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If you recently had a flood in your home that reached your carpet, you’re probably wondering the fastest way to make your house livable again. When deciding whether to replace carpet with water damage, it’s important to understand all the factors that you need to consider before making a final decision. 

For carpeting that has water damage, full replacement is the best option in most cases. Although you can take your chances and attempt to save some money by keeping water-logged carpeting, you’re putting your home and family at risk.

If your home had a water leak that made it to your carpeting, it’s essentially a race against time to prevent unwanted fungal and bacterial growth to take hold and start leaving their telltale black splotches. But a water-damaged carpet doesn’t just look bad—it can have lasting structural and health consequences. 

Keep reading to learn more about why you need to replace carpeting that was exposed to water, the repair process and affected areas of your home that you probably didn’t even know about.

When Do You Need to Replace Water-Damaged Carpeting?

Let’s face it: Carpeting is expensive. But your decision on whether to replace water-damaged carpets shouldn’t depend on the cost. Figuring out when a full flooring overhaul is required actually depends on the answers to a few important questions: 

  • How much water got onto your carpeting? Obviously, the more water that is soaked into your carpet, carpet pad, flooring and subflooring, the harder it will be to dry, clean and save. If you’re not sure exactly how much water made it your floor, it’s time to go carpet shopping.
  • How long did the water sit on your carpet? According to FEMA, you need to begin the cleaning process before that 24 to 48-hour window when mold and mildew begins to grow. Miss that window of time? You will probably need new carpeting.
  • What was the source of the water that got on your carpeting? If your carpet was soaked with suspicious water, such as toilet backflow, floodwaters or other sewage-contaminated sources, you shouldn’t even consider salvaging that carpet and carpet padding. These water sources likely harbor serious contaminants that can threaten your health. Only consider cleaning carpets soaked in water from a source that you would consider safe to drink, like a pipe that supplies your home’s drinking water. 
  • Can your carpets even be dried, cleaned and disinfected? In some cases, the very act of pulling up and removing the water-logged carpeting will destroy it. In that case, you should definitely opt for new carpeting. Removing all of your carpeting in one piece can be extremely difficult, especially if it covers a large room. Carpeting is generally cut into smaller pieces when being torn out of a home, effectively destroying it and requiring you to replace it. 
  • How old is your carpet and what condition is it in? In some cases, it’s not a matter of if you can salvage your carpet, but whether you should you even bother. Old, inexpensive or damaged carpeting is probably not worth the risk, hassle and expense of saving.

What About Carpeting that Has Been Treated to Fight Fungus and Bacteria Growth?

Some carpet manufacturers have begun treating carpeting with antifungal and antibacterial chemicals. Even though these chemicals may help in reducing the amount of fungus and bacteria in the carpeting on a day-to-day basis, this carpet should still be replaced after significant water damage. 


Again, many sources of water may contain sewage and other forms of dangerous contaminants. Even if the treated carpet prevents mold and bacteria growth, it can’t protect you from the health hazards of these contaminants. If the water soaking your carpets came from a dangerous source, or even if you can’t pinpoint the source of the water, it’s best to play it safe and opt for replacement.

What Are the Most Common Sources of Water Damage in a Home?

Unfortunately, water damage in a home is extremely common and one of the most frequent reasons homeowners file a claim. This damage can happen quickly or slowly, depending on the root cause of the water: 

  • Overflowing toilets and septic issues
  • Appliances malfunction (dishwasher, washing machine, etc.)
  • Flooding
  • Roof leaks and burst pipes


Although many types of hard flooring, such as tile and linoleum, can be easily cleaned and dried, carpeting has no shortcut.

What Are the Health Consequences of Carpet Water Damage?

As mentioned earlier, wet carpets are a breeding ground for dangerous mold and bacteria growth. According to the CDC, exposure can have a range of effects on individuals, from severe reactions to no noticeable symptoms at all.


