Wet Carpet Drying Tips for Saint Paul Homeowners

Wet carpets can pose as problems for homeowners especially those who have experienced a flooding incident. Naturally, carpets are the first fixtures that get wet during a flood. However, they tend to be the last to be noticed since there are other more important belongings in one's home.

After a flood cleanup, it is not uncommon to see carpets in trash bins, beyond repair. This was perhaps the state of carpets in a few homes after the recent flooding in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This however, could have been entirely avoided. While there are other more important things to start cleaning up after a flood, it only takes a while to temporarily stop any damage on carpets.

Drying Wet Carpets

When carpets are not tacked on the floor, homeowners could just easily take them off the floor and allow them to dry outside under the sun. It is important that the carpets lie flat or are clipped at the ends if they are hanged. Carpets tend to curl up while drying and it can be difficult to straighten them. While wet, it could also be wise to wash down any debris that can’t be removed by hand.

Aside from sun drying, homeowners could also use water extraction units. These devices can work both to dry wet carpets and to disinfect. Some of the advanced units use dry steam to disinfect along with a system that only exposes the carpet to high temperatures for a few seconds thereby avoiding stretching or shrinking.

But before homeowners try to dry their carpets, they should also check with insurance coverage. Some forms of flooding insurance coverage may cover carpet drying and repair. If available, homeowners could just have professional cleaners deal with carpets.

Tacked or wall to wall type of carpet is harder to dry than smaller carpets. Tack or any other adhesive has to removed so that the under pad could be dried as well. In such cases, homeowners just usually hire professionals to remove and dry their carpets off the floor. Homeowners should also carefully consider the possibility of mold growth.

Where to Look for Professionals

If a disaster befalls on your carpets, going out to look for professional cleaners would be the least of your priorities. This is then, where readily accessible directories come to use.

If you live in the Saint Paul area for instance, you can use the internet to locate the nearest cleaning contractor for your wet carpet or flood cleanup needs. However, since not all contractors are the same, you need to screen everyone that you see online. It can be wise to choose two or three, compare services or rates, and choose the best one.

To check for contractor reputation, you can ask your neighbors, friends or family if they have heard of your chosen contractor. Otherwise, you can also ask them for recommendations.

Wet carpets need not be totally damaged when disinfected and dried on time. They can easily be taken off the floor to be sun dried outside, dried using water extraction units or sent to professional cleaners.