Caring for Carpets After Water Damage

Water damage is a real possibility following severe rain storms in Tampa. Some plumbing emergencies can also cause flooding in your home. Whatever the cause, it’s important that you act quickly in response to flooding to prevent your carpets from becoming totally destroyed. Excessive moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth beneath carpet flooring, which can cause health problems ranging from sinus irritation to hay fever and asthma attacks. A professional water damage cleanup company in Tampa can protect your carpets and your family’s health in the event of a flood. In the meantime, here’s what you can do to care for your carpets while you wait for the water damage repair company to arrive.

Stop the Flooding

If water is coming into your home through a burst pipe or broken appliance, locate your home’s main water shutoff valve as quickly as possible. The sooner you stop water rushing into your home, the better off your carpets will be.

Get Rid of Excess Water

Once the water stops flowing in, it’s time to clean up as much water as soon as possible. If you have a wet shop vacuum, use that to quickly suck up standing water. You can also use towels, blankets, and sheets to soak up a bit of the water. Every little bit helps when it comes to preventing mold and mildew from growing under your carpet flooring.

Circulate Fresh Air

If possible and safe to do so, open up doors and windows around your home to circulate fresh air and speed the drying process. Ceiling fans and standing fans can also speed up the drying process and help circulate fresh air.

Wait for the Pros

Even if you think you’ve cleaned up all the water, you’re not out of the woods until you call an emergency water damage cleanup company in Tampa. A water damage control and remediation provider uses truck-mounted stream cleaners, deodorizers, sanitizers, and commercial fans to clean up the damage and restore you home back to its original state as quickly as possible.