The quality and duration of exposure both play a part in the health risks. For short-term, low levels of exposure to mold and bacterial growth, you may experience wheezing, a stuffy nose and itchy skin or eyes. However, there are several health conditions that can put you at a greater risk of severe mold reaction.


For individuals with asthma or allergies to mold, even relatively small amounts of mold and bacteria exposure can be dangerous. Some recent studies have even suggested that mold exposure to children early in life can increase their risks of developing asthma. 


Finally, individuals on immune-suppression therapies may be at a greater risk of health problems due to mold and bacteria. Other individuals at risk include those with chronic lung diseases, such as COPD. Although some strains of mold and bacterial growth are more dangerous than others, the CDC does not ever recommend leaving any trace of mold or bacterial growth unaddressed, even if you think it may be a relatively benign strain.

Other Water Damage Risks

If your carpet was damaged by water, you probably know that you need to have your carpet pad and flooring inspected. But there are many other areas of your home that need to be inspected for damage and restoration as well:

  • Personal belongings
  • Cabinetry
  • Electronics and appliances
  • Drywall and insulation
  • Subflooring
  • Structures
  • Baseboards and trim
  • Furniture


These areas of your home are particularly critical to address if they sat on, around, below or against your carpeting. A carpet’s fibers essentially act as a sponge, soaking in water and letting it slowly seep into the wood, drywall and other materials around it. 


When these materials absorb water, they swell and warp. In the case of flooring beams and other such structures, the water can compromise the integrity and strength of the materials, creating other risks. Did your carpeting begin to sprout mold or mildew? These growths can transfer to adjacent materials and actually begin destroying them as well.

What Steps Do You Take After Discovering Water-Damaged Carpets? 

The first step after you recognize that your carpet and home has water damage doesn’t even involve the carpet. After you discover water damage in your home, you should always stop the source first, when possible, and choose the appropriate remediation process. This may be a matter of getting rid of a faulty appliance or shutting off the main water line to your home to repair a burst pipe. However, there are instances when you may have no control over the source of the water damage, such as a weather event or sewage backup.


Next, you need to document the extent of the damage for your insurance claim. It’s extremely important to promptly report this claim and submit your documentation to ensure the best chance of claim approval. Most homeowners insurance policies should cover water damage due to burst pipes, appliance malfunctions, roof leaks and storms. For other sources of water damage, check your policy. To learn more about what types of water-related damages are covered by homeowners insurance, check out Does Homeowners Insurance Cover All Types of Water-Related Damages?


The next step in the process involves inspection of the water damage. Did it just impact your carpeting and carpet pad, or are there other areas of your home that were damaged? You’ll use what you find in this examination stage to determine a proper plan of action. 


The next step after determining a plan of action is to get to work actually extracting the water and water-damaged items, including your carpeting. If it’s been determined that your carpet is beyond saving, it will likely be removed in this stage to speed up the drying process. During this water removal phase, several pieces of equipment may be required to fully eliminate excess water and moisture from your home:

  • Dehumidifiers
  • Fans
  • Heaters vacuums


In many cases, commercial versions of this equipment may be required to fully eliminate the water in your home. You can see an in-depth list of the steps to clean up a variety of water-damaged materials in a guide from the EPA


Once all the excess water and moisture has been removed from your home, you can begin any necessary repairs and restoration. In cases with serious water damage, this process may involve extensive demolition, carpentry and flooring repairs.

Can You Fix a Water-Damaged Carpet Yourself?

Although some water-damaged carpets may look simple to dry out and keep using, there are risks to the DIY approach. Unless you’ve worked in the flooring and carpeting trade, you may not have the tools, knowledge and skills to restore your carpets. 


As discussed, failure to promptly remove all traces of excess water creates major mold, mildew and bacterial growth risks. Attempting to save some money with the DIY approach could backfire big time if you don’t properly address the issue. Plus, doing it yourself could cause a costly delay that allows these unwanted growths to flourish. When it comes to the health and safety of your family, it’s best not to take any chances.

Sources

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/table1.pdf
https://www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/recover/fema_mold_brochure_english.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm