Wet carpet drying can be one of the most laborious task post-flood or water damage. But if you have high-value carpet or if you have sentimental attachments to your carpet, drying it is the only cost-effective option you have. Wet carpet drying might be laborious, but with the right equipment and drying method, the task can become relatively easy.
The most commonly used household equipment in wet carpet drying is wet/dry vacuum. Wet/dry vacuum is designed to run over wet carpets without posing electric shock to the user. However, you should be take extreme care not to let the cord touch the wet carpet.
It is best to wet vacuum your carpet outside your house where there’s plenty of fresh air and sun to help dry your carpet. You can do this if your carpet is not glued to your floor. Roll down the carpet and spread it outside, in your patio or your driveway.
Wash down dirt from carpet with strong nozzle spray hose, then wet vacuum it. After cleaning and disinfecting carpet, spread fully and let dry under the sun.
If your carpet is glued to the floor, then you have to wet vacuum it inside. Do no plug wet vacuum to inside plug. Use generator to run wet vacuum, or plug it to an outside electrical source. Again, never let the cord touch the wet carpet.
Again, wash down carpet with water before vacuuming it. Afterwards, remove carpet from floor. Put support underneath while draining carpet. When carpet is light enough, bring carpet outside to dry under the sun.
Never attempt to dry your wet carpet with an ordinary wet vacuum cleaner. You’d run risk of electrocution.
If you do not have wet vacuum at home, look for local wet carpet drying service centers in the yellow pages. Check if they’re renting out wet vacuum cleaners. There are also service centers that advertise online; check out if they have a shop near your area.
Dehumidifiers and air movers are also used to facilitate speedy wet carpet drying. While drying out carpet, it is necessary to use moisture detectors or hygrometers to determine the progress of wet carpet drying.
Professional wet carpet drying services, on the other hand, such as that use structural drying of flooded interiors, have more sophisticated drying equipments. They use, for instance, high-tech water extraction units that allow them to drain water from carpets without lifting carpet from floor and without removing carpet pad. It can even dry subfloor without having to move carpet.
Use of large air movers allow them to dry carpets inside closets and other confined spaces.
Hiring a wet carpet drying contractor has its benefits. It relieves you of undergoing the laborious task of drying your carpet. Moreover, there sophisticated wet carpet drying equipments allow them to dry your carpet in a very short period of time.
Some of us would rather save the money on carpet cleaning costs for other post-flood damage needs. After all, the process is not necessarily laborious. That’s as long you have the right drying equipment and methods, and sufficient sun and air to dry your carpet.
Richard Barthallo distributes information on water and sewer damage issues for Wet Carpet Iowa City IA and Carpet Drying Rock Island IA
