Should you Use a Carpet Extractor or Just Buy New Carpet?
Water damage can be overwhelming, but if you act quickly there is no reason you should have to replace all of your belongings – whether your Wisconsin home has been subject to flooding or you simply have had a bad water leak.
One of the most staggering things about flooding is the amount of water your carpets can hold even after the water level has subsided! While it may seem like a natural response to simply rip out your old carpet and replace it, this may not be necessary. Carpet extractors can often remove excess water from carpeting and leave it nearly as good as new!
How Bad is it?
The first thing to do when deciding whether or not your carpet is salvageable is to call “the dry guys”. We can tell you how bad the water damage is and what your best course of action will be. One of the main factors that will direct your next move is what kind of water has invaded your home! There are three categories of water:
Category 1 includes water from a sanitary source. This could be water from an overflowing bathtub or sink, a broken supply line, cracked toilet tanks or bowls (with no contaminants present), falling rain coming through a roof leak or elsewhere, or melting ice or snow. If your flood situation is due to any of the above, carpet extractors could be the perfect solution to quickly restore your home and save your flooring.
Category 2 includes water that is contaminated, such as water from dishwashers, washing machines, toilets containing urine, cracked aquariums or leaking waterbeds. Call “the dry guys” to have the situation evaluated. In some cases, carpet extractors can be used, then the carpet can be thoroughly cleaned to remove any trace contaminants. In other cases, carpet removal and replacement may be the only option.
Category 3 includes water that contains very high levels of toxins, such as raw sewage, toilet backflows with fecal matter present, flooding from streams, rivers or sea inlets, or even wind driven rain from tropical storms or hurricanes. The higher the level of contamination, the more likely it is that carpet extractors will not be sufficient and you may have to replace your carpet after all.
If extraction is an option, we will pump out any standing water, extract excess water from the carpet and pad, then use powerful fans and dehumidifiers to finish drying the carpet before you replace your belongings. With quick action in the face of water damage, you can often save your carpet and avoid expensive replacement!