Must Water-Damaged Carpet Be Replaced?

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

When it comes to water damage, all h20 is not the same

Whether it comes from a flood, a pipe break or some other catastrophe, a major water episode can spell big bills. One of the costliest items to replace can be carpeting. You may even wonder if it needs to be replaced at all. That all depends on the type of water damage. Learn more about what types of water damage to the carpet in your Asheville, NC  home can be safely cleaned, and which types require replacement.

Different Water Types

When it comes to water damage, all h20 is not the same. That’s because water can come into contact with many substances that can make it contaminated and any materials it comes into unsalvageable. The three main types of water causing property damage are:

• Clean water
  
• Gray water
  
• Black water

While clean water from a pipe break may simply cause cosmetic damage, gray and black water can create dangerous environments.

When You Can Keep Water Damaged Carpet

Pretty much the only time you can keep water logged carpet is if it was damaged by clean water. Clean water is water from broken water line, a leaking faucet or some other relatively clean source. Items touched by it can simply be cleaned.

When You Must Replace Carpet

Gray water is what you’d expect from a minor toilet overflow, a dishwasher leak or a washing machine malfunction. Black water, on the other hand, includes things like sewage, which can contain viruses and bacteria. Items contaminated by gray or black water should not be salvaged. If that includes your carpet, plan on getting a replacement.

Water damage cleanup should always be handled with care. Plan on replacing carpet tainted by gray or black water. If clean water from a pipe break has done all the damage, talk to a water damage restoration specialist to see how you can make your carpet like new.