Flood Damage and Carpets in a Nashville Home

3/12/2016 (Permalink)

When Your Nashville Property Has Sustained Flood Damage to Your Carpets Call SERVPRO for Help

When your business or home in Nashville suffers flood damage, and the carpet is in the flood damaged area, you must extract water from the carpet right away. Carpeting, if made from a cellulose product, is particularly susceptible to water damage. Not only is wet carpeting potentially a health risk, but it also produces a bad odor. Further, flood waters do contain bacteria and other contaminants. If water is not quickly extracted from the carpet, long-term health problems could result for people living with the wet carpet for an extended period.

Types of Water Categories
Water damage is classified into three categories. Clean, Gray, and Black Water. Clean water is water that has wetted your carpet from a broken water pipe, or another source of clean drinking water. Clean water is not harmful when it is contained in its conduit. Gray water is water that may have come from an appliance overflowing, a washing machine with soapy water or a water heater. It may also be degraded clean water that has been allowed to pool and collect foreign contaminants. These contaminants may cause discomfiture, but are not lethal. If proper sanitizing and fungicides are applied after the carpet has been dried, then the carpet can be safe for use.  Black Water is from unsanitary water flooding the area. It may be groundwater that intruded into your Nashville home from a river or creek. It may be inundating rainwater that finds its way into your basement or a septic tank or sewer line blockage. Regardless of the source, this contaminated water is a health concern, and the carpet would need to be removed safely from the premises. Flood water containing microorganisms, pathogens, fecal matter, and chemicals must be extracted by SERVPRO professionals.

The Process of Water Extraction
 Extracting water requires special equipment. Water pumps, truck mounted and portable, remove gross volumes of water quickly. Wet vacuums are also employed. The drying will continue with the use of dehumidifiers and air movers to increase the natural rate of evaporation within the structure. Next the carpet must be sprayed with chemicals that disinfect and decontaminate the carpet and help prevent the spread of mold. The carpet padding will be discarded and replaced with a new, sanitary product.

Flood Damage Experts
Flood damage restoration professionals from SERVPRO can determine what type of flood damage the carpet has sustained and if it can be salvaged or not. They will state whether your flood damaged Nashville carpet can be saved based on the category of water that has caused the saturation. They have the equipment, knowledge, and expertise to extract water from the carpet in the most effective and efficient way possible affording you the chance to cut expenses while keeping your possessions. By following the standards set forth by the IICRC, you can rest assured that your dried and sanitized carpet is safe for reinstallation. "Like it never even happened."

We're Highly Trained Storm Damage Specialists

As water and storm damage specialists, SERVPRO of Madison / Goodlettsville has the experience and advanced training that enables us to restore your carpeting and  property quickly. Call us 24/7 for help in Nashville, Madison, or Inglewood. (615) 868-5324