Water damage from a flood or a broken pipe is disastrous for homeowners because it can cause damage to the home’s structure and eventually result in mold growth resulting in a mildew smell long after water recedes. Additionally, the cost involved in cleaning and changing items after water damage causes many homeowners to wonder if they should replace the carpets during water damage restoration.

Please note: If carpets along with the added layers of underneath padding have been wet for 48+ hours homeowners should consider replacing them. Many government organizations (including EPA) suggest that mold and bacteria can begin to form in the wet carpet as soon as 24 to 48 hours after becoming wet. A professional water damage restoration company can help salvage carpets after proper cleaning.

Before you start doing it yourself and pull carpets or rent a vacuum to extract water, here are some reasons for calling a professional water damage restoration company. Additionally, they can also help determine if replacing carpets after water damage is required or not and if the furniture, other materials, and stuff around your home are salvageable.

1. Tricks such as adding baking soda to wet carpets and using fresh towels to get water out are usually insufficient for cleaning and drying the carpets thoroughly.
2. Using a shop vacuum alone is not effective in removing water underneath carpets, padding, home’s subfloors, drywall, and wall studs.
3. Pulling the carpet out allows the underside including the floorboard and paddings to dry.
4. Pulling rugs out allows you to check for mold, mildew, and other bacterial or fungal growth.
5. If the carpet padding has dried and begins to crumble, it might be best to replace them.
6. Removing water from carpets alone is not sufficient to avoid mold growth. Removing excess humidity & moisture from the air and subflooring is also required to avoid mold growth. Water damage restoration companies monitor humidity levels to ensure all excess water is removed as required.
7. If a Homeowner leaves behind excess water after cleaning the carpet by mistake it can lead to a higher risk of mold growth! A water restoration company will ensure that all water is removed and carpets are dried as much as possible after cleaning.
8. Sometimes even after cleaning a homeowner might notice some smell. Carpet deodorizers purchased from home improvement stores often mask the odor rather than eliminate it but a professional odor elimination can remove the smell completely.
9. Since it’s recommended to pull the carpets to inspect the subflooring for water damage, it might be better to replace the damaged carpet padding rather than the carpet itself unless the carpet is damaged while pulling out. This ensures a dry and clean surface with less risk of moisture trapped underneath to avoid mold growth.

Replacing the Carpets during Water Damage Restoration can only be decided on a case-by-case basis but understanding the damage that has happened under the carpet, health and safety hazards involved due to mold growth, and potential damage to your property are factors you should weigh in when deciding whether or not to replace water damaged carpet.

If you have any questions related to water damage restoration services don’t forget to call PCAM Services, a trusted leader in Emergency services, at 206-458-5237 or visit our website at http://www.pcamservices.com to learn more about our services.