Is it SAFE to dry out and keep SOAKING WET carpet, or should it be replaced because of HEALTH reasons??
Question:The toilet in the house we're moving into had a problem yesterday and ended up flooding the bathroom, the entire hallway and some of the way into both of the bedrooms. The hallway carpet is BRAND NEW, but the bedroom carpets are 20+ years old. When we tore up the carpet in the living room and hallway, it was HORRIBLE underneath. The backing etc. was just falling all to pieces. It was REALLY bad. My question is should I replace the carpet that got wet or is it safe to just dry it out and keep it. My mom said that if I keep it, it could get mold underneath it and inhaling that could make me and my family very ill, even kill us. Is this true? What should I do?
Answers:
It sounds like the old carpet needs to be replaced anyway, and what better time than now?? The newer carpet, however, can be dried out by pulling it back and letting air get underneath it. This will also help dry out the padding and subfloor.
I would advise against having carpet in the bathroom, as there are many instances where water will get into the carpet and can cause mold. The bathroom is too humid anyway for carpet, and every time you get out of the shower, water drips on the floor, and if the toilet ever overflows or leaks again, you will get water on the carpet again. If you are on a tight budget, you can get inexpensive laminate flooring to lay down for less than $50. Check home improvement stores in your area to see if they have any remnants that are big enough for your space.
Well, that is a possibility.
There is a thing like a carpet cleaner that you can get, and have it reversed so that the water gets sucked up rather than pushed out. That's what we had to do when we had a flood of 18 inches in the basement. You will have to do it several times, but it's cheaper than spending money on new carpets, and better than waiting until it air dries.
replace the old carpet and the pads underneath. the new carper can be dried and replaced. when you get your carpet clean you get it wet so no big deal. you may want to go to a rental place. they have specail fans that help to dry out floors after they get wet. but most importantly... fix the toilet! you can buy cleaning solutions for the floor that will take cre of the mold issue.
You don't have to replace carpet just because it got wet. DO NOT pull your carpets up off the tacks so they dry faster. Your carpet will never sit back correctly without professional re-installation. You can rent large fans to facilitate drying. Use can also use a dehumidifier. If there is a large amount of water, you will need professionals.
It sounds like your bedroom carpets are ready to go just based on age, but that is an issue of aesthetics. Degraded backing is not a health issue.
If your carpets were inundated with sewer water, you should contact professional cleaners. They will do a hot water rinse and apply an antimicrobial solution. They will also make sure everything is thoroughly dried. You should do this, ASAP.
Your mom is right. Mold can be really unhealthy. It is very hard to dry out the carpet pad once flooded. You could pull up the carpet, replace the pad reinstall the carpet then have a steamer company come spray the carpet with mold inhibitor and steam clean. Keep a de-humidifier running. Sorry to hear the bad news.
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