Water Restoration Services

You’ve stepped in a puddle, water is seeping through the carpet, or you can see bubbling and warping in your wood floors – not good. But don’t panic! Here are some tips on dealing with encroaching water damage:

Safety First

Your first priority is (and should always be!) the safety of yourself and your family. If there is an inch or more of water on the floor, or if the water is visibly rising, leave your home and call from outside or in the car. Rising or deep water can cause appliances and outlets to malfunction and spark. Water + Electricity = BAD. You don’t want to risk electrocution. 

With shallower water, injuries from a slip and fall can also be dangerous. Make sure that anyone in the home with impaired balance (young children, elderly people, or the physically disabled) know about the flooding and block off entryways to the affected area if possible. 

Waterlogged materials can become surprisingly heavy as they absorb the water, so be careful lifting as well. A pile of newspapers in the garage that you could easily lift yesterday could pull a muscle in your back when weighed down with excess water!

Post-Flooding Checklist

Once you are sure that the flooding is over or adequately contained, there are several steps you can take to protect your home and your possessions from further damage. 

1. Get rid of any standing or excess water by blotting and mopping
2. Remove lamps and tabletop items from wooden furniture and then wipe it dry
3. Remove wet cushions and upholstery where possible and hang or prop up to dry
4. Protect furniture legs by wrapping in aluminum foil or propping up on wooden blocks – this is especially important for furniture in a carpeted room
5. Turn air conditioning on max in summer and heat on high in winter to help speed up the drying process
6. Remove any colored rugs from wet carpet – the colors can bleed through and stain your carpet permanently
7. Remove any art, heirlooms, electronics, or other precious or expensive items to a safe, dry place
8. Pick up any loose items on the floor that may become waterlogged or get in the way of cleaning and restoration

DO NOT Do This After Flooding

For your safety and to limit the damage done to your home, please take care to avoid these mistakes:

1. Don’t leave wet fabrics where they are – hang everything to dry, especially fur or leather goods. This prevents molding and mildew
2. Don’t leave books, magazines, or anything colored on your wet carpet or floor – the color will bleed and stain your floor
3. DO NOT try to use your vacuum to remove the water – this is an electrocution hazard
4. Don’t turn on or try to use electronic appliances like your TV or lamps
5. If the ceiling is wet or sagging do not turn on the ceiling fan. This could cause electrical damage or structural damage to the ceiling – it’s more delicate when it’s wet. 
6. If the ceiling is wet or sagging STAY OUT of that room if possible – you don’t want the ceiling to cave in on your head

Water Damage Restoration Process

Every instance of water damage is a unique situation and will require a slightly different approach or technique. However, the basic process of water damage restoration will remain the same. 

Emergency Contact

You’ll want to call The Carpet Center’s water damage restoration team as soon as you suspect you have water damage. When you call, our representative will ask you a few questions. The process will be much easier and faster if you have on hand:

• Your contact information
• Your home/office address
• Your insurance information (if it’s applicable)
• Where, when and how the flooding occurred
• If you have electricity on-site for the restoration machines

Inspection and Damage Assessment

One of our trained water restoration specialists will examine the site of the water damage and follow these steps:

• Identify the water source and stop it
• Identify the type of water – different contaminants require different restoration approaches
• Survey the damage and examine the rest of the premises for hidden or further damage
• Move and block furniture to keep it from becoming further damaged 

Water Removal/Water Extraction

The type of water removal or extraction we do will depend on the cause, location, and severity of the damage. We use a combination of industrial wet/dry vacuums, dehumidifiers, submersible pumps, and extraction units to remove as much water as possible from the site. 

Drying and Dehumidification 

We use industrial air movers and dehumidifiers to dry and remove the water in your carpet, flooring, baseboards, and other building materials. This step is crucial to preventing mildew, mold, and other harmful pathogens from making a home in damp crevices. 

Cleaning 

After the site has been appropriately dried it’s time to clean up. We have several methods of cleaning that depend on what type of flooring you have and the type and extent of your water damage. We use a combination of dry cleaning, wet cleaning, foam cleaning, spray and wipe, abrasive cleaning, and immersion cleaning as necessary. 

Restoration

Restoration is the final step in the process and the one that makes your space feel like yours again. The type and extent of restoration you will need is variable but we offer a full range of services from floor removal and repair to drywall installation. 

The Carpet Center’s water restoration services specialists can help you minimize the damage done to your home by flooding. Call us or contact us online as soon as you suspect you have flooding!