If you’ve had a flood in your home, your carpets are probably the last thing you’re thinking about. But if they’re wet or stained, they need to be cleaned right away. We specialize in carpet restoration from flood damage!
Water damage from floods is common in areas that experience seasonal rains and storms. Therefore, you might have experienced this if you own property in such areas. Your flooring, especially carpeted floors, are the first areas that experience water damage after flooding, for obvious reasons.
Apart from soaking the carpet, the most significant danger of water damage to flooring is water seepage below the carpets and subsequent mold growth due to moisture and damp conditions. That said, you should know when to clean, restore, or discard your carpet following water damage.
Categories of Water Damage (Carpet Restoration)
The extent of water damage significantly determines if your carpet can be restored, cleaned, or should be discarded. Below are categories of water damage that determine when to discard, clean, or call professionals.
1) Category 1 Water Damage
Water damage that’s classified as Category 1 can be restored. Such damage is not extensive and results from rainwater or clean water from a broken pipe, or other sources of clean water at home. Such water contains minimal contaminants, making it safe to restore the carpet. Although, carpets affected by Category 1 damage should be restored within 48 hours, and carpet restoration & cleaning service can help clean, sanitize, and restore them.
If the carpet isn’t treated within 48 hours, water damage may turn into category 2. This is because delayed treatment and exposure to metals, chemicals, hair, and soap can contaminate the water
2) Category 2 Water Damage
Unlike the first classification, category 2 water damage is carpet and flooring damaged by contaminated water that can potentially cause illness if humans come into contact with it. In addition, category 2 water damage is caused by gray water, such as bathwater, toilet water, or contaminated water that contains urine but no fecal matter.
Again, carpets that are exposed can be salvaged if treated within 48 hours. However, the padding cannot be saved and should be replaced. If carpets aren’t treated within this time frame, damage proceeds to category 3, and gray water may turn into black.
3) Category 3 Water Damage
Category 3 damage is the severe form of water damage caused by black water. Black water contains harmful bacteria, pesticides, toxins, and pathogens. Sources of black water include hurricanes, toilet backflows, and sewage. Restoration is impossible for carpets and other flooring affected by category 3 water due to safety issues and requires replacement.
Why You Should Hire Water Damage Restoration Professionals
Regardless of the category of water damage, it is prudent to hire professional water damage restoration experts. Below are the benefits of working with these professionals.
Low Costs and Quick Carpet Restoration
Time is of great essence when dealing with water damage restoration. Quick restoration prevents mold growth and other health hazards from forming. While it may appear costly to hire professional services, it saves money in the long run. The faster you remove items from water, the better the chances of restoring them. Dealing with carpet damage in the early stages prevents the need for further costly repairs.
Inspection and Carpet Restoration Plan
The first thing that professional water damage restoration experts do in your property is to evaluate the extent of water damage. It is through thorough assessment that they can identify the best way to address the damage. Therefore, while you can conduct water restoration yourself, it won’t be easy to identify such important details.
Prevent Bacteria and Mold Growth
Mold and bacteria growth is the biggest threat that comes with water damage. Unfortunately, the presence of moisture and damp conditions favor their growth and increases the risk of allergies, infection, and other health conditions. Even though your home will eventually dry, moisture in the walls and under the floor favors the growth of mold.
Specialized Drying Equipment
Without a doubt, you will enjoy access to specialized equipment by working with professional restoration personnel. Just to mention, you need several tools in case of a water damage emergency. They include industrial-grade fans, dehumidifiers, vacuum cleaners, and sump pumps. Besides ensuring proper drying, specialized equipment also means fast and affordable restoration of your carpets.
Minimize Health Risks
Even category 1 flood water is contaminated and potentially harmful to your health. Therefore, don’t expose yourself to these harmful contaminants. Professional water damage restoration service providers use personal protective equipment and have insurance coverage in case their employees suffer health issues after the restoration is complete.
Bottom Line
Water disasters undoubtedly disrupt your life in many unimaginable ways. If this happens to your property, minimizing damage and restoring your life to normalcy should be your priority. While you can do this by yourself, hiring water damage cleaning and restoration professionals provides unmatched benefits.
Remember that water damage varies, and you can’t be sure of the extent of damage on your carpet until a professional inspection is done. The sooner you report the disaster, the better the chances of a successful restoration. For professional help, contact the Carpet Legacy at (925) 261.7249.
