What Happens If Your Carpet Pad Gets Wet

Some backing materials cause the carpet to discolor if they get too wet.

What happens if your carpet pad gets wet.

The padding under the carpet will need to be replaced if it s been affected in a flood. At this point the two things the glue was holding together begin to separate and allows an area for mold to begin growing. When your house floods it s not only the carpet that gets 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.

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. 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. Then pull out the padding and dispose of it. Cut the pad into strips roll it up and haul it outside.

Unattended wet carpet is prone to mold and mildew. To do that pull up the carpeting wearing gloves to reach the padding. Fast action is a must. When carpet gets wet and is left wet it can cause problems like delamination that happens when there is excessive moisture which weakens the glue.

It s important to act quickly in removing moisture from the. 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. Use fans to speed up carpet drying process. If you do not have a professional dry out your wet carpet then you should at least remove the wet pad.

Use a wet dry vacuum to clean up as much water as soon as possible. Removing water from the carpet is not that hard but the pad will remain wet and can get mold damaged. Mold is incredibly toxic to humans and pets. 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.

If the weather is hot dry and sunny you can try drying it yourself by rolling it out on your driveway. It s also the padding under the carpet. Water damage can flood your carpet causing the carpet and pad to get soaked. 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.

Drying both can be a trick. Some carpets will shrink literally tearing themselves up from the floor.