Burst, pipes, plumbing leaks, and even flooding are a nightmare for business owners. It might take just a few seconds to occur but drying out the exposed carpet – and eventually restoring it to its former glory – can be a stressful and costly effort.
Read on to determine the top five most important things to do when you have water damaged carpet in the office.
Analyse the Situation
Before doing anything else, you need to analyse the condition of the carpet and its surrounding areas to have an initial impression, if not a complete assessment, of the extent of the damage due to the water that entered the office area or the building premises.
This will also determine the kind of action that needs to be done to mitigate the overall restoration costs.
The quickest way to do this is to ask the following basic questions:
- How long has the carpet been wet?
- Has the source of the water been identified and dealt with?
- Are there equipment and furnishings that have also been involved?
- Is it safe for you to be near or on the carpet?
- Can you identify any permanent stains or obvious mould growth?
Once you get clear answers, you will be able to decide:
- if there’s something you can do to stop the source of water
- whether to proceed with drying the carpet by yourself or through a professional carpet cleaning service
- how soon should the carpet drying be done
- what type of protection you need to avoid bodily harm or illness (in cases that involved sewage water)
- how to ensure that office furnishings and equipment can be moved away from the water
Determine the Water Source
Water damage can come from three general sources:
Category I. It pertains to clean water. This can be either potable water from an overflowing sink or broken water supply line or water from a burst flexi hoses under the sink or from a fixture shut-off valve. It poses the least risk for bodily harm, contamination, and potential carpet restoration.
Category II. It is called ‘grey’ water. This kind of water is not drinkable but it is also not completely dirty like sewage, usually from leaky roofs and too much moisture from foundation cracks. This can also be as a result of run-off from the break room’s dishwasher or run-off from the washer in the utility area of the building. It may contain food particles, soap residues, and other contaminants.
Category III. It is referred as ‘black’ water. This type of water doesn’t necessarily look dark – and can sometimes be clear and/or odourless – but it is harmful to all living organisms. Category III water is not safe to inhale, to touch, and to ingest. It may include toilet water, sewer water, groundwater, actual sewerage, or liquid from a chemical spill.
Remedy the Leak or Stop the Source
If the source of water belongs to Category I or II, act immediately. Find where the water is coming from (roof, main water supply, appliance, etc.) and do something to stop further leakage towards the office carpet.
If the source of water belongs to Category III, do not proceed with any involvement. This calls for a professional carpet cleaning service because its staff and technicians have the right skills, right protective gear, and right equipment for the job.
Prevent Further Damage
After getting a clear picture of the whole situation, take swift action to avoid further damage to the carpet, its surrounding areas, and furnishings.
If possible, remove or relocate all furnishings on top of the wet carpet. Dyes and stains from wooden furniture can cause staining or discolouration on the carpet. Office equipment with stain finish might also bleed towards the carpet, something which can render the carpet totally irreparable, if not very expensive.
Begin Water Extraction
Extracting water from office carpet requires knowledge and tools that are usually unfamiliar with employees. If it would require moderate to heavy drying process, the best thing to do is to schedule for professional carpet cleaning service.
For light water damage, here are some quick tips that can help mitigate further soaking of the office carpet:
- Encourage air circulation by positioning industrial grade, high velocity fans within the perimeter of the water damaged carpet, ensuring that the air flow is in a clockwise direction and pushing the air out of the room.
- Remove as much moisture as possible through the use of a dehumidifier. Make sure that the drain hose is running out of the office building instead of just into a bucket inside the room.
- Encourage swift drying process by opening doors and windows as well as by leaving the fans and dehumidifier running continuously until water has subsided or until a professional carpet cleaning service crew has come to take over the situation.
Calling in the Experts
Getting a professional carpet cleaning service from a reputable company like Avalon Services will ensure that the water damage carpet in your office space will be dealt with in the most efficient way possible.
