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Water damage s catastrophic for any homeowner, especially when carpet is involved. Wet carpet can start to grow mold in as little as 72 hours, so it’s best just to rip up any carpet that has been wet for at least that long and get it replaced even if it’s been cleaned. Otherwise, there is a chance that a good water damage restoration company may be able to salvage a wet carpet if you act quickly.

 

Preventing Mold Growth and Fixing the Damage

The best way to avoid serious water damage and mold growth with your carpet is to remove water as soon as possible. You can start by removing the source of the water itself. If the source of the dampness is a leaky pipe, shut off the water to the pipe and contact a plumber to repair the leak. If the problem is flooding from outdoors, close off all entryway doors and use thick towels to soak up any water that may still get in. Dehumidifiers can also be helpful in removing water from carpet, but large fans should be avoided since they can spread contaminated water to other parts of your home. If you do use a dehumidifier, empty it regularly to ensure that it keeps doing its job. Wet-dry vacuums can remove quite a bit of water from carpet, but only if you act quickly; it won’t help if the water has soaked through to the flooring underneath your carpet.

If your flooding is severe enough, you will almost certainly need to pull up the carpet. When you do this, keep the carpet and the padding underneath exposed to the air even after it dries. Use a sanitizer designed to kill mold if you suspect that you have any underneath your carpet.

 

When to Call a Professional Cleaning Service

It can be difficult to know if you’ve been able to remove all of the water and mold from a carpet. In most cases, you’re better off removing the carpet altogether and starting from scratch. In either situation, it’s best to contact a professional carpet cleaning service that has experience repairing water damage. A good cleaning service will ensure that any newly installed carpet or salvageable water-damaged carpet will be free of moisture and mold.