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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

What Has Carpet Maintenance Got To Do With Water Damage In Reading?

8/20/2020 (Permalink)

Laundry room Flooded If you are concerned about water damaged carpets, give SERVPRO of Reading a call at (610) 779-8189.

Why Reading Homeowners Need To Maintain Carpets Before Water Damage Can Occur

Homeowners in the Reading area know how important it is to look after their home décor. From the carpets to the drapes and the woodwork to the wallpaper, well-maintained home décor helps maintain property values. It is typically much more costly to replace something than to maintain it.

Water damage in Reading is a genuine concern. A leaking pipe, a broken appliance, or even water seeping in from a door or window, can wreak havoc with your carpets. You might wonder why we are talking about carpet maintenance – after all, by the time a carpet gets wet, the damage has already been done. However, SERVPRO experts know that looking after your carpet now can make a big difference to any salvage efforts after water damage.

Why is carpet maintenance important?

After water damage, there is a good chance that your carpet will be wet, and frankly not very pleasant. We train our teams to clean and dry damaged carpets and leave them “Like it never even happened.” However, the result we can get from cleaning is dependent upon the state of the carpet. If your carpet is already stained and frayed and worn around the edges, it will be harder to get a good result than if your carpet was in excellent condition.

What should I do to maintain my carpet?

SERVPRO of Reading recommends the following easy steps to keep your carpet clean:

    •    Put doormats at the entrances to your home and encourage people to use them before entering
    •    Ask family and guests to remove shoes at the door and use only slippers, socks or bare feet when walking on your carpet
    •    Vacuum your carpet regularly – every day is ideal but if you cannot manage that at least three or four times a week
    •    Deal with stains as soon as they happen – the longer you leave dirt and stains, the more ground in they become
    •    Steam clean your carpet regularly (always check with the manufacturer before using any chemicals)
    •    We also suggest eep cleaning your carpet at least once a year (again, always check with the manufacturer before using any chemicals)
    •    A well-looked-after carpet lasts a lot longer, looks a lot nicer, and is easier to clean in the event of flood damage mitigation, too.

What can SERVPRO do to help my carpet?

In the event of water damage, our team can help restore your carpet to its former glory. The most common carpet cleaning methods are:

    •    Bonnet cleaning uses a product called Bonnet Brite to deal with light soiling, leaving carpets fresh and dry in thirty minutes
    •    Hot water extraction uses an extraction machine and emulsifying product to deal with light to moderate soiling, leaving carpets fresh and dry in six-twelve hours
    •    Deluxe precondition and rinse is suitable for moderate to heavy soiling and uses a powerful preconditioning product to prepare the carpet for hot water extractions
    •    Rotary jet extraction is very similar to deluxe precondition and rinse, except that instead of a carpet wand, the technician uses an RX-20 extractor for additional agitation to loosen dirt
    •    Showcase cleaning uses a two-step process to shampoo and extract carpets and is suitable for heavier soiling and more severe flood damage

We train our technicians to use each method effectively and clean your carpet to the highest possible standard in the given circumstances. You can rest assured that we will discuss cleaning plans with you before we start.

How does SERVPRO know which cleaning method is safest?

Not every cleanup method is suitable for every type of carpet. The most appropriate method depends on many factors, such as the fibers in the carpet, the wear and tear on it, how dirty it is already, and how much storm damage has occurred.

Our technicians carry out a range of tests to decide which cleaning method is best for you. These include:

    •    Burn tests, chemical tests, and specific gravity tests to identify the type of fibers
    •    Color bleeding tests on multi-colored carpets
    •    Color loss and crocking tests on solid-colored carpets

We also assess your carpet for wear and tear, over-stretched sections, footprints, and trackmarks, fraying, and any other stains or irregularities. We use the test results combined with our assessment of the damage, to decide on the best testing method for the circumstances.

What about carpet drying?

Damp carpets are ideal spots for spore growth, which is why drying is an essential part of SERVPRO water damage restoration. We use a mix of air movers, fans, dehumidifiers, and even air scrubbers to dry and deodorize your carpets, leaving them fresh and clean once more.

If you are concerned about water damaged carpets, give SERVPRO of Reading a call at (610) 779-8189.

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