Quality carpets don’t usually come cheap. It’s understandable, therefore, that you would do anything in your power to keep from having to replace your carpet before it’s expected lifespan runs out.
Most staining and typical effects that come with use and age can be fixed with a good professional cleaning or repair service. Water damage, however, is an entirely different beast of its own. So, is water damage a death sentence for your carpet?
Well, it depends.
There are three main types of water damage that can affect your carpet.
Clean Water
Water that has not been mixed with any contaminants is considered clean water. Sources of clean water that typically are responsible for carpet damage include spilled drinking water, leaking or burst pipes, rainwater, and overflow or leakage from faucets or water heaters.
Gray Water
Water that is potentially contaminated with fungus, bacteria, or other hazardous toxins that can cause sickness, is classified as gray water. If your carpet has been flooded with washing machine or dishwasher overflow, toilet water with no solid matter, aquarium water, or water from sump pump failure, you’re likely dealing with gray water damage.
*Clean water degrades to gray water after saturating carpet for 24-48 hours*
Black Water
Black water is highly contaminated with harmful agents. The most common sources of black water in the home are sewage, toilet backflow, seawater flooding, and water from storm events (hurricanes, tornados, etc.).
*Gray water becomes black water after sitting for 24-48 hours*
When is there still hope for a water-damaged carpet?
When you’re dealing with water damage from the first two levels of contamination—clean or gray water—your carpet can usually be salvaged. As long as your carpet is fully cleaned within 24-48 hours of flooding from either type of water, it should be safe to continue using.
In the event of gray water damage, however, the carpet may be saved within that time frame, but the padding must always be discarded.
Carpets damaged by black water must always be replaced.
Any carpet that is flooded with black water or that has been saturated for more than 48 hours poses a serious threat to the health of everyone in the household. In these cases, carpet replacement if the only safe solution.
Don’t risk losing out on a major investment—call the team at Horizon Carpet, Upholstery, Tile & Grout Cleaners & Repair as soon as you spot water damage on your carpet! Our experts are highly skilled in carpet cleaning, as well as trained in water extraction and carpet restoration after flooding.
Contact us today to set up an appointment with an experienced technician in your area!