When
your property experiences flooding, one of the worst consequences is
a wet carpet. It takes only 24 to 48 hours for water damage to
destroy your floor coverings, leaving them smelly and infested with
mold. Time is a priority when dealing with carpet drying. A flood
does not necessarily mean that the carpet is irreparable, if you get
on the case immediately then there is every possibility of it being
rescued. The carpet itself is not so much a danger, it is the padding
beneath it which acts as a huge sponge, absorbing moisture and
creating the perfect breeding ground for mildew and other bacteria.
That is why even if your carpet appears dry on the surface, you
cannot risk leaving it alone because the underlying padding could
still be wet and be breeding all manner of nasty things which will
soon become airborne and affect your health.
Timing
is everything. In an ideal situation, the water should be drained and
your carpet dried within 24 hours of exposure to moisture, even up to
48 hours afterwards can still allow for reasonable rescue although it
may only be possible to salvage the carpet and not the padding.
However, when you hit 72 hours after exposure, it is best to assume
your wet carpet cannot be saved. The longer your carpet is
soaked the worse the problem is going to get so you should call in
professional assistance immediately to extract the water, dry the
surface and the underneath of the carpet and steam clean it to kill
lingering microbial growth and eliminate odors.
Failure
to dry a wet carpet after a flood will put to your health at
risk. Inside of a week the carpet will be showing visible signs of
mold growth. Mold spreads unbelievably quickly and once airborne can
have a negative impact on your health. Health concerns include
respiratory difficulties, irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and
throat and exacerbation of existing health conditions. The elderly,
young children and expectant mothers are especially at risk.
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