Restoring water damaged carpets.
There are a few things to consider when deciding whether flooded or water damaged carpets can be restored and saved. If your carpets have only had a small amount of clean water spilt on them or if they have only been slightly impacted by clean water ingress then in minor cases like this, saving your carpet would be quite easy. However if the water damage impact has been more severe then there are some pivotal things to consider before making the decision to restore the water damaged carpets.
Restoring and saving water damaged carpets can involve additional costs and effort, therefore it is always best to determine if the process is worthwhile and if the water damage restoration will be successful before attempting the restoration process.
Taking the time to firstly determine the restorability of the water affected carpets will save time and money in the long run. Determining carpet restorability and formulating a plan with the required processes will lead to a successful water damage restoration outcome.
What type of water has impacted the carpets.
This is one of the first considerations, the category of water needs to be determined before any type of water damaged restoration procedures take place. If the carpets have been impacted by contaminated water then they should not be restored.
Not only can the contamination in the carpets trigger health issues, the water damage restoration process itself can increase the risk of further health issues by blowing contaminates around with the increased airflow during the drying process.
Carpets that have been affected by contaminated water are far more likely to become mouldy and present with bacterial issues that can result in severe health issues. Strong odours can also set in quite quickly and can be difficult to remove. Examples of contaminated water and carpets include the following.
- Water that has back flowed from any drains inside the property.
- Flood water that has entered the property from outside.
- Sewage water, whether from the toilet or from sewer drains.
- Carpets that have been wet for more that 72 hours.
- Wet carpets that have pre-existing bacterial issues.
- Carpets that have visible mould growth on them.
Carpets that have been impacted by contaminated water or have pre-existing contamination issues can add to serious health issues within the property and should be removed and the sub-floor underneath should be cleaned and sanitised with specialised anti-bacterial treatments.
Carpets impacted by clean water.
Typically carpets professionally attended to within a 48 hour period and that have been impacted by clean water can be safely and successfully cleaned, dried and restored back to pre-loss condition. Saving and restoring carpets is in most cases a far more economical and convenient option than replacing them. With this said there are still some scenarios to consider even with a clean water loss that may render the carpets non-restorable. These include the following.
- Carpet delamination – this is where the carpet backing separates due to the increased moisture
- Permanent staining – this can be from timber furniture, dyes from cardboard boxes, or water staining form the increased moisture
- Shrinking – some carpets can shrink due to the increased moisture within the carpet fibres.
- Not cost effective – In some cases it may not be cost effective to restore the water damaged carpet.
How long does it take to restore water damaged carpets.
There are many factors that will determine how long it will take to dry, clean and restore water damaged carpets. With every water damage situation being so uniquely different estimating a timeframe to successfully complete the water damage restoration process on carpets that have been impacted by flood or water damage can be difficult. Below are a few things to consider when determining how long it will take to restore wet, water damaged carpets.
- How long was the water flowing for that affected the wet carpets.
- How much water has impacted the carpets
- What type of underlay is underneath the wet carpets.
- What type of carpet is it, synthetic, wool, direct stick commercial carpet etc.
- How long ago did the water damage event take place
- Have any mitigation measures taken place, soaking up the water etc.
- What time of year is it – winter, spring or summer.
- What are the outdoor ambient temperatures and the relative humidity levels.
- Is there reliable power available to run sufficient drying equipment
With any water damage restoration project consideration needs to be given to the correct drying and remediation of the structure itself and not just the drying of the wet, water affected carpets. Correctly drying the structure of a water impacted property will ensure that there are no future bacterial or building issues within the property.
The first class team at Flood Fixers can help .
The helpful and friendly team at Flood Fixers provide water damage assessments Adelaide wide including areas such as Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Murray Bridge and Fleurieu Peninsular. Our professional team can determine if your water damaged carpet can be successfully restored back to pre-loss condition and can provide an appropriate scope of works to professionally complete the required water damage restoration process.
Our professional water damage assessments and water damage restoration services in Adelaide can save you time and money and in most cases we can save and restore your water damaged carpets. Our team are honest, friendly and upfront and in most cases we can bill your Insurance company directly for our water damage restoration services.
Our team are always happy to provide you with obligation free, immediate over the phone advice, so if you do have a water damage disaster or if you need advice on whether your water damaged carpets can be saved please feel free to phone our friendly experts for helpful advice anytime.
