1. IS THE WATER STILL COMING IN? CAN YOU IDENTIFY WHERE IT IS COMING FROM?
This may seem obvious but it is very important. Some floods are obvious; water emanating from the overflowing sump pit, a broken basement window, etc. Sometimes it is not so easy; for instance, a water softener may only flood when it regenerates. We have helped some dry their carpet only to get a call a few days later telling us that the EXACT SAME FLOOD happened. Incredibly frustrating for the homeowner and very expensive. So, stop the water and get the problem fixed.

2.WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE WATER?
There are three categories of water:
Clear: This is fresh, clean water (a water pipe breaks, a filling hose on the washer ruptures, etc.)
Grey: This is water that has been used, it has things in it (the drain on the washer comes out, rainwater, dishwasher leaks, etc.)
Black: This is generally sewage or close to it (Ejector pump fails, floor drain connected to city sewer backs up, etc.)
Clear and grey water can be extracted and the carpet dried. SERIOUSLY consider replacing carpet that has been exposed to black water ESPECIALLY if you are on city sewers. Complete disinfection of the carpets is almost impossible.

3. IS THERE CARPET CUSHION THAT IS WET?
You may not think that there is any padding under your carpet but don’t assume that. Is there a metal piece (bull nose) where carpet and concrete or tile meet? That is a sure sign that there is a cushion under the carpet. Don’t go by feel either. Many cushions over concrete are quite thin. Good chance there is pad; most carpets have pad unless they are glued down. The pad must be removed if it has been wet for more than 36 hours. Even if it has been less than 36 hours, removing the pad greatly speeds up the drying process.

4. HOW MUCH AREA IS WET?
Always assume that more area has been affected that it seems. Often we look for visual clues, but water travels along the ground and will spread father than you think. Even if the carpet feels dry, the pad my be damp and in need of removal. A carpet will generally be wet underneath about three feet farther than the surface wetness.

This is just a brief guide to help you. If any of this seems to be a bit more than you can handle, call for help! Although expensive, the expense of professional help is minor compared to the amount of damage that water can do to your home and the long term effects of mold on your family.

You carpet is a filter. Does that make you uncomfortable? Many feel that way. But really, should it? Your furnace has a filter. When you changed it last what did it look like? Probably filthy and dusty. Did you conclude that there was something wrong with your furnace or the filter itself? Did you feel that because the filter was dirty there was something wrong with it? Of course not! We know that the filter was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, trap allergens and dust. You either replaced it or cleaned it. How does this relate to carpets?

Carpets act like filters in your home. When air moves over or through your carpets, the fibers catch and hold dust, hair, pollen, dander, dirt, etc. Is this bad? No. Think about it. If you had hard floors would there be any less dust? Obviously not. Where would this dust go? Well, every time your furnace or A/C turns on, or even when doors open and close or people and pets move, it causes air to move. With nothing to hold the soil and allergens, they get airborne easily and can find their way into us. Carpets prevent this from happening. They can actually make your indoor air quality (IAQ) better!

There is a big condition on this, though! Think back to your furnace. What do you do when the filter is full? You change or clean it. Most filters are designed to be replaced with new, clean ones. Your carpet is not designed to be changed every few months. It is up to you to clean it. This is done quite efficiently by giving it a thorough, regular vacuuming. Also included in this would be a deep steam cleaning to remove oils and deep down soil that vacuuming can’t reach. Unfortunately, many disregard these vital steps and blame the carpet when really they simply aren’t maintaining it. This is not simply conjecture, or opinion. Check out this link and the information linked to it:
www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/selecting-the-right-carpet-or-rug/green-label.cfm

So don’t be too quick to get rid of your carpet. Really consider the pros and cons of such a move. Carpet has gotten a bad rap the last few years and it is really not deserved at all.