What Happens If Your Carpet Pad Gets Wet

Water damage can flood your carpet causing the carpet and pad to get soaked.

What happens if your carpet pad gets wet.

Some backing materials cause the carpet to discolor if they get too wet. If your carpet padding has been wet for more than 24 hours there s a really good chance your padding is already infected with mold and it might not be safely salvageable. If the backing and pad get wet it is very difficult to dry them and you run the additional risk of mold and mildew problems. If the carpet gets wet again or the carpet is exposed to elevated levels of moisture humidity then mold growth and related odors will likely recur.

Be it an overly wet carpet cleaning flood or other water damage the carpet padding must dry thoroughly to eliminate foul odors mold and mildew growth. It s important to act quickly in removing moisture from the. Mold is incredibly toxic to humans and pets. When you leave moisture sitting in a warm dark place these toxins will invade your home and once moisture and mold permeate a carpet pad it s impossible to eradicate.

At this point the two things the glue was holding together begin to separate and allows an area for mold to begin growing. Removing water from the carpet is not that hard but the pad will remain wet and can get mold damaged. Some carpets will shrink literally tearing themselves up from the floor. These machines are the most effective tools for removing water and can be rented or provided by water and smoke damage remediation companies that specialize in repairing residential flood damage.

When your house floods it s not only the carpet that gets wet. Cut the pad into strips roll it up and haul it outside. If the carpet is an area rug then the carpet can be placed outdoors in the direct sunlight during the warm hot months of the year to dry the carpet. Fast action is a must.

The padding under the carpet will need to be replaced if it s been affected in a flood. Wet carpet can be a perfect breeding ground for mold especially if the air is humid and the water remains in place longer than 48 hours. Unattended wet carpet is prone to mold and mildew. Use a wet dry vacuum to clean up as much water as soon as possible.

Then pull out the padding and dispose of it. If you do not have a professional dry out your wet carpet then you should at least remove the wet pad. Use fans to speed up carpet drying process. If the weather is hot dry and sunny you can try drying it yourself by rolling it out on your driveway.

Drying both can be a trick. Once the water is out peel back the carpeting watch out for those rusted sharp nails on the tackless stripping and remove the wet pad.