A toddler to take care of, another child to bring and pick up from school, a home-based work to attend to, and a million other things and errands to do – such is quite a common scenario for Generation X and Y moms. When left all alone to do all these domestic chores, can you blame her when “small accidents” happen leading to carpet water damage from leaks or running faucets made by a playful kid?
There is no use crying over spilled water (even lots and lots of it). Life goes on; go and learn what you can do to save your expensive carpet. Remember, time is of the essence; delay the process and you will have a totally wasted carpet ready for the sanitary landfill. Here the steps you can do to start water damage restoration to your water-sodden carpet.
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Where is the water coming from?
Stop the water; you can do that if you know where the water is coming from. Knowing the source of water is vital as it may require some work to make it stop. You may need to call a plumber to get it fixed, unless plumbing work is another job that you or your partner are good at to maintain your home. If it is caused by an overflowing tub or sink, there is little worry in that area as the flow will stop as soon as you tighten the valve. If, however, the flow is coming from the sewage, you may need bigger work done by a contractor, and less time on the carpet that need to be disposed.
What is the extent of the damage?
As soon as the water flow has been addressed, it is time to assess the carpet water damage. If the water originated from a tap or from leaks in your water pipes, you can be confident that the carpet is salvageable. If, however, the source is from the sewage, you can kiss your carpet goodbye. The extent or size of the soaked carpet is also important to assess if you still have the time and energy to do-it-yourself with all the other home chores and childcare you need to do.
Is your home insurance willing to pay for a new carpet?
The assessment is important, as this will be the information that your insurance need. If your insurance covers water damage, you can reasonably expect that your work will be as simple as doing the paper work and buying a replacement. The company is most likely to send an adjuster to validate the damage and discuss your options. Do not invest on a new one without knowing what your insurer is willing to do.
How do you restore your carpet in case it will not be replaced?
If you have no insurance or it does not cover water-damaged carpets, get down on your knees and start water damage restoration. Disinfecting is most critical and must be done as soon as it is possible. A wet carpet is great breeding ground for molds, bacteria and many other disease-causing microbes. You can make your own blend of a safe disinfectant by mixing a gallon of clean water and 2 tablespoons of bleach. Move the furniture, apply the solution, and start scrubbing. Remove the padding with a cutter. Once done, dry the wet areas with a wet/dry vacuum first to extract as much as possible and then with a fan blowing air directly on the soaked areas. Make sure that drying will progress in 12 hours or you lose your carpet for good.
Send in the cleaning brigade.
There are times when quitting is smarter than persistence. If from the very start, you know that trying on your own will be futile (with kids work to do); it will be to your best interest to send in the expert carpet-cleaning brigade. They can do the job in less time and save your carpet effortlessly. It is their expertise after all.
