carpet?

Steam cleaning is generally the best option for water damaged carpet cleaning because it ensures proper sanitation and deodorising. You can clean carpets glued directly to the floor without padding underneath if the damage was caused by clean water. Before steam cleaning, use a shop vacuum to remove standing water and dry towels and/or blankets for blotting up extra moisture. Steam clean the carpet thoroughly, then set up oscillating fans to encourage rapid drying and run a dehumidifier to pull excess moisture from the air.

If your carpet has padding, it’s usually best to remove and replace water damaged carpet padding altogether. Wearing gloves, pull up the carpet to get to the padding underneath, and pull it out for disposal. Once you’ve completely dried and sanitised your carpet, install new carpet padding. This option is much less expensive than re-carpeting your entire home.

Is carpet ruined if it gets wet?

Carpet isn’t necessarily ruined if it gets wet. However, this greatly depends on what type of water was involved and how long the carpet remained wet.

• Clean water, from rain or broken water supply lines, isn’t considered a health hazard. For clean water damaged carpet, drying must occur as quickly as possible to ensure the carpet isn’t ruined by mould and mildew.
• Grey water, from dishwasher and washing machine backflow or sump-pump failure, is more serious because it contains contaminants that may cause illness. For grey water damaged carpet, drying must still occur quickly, but only after removing the affected carpet pad.
• Black water, from raw sewage and other sources that contain bacteria and viruses, is the most serious type of floodwater and poses a serious health threat. You shouldn’t attempt to dry carpets submerged in black water. Removal and safe disposal of all carpet and padding is recommended for health reasons.

Black water damaged carpet is the one scenario where the carpet is ruined if it gets wet. Otherwise, carpet exposed to grey water can usually be restored if it’s been wet for less than 48 hours and the pad is removed. Grey water can degrade as contamination levels rise and become black water, which is why it’s important to dry it out quickly to ensure your carpet isn’t ruined.

Can carpet be saved after water damage?

Carpet padding often must be replaced, but in many cases, carpet can be saved after water damage if you act quickly. Remove excess water straight away with a wet-dry vacuum, run a flooded carpet drying fan constantly, day and night, to speed up drying, and use a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air. Steam clean the carpet by renting a heavy-duty steam cleaner or call Jim’s for carpet water damage restoration and carpet cleaning. If your carpet is severely aged and/or worn, it may not be salvageable after water damage. It’s often more practical to replace it, instead of trying to save it.

Will wet carpet dry on its own?

The wet carpet will eventually dry on its own, but it’s usually going to take too long. Remember, mould can start to grow within 24 to 48 hours if emergency carpet drying isn’t performed. Even if you can’t see it, mould spores may begin growing deep within the carpet fibres and on the backing. It doesn’t take mould long to spread and do a lot of harm, so it’s always in your best interest to prevent mould growth by drying water damaged carpet quickly. If you don’t want to tackle the task, Jim’s Upholstery Cleaning can help.

Call the Pros at Jim’s Cleaning

If you’re not feeling confident about your flooded carpet drying and cleaning skills, leave the job to the pros at Jim’s Cleaning. It takes very little time for flood damage to turn manageable carpet water damage restoration into ruined carpet replacement. Prevent this from happening by calling us as soon as possible. Our professional carpet restoration and cleaning experts can make sure everything is taken care of effectively and efficiently, with your Jim’s Work Guaranteed.

Because flood waters can also affect other areas of your home besides your carpet, you may want to combine carpet water damage restoration with upholstery cleaning and disinfectant service to remove lingering odours and bacteria. Book services online, request a free quote or call us today on 131 546 for more information about any of the professional cleaning services we provide Australia-wide.