How To Extract Flood Water from Carpet
When flood has soaked your home, one of the first parts of your home to be damaged is the carpet. This is due to the fact that it is located on the floor of your home. However, it is also difficult to extract the water from a carpet. While there are times when you can do the task on your own, there are instances where the damage can be severe that you have no other choice but to seek professional help. When you are troubled with extracting flood water from carpets, you must seek a reliable water damage company.
Potential Issues Arising from Water Damage in Carpets
Walking on a wet floor is not the only issue when you have a soaked carpet. There are several other issues that will arise when your carpet has been exposed to flood. The appearance of the carpet will be compromised and it can emit an unpleasant odor that goes around your home. However, there are problems that will come up apart from the physical issues. It is also probable that molds can grow on the carpet when it is exposed to flood water damage.
a. Carpet Discoloration
Prolonged exposure to water can change the state of your carpet. Your carpet can have patches of yellow, green, or black once the dirt has seeped through the bottom. This is due to the chemicals present in a flood that can be harmful to the carpet.
On top of that, it will be easier to absorb dirt and dust if your carpet is wet. In addition to this, the incorrect treatment of the carpet can even result to lightening the color of the carpet.
b. Musky Scent
If you have been spraying fragrance all around the house, but the unpleasant odor remains the same, the scent must be coming from a carpet that has seeped the moisture from the flood. Similar to most linen exposed to water for a long period, the bacteria of the flood water can cause the musky scent emitted by the rug or the carpet.
c. Health Issues
Apart from the physical deformation on the carpet, there are health issues that can arise if the flood water is not extracted from the carpet. This is due to the fact that mold can grow on the carpet if the water damage is not treated properly.
When molds are lingering on your carpet, it can cause health problems for people with allergies. In addition to this, prolonged exposure to molds can be the reason for your difficulty in breathing and respiratory problems.
Moreover, there are germs and bacteria present in flood water, which can lead to other types of disease and sickness. You may air dry your carpet, but the bacteria and mold may not easily go away once the carpet has been dried out.
d. Damage to Property
Your carpet acts as a base for some of your furniture and appliance. When the carpet is damaged by flood, it is highly likely that the water on the carpet can be transferred to the appliance or furniture. This can result in potential electrical shock when the appliance is plugged into an outlet. It is also possible that the appliance can be damaged once it becomes moist.
When your furniture is in touch with a carpet that has been exposed to flood water, the structure can become poorer. If your furniture is made of wood, the damage can be overwhelming because prolonged exposure to water can cause the structure of the furniture to be weaker.
Extracting Water from Carpet
Moisture on the carpet can be alarming and our first instinct might be to air dry the carpet. However, there is more to the water extraction process than meets the eye. First, it is important to take out as much water as you can in order to prevent bacteria, germs, dirt, and dust from seeping through the carpet. There are several other factors that will have an effect on the flood water extraction process.
Severity of Water Damage
Obviously, the entire extraction process can be dependent on the gravity of the situation. The damage might not be as severe if the flooding is caused by the overflow of water from the bathroom and other similar situations. On the other hand, damage can be severe when the entire floor has been flooded.
1. Minimal Flood Water Damage
A soaked carpet would not always require you to call in the professionals. There are times when the issue is minimal and you can do the cleaning on your own. When the problem is not as severe, you can do the extraction process on your own.
Before classifying the damage as minimal, there are criterions to look at. First, the damaged area must only cover a small space. Next, the water must not be contaminated so that the carpet would not be exposed to dirt, bacteria, and molds.
When you notice that the carpet is soaked, you must try and dry it as soon as possible to prevent the scent that results from water penetration. You can try tapping it with a dry towel to transfer the moisture from the carpet.
If the murky smell is already present due to the water damage, you must allow air to circulate completely around the room. This can be done by turning on a fan and allowing it to oscillate it to allow air to circulate. You can also turn on the dehumidifier to allow for minimal humidity inside the affected room.
Once the carpet is completely dry, you must disinfect it to prevent the growth of molds. You can choose to steam clean the carpet or you can use a bleach to remove any germs present on the carpet. It is important to keep the carpet sanitized in order to bring the carpet back to its original state.
2. Severe Flood Water Damage
When the damage is way too severe, you may not be able to handle the issue well on your own. Severe damage happens when the water has reached your entire floor surface. This means that a large part of your floor has been soaked with water that may possibly be contaminated with bacteria.
This mostly affects wall to wall carpeting since you still have to take out the carpet from the floor and attach them again. During heavy typhoons and hurricanes, the flood water on your home can probably reach an inch or two. The resulting damage can be too grave that it will be hard for an individual to fix it on their own.
In order to bring back the carpet to its original state, you may have to call in the professionals and employ their service. When picking a water damage restoration company, you must pick a company with an excellent reputation and rapid response.
They must employ the best technicians and they must have the best equipment for flood water extraction. You can give Water Damage Miami a call at (954) 663 6845 for all your water damage issues. Their response rate is impressive and their services allow for a thorough cleanup. In addition to this, they can also help you file your insurance claims.
Simple Solutions to Flood Water Damage on your Carpet
Before help arrives, there are simple solutions that you can do to minimize water damage on your carpet and floors.
a. Ensure Air Circulation
The first step in ensuring that flood water can cause minimal damage is by ensuring complete ventilation of the area. This will allow proper air circulation, which can help you minimize the problems that you will be facing in terms of mold growth.
You should open all of the windows in the room to allow natural air to come through. In addition to this, you can also turn on the ceiling fan and point it towards the room to allow for better air circulation. In order to limit the humidity in the affected room, you can also turn on your dehumidifier.
b. Baking Powder Sprinkle
Most moms know the importance of baking powders. This is not only a pantry staple, but it is also helpful when it comes to removing unpleasant odor. Since baking powder can be used as an alternative to toiletries, it can also be used for removing the musky scent in a room that is exposed to flood water.
c. Squeeze out as much Water as you can
This step is pretty basic. It is helpful if you squeeze out as much water from the carpet as possible. This can limit the buildup of potentially harmful issues that you will be facing. You can try using a vacuum to remove as much water as necessary before help arrives on your home.
d. Sanitize Walls
In order to prevent bacteria from crawling up your walls, you can try to sanitize them as soon as you have noticed the damage. This can prevent further growth of molds on your walls. You can use cleaning agents that can sanitize the surface of your walls.
The presence of flood water in your carpet can cause issues that are damaging to property and health. If the issue is not properly dealt with, it can cause more damage than there is. There are several ways to sanitize your carpet and if you employ the proper methods when it comes to extracting flood water, your carpet can look better than it was before.
When you are uncertain about what to do when your carpet is exposed to flood water, you can always give Water Damage Miami a call and they will handle the problem for you.