We’ve now entered the time of year when we can expect wet weather. Typically, Redding sees a week’s worth of rainy days in December, perhaps two weeks in January, and several more days spread throughout the following months until summer arrives. Depending on where you live in Redding, water damage to your carpet might not be a concern. But a rainstorm is not the only source for water damage. All it takes is a busted fitting, a cracked pipe from cold winter nights, or a machine malfunction while washing your clothes or dishes. Suddenly, your carpet is soaked.
Surprisingly, there are a few misnomers about what to do if your carpet is flooded. Sure, you need to get as much water out of the picture as you can, but how? And then, what’s next? Some say you need to clean it immediately, while others say you can just let it air dry, and still others say you need to replace the whole thing. Here are some helpful tips.
Don’t Panic
It’s really easy for panic to set in. Take a deep breath. If possible, get on the phone with one of our agents at Preferred Carpet Care. We have plenty of experience and knowledge dealing with water damage. We can help you keep a cool head while providing a list of steps to limit the damage to your home or office.
In almost all cases, removing as much water as possible is the first order of business. A wet/dry shop vac really helps. If you don’t have one, they often range from $60 to $150, and can sometimes be rented for much less. In fact, a friend or neighbor might have one you can borrow. As we will explain later, this will not remove all the water, but it will help to remove the excess.
What about renting a carpet cleaning or water extraction machine to take up the water? Well, that might seem to be a good idea, but they simply do not have enough suction power or capacity to tackle a saturated carpet. Even with a dry carpet, they usually leave it saturated after the process, so they’re even less likely to remove water that’s already there.
Honestly, your best bet is letting Preferred Carpet Care remove the water for you. Getting as much water removed as quickly as possible is the best way to avoid further water damage, and our skills and equipment make short work of it. Not only that, but we can also determine if any treatment is needed for foul water. With our skills and equipment, we will get your carpet to the same dampness point as it would be after a professional cleaning.
The Follow Through
After thoroughly removing as much water as possible, the job is not over. Keep in mind that although you might not see any standing water, the carpet backing and padding act like sponges, and they will still be saturated. Air drying the carpet is simply insufficient – more than that, the extensive time it takes will allow mold and mildew to set in, which could cause serious health concerns.
This is where getting a professional to help you is by far the best choice. Why? Preferred Carpet Care has super strong industrial dehumidifiers and high-speed fans to move the air and expedite the drying process. This kind of equipment is rarely available for rent, if at all, to the general public. We use professional-grade moisture readers to monitor the drying process. We also check your baseboards and walls, providing needed direction for the next steps to bring your home back to full repair.
If your carpet gets flooded for any reason, there are good remedies and there are not so good ones. Thankfully, Preferred Carpet Care has seen plenty of examples of both, and we choose to offer you good remedies with a prompt response. Give us a call at 530-243-8400 to find out what steps to take if water meets your carpet. Or if circumstances permit an online contact, you can fill out our convenient form here on our website. Let us work with your water damage, so your carpet will keep working for you.