Your Carpet Can Be Saved: What To Do After Water Damage
Molds produce allergens that can cause respiratory problems. Severe cases of mold can lead to children and the elderly being hospitalized. After your home has suffered from severe water damage, you may find that your carpet is soaked. If you do not act quickly, mold will form on the carpet and you will likely need to have the carpet replaced to avoid the health problems associated with mold. But fortunately, there are ways to prevent this from happening.
Clean The Floor Underneath
If your carpet is not sealed to the floor, roll it up and mop the floor underneath it. Allow this area to dry before placing the carpet back down. Place the carpet outside and allow it to dry in the sun and do not bring it back inside until the floor has dried.
Run Fans And A Dehumidifier
If you cannot remove the carpet, place a dehumidifier in the room. This will continually extract humidity from the room and will speed up the process by which the carpet dries out. Open all windows to keep the room aired out. Place fans in the room to increase air circulation to speed up the drying out of the floor.
Keep The Carpet Clean
Mold growth is not only fueled by humidity, but also by dirt. The less clean the carpet is, the better an incubator for mold growth you will have. Therefore, if you are regularly vacuuming your floor, it will be less likely to develop mold when your carpet suffers from water damage. However, depending on how dirty the water is, the filthy water, combined with the moisture, could create an especially perfect incubator for mold growth.
Use A Hot Water Extractor
A hot water extractor, also commonly called a steam cleaner, can help clean and dry moisture in your carpet. Many hot water extractors come with a dry setting, while others simply require that you do not press a lever to release the cleaning agent. The hot water extractor pulls water from the carpet more effectively than any other method. The faster you are able to remove moisture, the less likely that mold will grow on your carpet and the more likely that it will be salvageable.
If you are not sure of whether you will be able to save your carpet, contact a carpet cleaning company like Superior Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Inc to learn more about the mold in your carpet.