How to Reduce the Risk of Carpet Mold After Water Damage

Water damage can lead to harmful mold growth on various items in your home, including carpets. Carpet mold can cause respiratory issues and severe health problems if not treated as soon as possible. Even little amounts of water can provide ideal conditions for mold to grow and thrive. Moreover, mold can begin to grow on your carpets within 24 hours of water exposure. That’s why it’s important to act immediately after suffering water damage to reduce the risk of carpet mold.

Here are the steps to prevent carpet mold after water damage.

• Get Rid of the Water as Soon as Possible

Carpet mold can grow as soon as 24 hours after water damage has occurred, so all water needs to be removed from the carpet fast. Use a wet-dry vacuum machine to get rid of any standing water. You can rent a wet-dry vacuum machine from a nearby water damage restoration company and use it to remove water from your carpets. However, this depends on the extent of the damage. If you’re dealing with large amounts of water, it’s best to call a water damage company to help you. Larger water problems should be handled by experienced water damage restorers who are equipped with top-of-the-line water extraction equipment.

• Speed Up Carpet Drying Using Fans

Once you've removed standing water, run high-powered fans in the water-damaged area to speed up the drying process. You should run the fans in the affected area for a couple of days to create as much airflow as possible and get the best chance of saving your carpet.

• Use A Dehumidifier

Run a dehumidifier in the water-damaged area for a few days to remove excess moisture and limit carpet mold growth. A dehumidifier speeds up the drying time for your water-damaged carpets, thereby limiting the chance of mold growth.

• Replace The Carpet Padding

A carpet padding is a material that’s installed beneath your carpet to provide an extra layer of cushioning. If your carpet is wet due to water damage, you may have to replace the padding because it tends to absorb a lot of water, and in most cases, it cannot be salvaged.

• Steam Clean Your Carpet

Steam cleaning is necessary to remove germs, bacteria, and mold spores from water-damaged carpets. You can rent steam cleaning equipment and do this by yourself or hire a dependable water damage company for assistance. 

• Make Sure Surrounding Surfaces Are Thoroughly Sanitized

Ensure you clean and sanitize the surrounding surfaces, including walls, baseboards, hard floors, furniture, and other surfaces with soap, water, or an all-purpose cleaner.

• Hire A Water Damage Company

Even if you have completed these steps, it may be important to hire a water damage company to help you get rid of hidden water damage and take the necessary measures to protect your carpet from carpet mold.

If you’re in need of water damage restoration in your home or business, contact Tidal Wave Response to help you out.