MAGGOT HELP: WET CARPET

**DJSapp** · 08-01-2007, 09:23 AM

Ok, so the washing machine water level switch stopped working yesterday afternoon and it overflowed into the house for about 20 minutes. I have about 200 sqft of carpet that was underwater about 1/4" for less than 2 hours. I have since pulled out as much water as possible with a shop vac, opened up the house (was a dry 100+ degrees yesterday), turned on the house fan + pointed large box fans at the wet areas. I allowed them to run overnight, and there are a couple of still damp areas, but things are looking good to be dry within 24-36 hours of initial flooding. No signs of damage to the walls or cabinets. Am I missing anything that I should be doing to help dry out and prevent mold?

This house is a rental and I am covered by renters insurance for water damage due to appliance overflow. Any recommendations for the next step? Steam cleaning? Call insurance? Stop worrying, I'll be outta here in 8 months? Tech talk jong?

**Crass3000** · 08-01-2007, 09:31 AM

Sounds like you got quite a bit of water up with the shop vac? Not sure how worried you are about it. Seems a little extreme but you could pull the carpet up and let it dry outside to help prevent mold. It can't cost much to have the carpet on such a small area restretched once it is dry (roughly guessing $100). Get more opinions though. I have no idea if carpet would shrink up in a wierd way if it is not stretched at the time of drying.

**irul&ublo** · 08-01-2007, 09:34 AM

I believe you can rent machines designed to do that, like hi powered vacs.

**AsheanMT** · 08-01-2007, 09:42 AM

When painting in dank basements we often use a bucket of "Damp Be Gone". (there many different names/brands) Its some kind of chemical that sucks the humidity out of the air. You can get it in the paint section of most big hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes) Its powerful shit. You just open the bucket put it in the room and leave it there for a few days and it will suck the humidity out of the dankest of rooms.

**Sir Jongalot** · 08-01-2007, 09:42 AM

I'd give my left nut just to have some wet carpet in my life.

**4matic** · 08-01-2007, 09:48 AM

Carpet fans and a wet vac.. A Carpet Genie rental from the supermarket woud work. Or, better yet, call a truck mounted carpet cleaning company. They'll suck that thing dry in a hurry.

**DBdude** · 08-01-2007, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Sir Jongalot

I'd give my left nut just to have some wet carpet in my life.

**irul&ublo** · 08-01-2007, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by 4matic

Carpet fans and a wet vac.. A Carpet Genie rental from the supermarket woud work. Or, better yet, call a truck mounted carpet cleaning company. They'll suck that thing dry in a hurry.

So would George Michael.

**TeleHoar** · 08-01-2007, 09:57 AM

The problem is going to be the pad under the carpet. that will mold over before it dries. You should pull up the carpet, throw the pad out, and put the carpet fans under the carpet. I clean up about 4 or 5 hotel rooms every year this way. it's about all you can do but it does save the carpet and prevents the mildew. Once the mildew smell starts there is no getting rid of it. the padding is probably toast.

**dipstik** · 08-01-2007, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by AsheanMT

When painting in dank basements we often use a bucket of "Damp Be Gone". (there many different names/brands) Its some kind of chemical that sucks the humidity out of the air. You can get it in the paint section of most big hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes) Its powerful shit. You just open the bucket put it in the room and leave it there for a few days and it will suck the humidity out of the dankest of rooms.

Damn, that shit sounds scary!

DJ, I would be weary of other water damage. Last semester, our neighbors got drunk, puked in the toilet, clogged it, flushed it, then left the room only to come back an hour later to find that the clogged toilet had spilled into the rest of the apartment (college dorm apt = small), covering the floor in a thin layer of water. Unfortunately, they were on the 2nd floor, and the water seeped through the floor into the RA's room below them, causing a bit of damage.

**RootSkier** · 08-01-2007, 10:14 AM

Is it your washing machine or did it come with the rental? Because if it came with the rental, the landlord is responsible***** and you should tell them and put the ball in their court.

****** At least in MT.

**PNWbrit** · 08-01-2007, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

Is it your washing machine or did it come with the rental? Because if it came with the rental, the landlord is responsible***** and you should tell them and put the ball in their court.

****** At least in MT.

2nded....

