When carpets go SQUISH!

Oh no!  When the carpet goes SQUISH – you’ve got a problem!

Whenever carpets get wet, whether from a broken pipe, overflowing toilet or flood, you must take action quickly.  Here are some tips on containing the damage and getting back to life:

Call your local Chem-Dry and describe the situation.  They can advise you on what steps to take immediately.  Most have 24-hour water damage response service and can be there quickly.

Time is of the essence!  The clock starts ticking when the damage occurs and must be addressed within 48-72 hours before mold sets in.

Call your insurance company – ask what their policy is on water damage.  Do they want you to get someone out to extract the water and begin working on the damage, or do they use certain contractors?

Remove belongs as quickly as possible. Rent a storage unit or trailer, or put them up high enough to not get wet and wipe them down with strong antibacterial/fungal cleaner.

Rent or borrow fans and dehumidifiers, or call a water damage company, which will rent the fans and equipment to you on a daily rate. They can also extract much more water with their machinery than you can with a shop vac.

Do not attempt to clean carpet that was not wet.  There is too much moisture in the air already – especially do not use a steam type cleaning or you will spread the damage to unaffected areas.  The pad will wick water from the wet areas to the dry ones.

Consult a professional.  Mold and indoor air quality specials can determine the source of musty smells.  Carpets and subfloors must be treated with a quaternine, anti-fungal and bacterial spray.

Walls may need to be inspected by professionals for mold and moisture. Wet sheetrock must be cut away and the walls sprayed and allowed to dry completely, within 24-48 hours optimally.