#1 Mold Prevention Tip: Make Sure That Wet Carpet Gets Completely Dry
If you ever experience wet carpet, you may wonder how you’ll ever get it dry. You may also worry about mold growth. And you should; mold loves wet carpet. The good news? You can prevent mold with this important tip: make sure you get the carpet completely dry, as soon as possible. The longer carpet stays wet, the more likely it is for mold growth and other damage to occur.
Mold Prevention Begins With Proper Water-Removal Equipment
Allowing carpets to remain wet hoping they’ll dry on their own is a major no-no. Leaving water in your carpet means the water may spread, causing damage to more than just your carpet, and may lead to the growth of mold and bacteria. This will not only cause an unpleasant odor; it could potentially be hazardous to your health. The best mold prevention policy is to dry carpets immediately before mold growth can occur. (Under the right conditions, some molds can begin to grow in as little as 24–48 hours!)
At this point, you may be wondering exactly how to dry out your carpets. The best way is to get a professional to do the job. To get carpets completely dry, the right equipment must be used. While you may help the process along by opening doors and windows and turning on fans to help ventilate the area, this won’t get the job done by itself. Instead, you’ll need a professional who uses the most advanced water-removal equipment. This will get your carpets completely dry, which is key for mold prevention. You’ll also need a professional with fast service; the sooner you get your carpets dry again, the better.
Using the most advanced equipment is not only important for mold prevention; it’s also important for protecting your carpets. Some people may want to rip up your carpet to get it dry. But this isn’t necessary. By choosing a professional who uses advanced equipment, like the Hydro-X Extreme Extractor™ which is powerful enough to penetrate your carpet and remove water from the padding underneath, you can prevent having your carpets ripped up. This is better for your carpet and more convenient for you.
Test Moisture Levels for Proper Mold Prevention
In addition to using the proper equipment, there’s one more thing you can do to be absolutely sure you’ve done your best to prevent mold growth: ask the professionals to follow up with moisture tests. Using advanced moisture meters, you’ll know whether you’ve removed enough moisture from your carpet to prevent mold growth.
There are three basic ways to measure moisture levels:
- The first measures moisture in carpets and floors
- The next measures moisture in baseboards, cabinets, walls and ceilings
- The third measures the humidity in the air.
By combining these tests with a top-notch professional water-removal service, you can rest assured your carpets are completely dry, which is your best chance at preventing mold and mildew growth.
If your carpet ever becomes wet, don’t panic. Just call a professional as soon as possible to undo the damage and prevent mold growth. But be sure to choose someone who will do the job right—someone who offers fast service, who uses only the most advanced equipment and follows up with moisture-level tests to ensure your carpet is completely dry. This is your best chance at mold prevention in the event of storm floods, a burst pipe or other plumbing failure that might come your way.