Tell him of your accute mildew allergy and how you hope that it won't require all that costly medical attention again.

**AsheanMT** · 08-01-2007, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by dipstik

Damn, that shit sounds scary!

The stuff is also used in the drying/preserving of psychedelic mushrooms!

Edit- Not that I've ever grown and dried psychedelic mushrooms before

**DJSapp** · 08-01-2007, 10:40 AM

My washing machine, single family house, single floor on a concrete slab so I'm not worried about it soaking to lower floors.

I'm talking to the landlord about this. They're a somewhat large company that does a lot of their own maintenance. This sucks.

**altachic** · 08-01-2007, 10:45 AM

Our main drain in our storage/washing and dryer room in the basement flooded on Memorial Day. There was water everywhere, including outside the door, under the carpet, back down the hall and it even went up through the shower drain in the next room, which then spread into the closet and our gear room....Now that SUCKED.

We pulled up the carpet and padding, threw up some fans, used a shop vac we have and now all is well. It's not a huge deal, you just have to make sure you dry it like crazy. I think we dried it for at least 3 days.

I'd say you'll be fine.

**wannabe** · 08-01-2007, 11:19 AM

This just happened to me last week, it is an easy fix on your washer.

Go to this site http://www.partselect.com/

I can't remember the specific name of the valve but it is the attachment point for your incoming hoses. It cost me $30 and about 30 minutes of my time to fix the washer.

Good luck

**freshie247** · 08-01-2007, 11:48 AM

I would take care of the prob myself & not call the landlord.They're liable to take it out of your deposit.

**Telenater** · 08-01-2007, 11:56 AM

If you need a commercial fan to move air through the house, let me know. A has one that moves serious air.

**DJSapp** · 08-01-2007, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Telenater

If you need a commercial fan to move air through the house, let me know. A has one that moves serious air.

We have two box fans and two ceiling fans working hard. I'll give you a call later on when I have an update from the Mrs.

**Telenater** · 08-01-2007, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by DJSapp

We have two box fans and two ceiling fans working hard. I'll give you a call later on when I have an update from the Mrs.

Think of the fan that you'd see parked outside the back door of a good (****itos...) mexican restaurant's backdoor pumping air through the kitchen on a 100+ degree day.

G · 08-01-2007, 01:43 PM

Rent this:

**PlayHarder** · 08-01-2007, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Geoff

Rent this:

Then pull up a corner of the carpet and stuff it underneath.
We had a pipe burst and flood our house for 5 or 6 hours before I got home and found it. The restoration company used a vacuum for the initial drying and then left one of those fans running for 48 hours to completely dry the carpet and underlay. 2 years later, there's no signs of mildew or mold.

**Lonnie** · 08-01-2007, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by freshie247

I would take care of the prob myself & not call the landlord.They're liable to take it out of your deposit with a significant premium to boot.

Fixed it for you...

**DJSapp** · 08-01-2007, 03:47 PM

Freshie/Lonnie, there are reasons to tell the landlord right away about water damage.

1. The problem is under control, and things are now dry.
2. They are lazy fuckers and didn't do anything since I dried it up.
3. It is in my 8 page lease with a nice long section on water damage and mold that I must inform them about any potential damage or face lawsuits after moving out.
4. I now have written proof that I informed them of water damage and they did not come to the house to inspect said damage.

If they try to go after anything, first off they can't prove the limits of water damage since they did not inspect, second, their failure to act made the situation worse as I am not authorized to make any repairs to the property including carpet replacement, thus their lack of action caused the additional costs of removing/replacing the carpet, mold removal, paying for the new tenant's medical bills, etc. I am totally willing to tell them, since my renters insurance covers me for these damages. I have nothing to lose, except possibly getting a bump on my insurance premium. Whoop de do.

If I don't tell them, I'm on the hook for future damages including medical bills, lost value of the home, and lots of other shit. Granted it might be a hard thing to prove, but why take that risk over a couple hundred bucks, when it might not even amount to anything?

**Snow Dog** · 08-01-2007, 07:04 PM

Like TeleHoar said, the underlay is the issue. In the past I've pulled the carpet so the underlay gets some air and dries. The pad is just a big sponge and will still be wet when the carpet feels dry. Hot dry weather is your friend.