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Josh Jabara
Josh Jabara is Sales Manager of hard surface flooring at Jabara’s Carpet Outlet. After attending WSU, the family business became a large part of Josh’s adult life. His father Tom, mother Susan, and his uncle George assisted in that endeavor to a large degree. Perhaps one of Josh’s greatest strengths is his hands-on approach. Josh can be reach by calling (316) 267-2512 or you may visit their website @ www.jabaras.com
Carpet, Tile & Floor Covering
2012-06-08 15:13:52
Water damage to carpet
Q: With the recent rains, our basement leaked and therefore our carpet got wet. What are our options?
A: When there is water damage on carpets, water damage can be severe and sudden. Recognize that one moment everything at home is apparently fine and the next, you have an enormous water problem. Water damage can bring on most of the problems. Water damage can vary from simple broken water pipes or water heaters to bigger and more devastating water damage from flooding and heavy storms. Flooding causes the most damage to carpet and to hard wood floors. Properly disposing of carpet, vinyl, and hard wood can sometimes be a hassle. Recognize how much devastation water damage can wreak upon residential homes within minutes. Household items that have been damaged by water and left untreated for a long time can pose serious health hazards, creating unsanitary health conditions. Mold and mildew result in serious contamination and sanitation concerns. In all of these situations, water extraction is a very important step in removing water to begin the process of drying and sanitizing your home. Focusing on drying your home and disinfecting it can help your carpet and keep water damage more under control. Once this is controlled then everything else can be controlled as well. Keeping the carpets and house dry is very important. If wall to wall carpeting has been wet it probably should be removed and disposed of. However in some cases it can be removed and cleaned for reinstallation. If wet carpet is removed and cleaned within 24-48 hours it might have a chance. If you don’t leave the carpet to dry then it will be ruined. Area rugs can often be cleaned and salvaged. Area rugs should be taken extra care of. Some can be difficult to dry; others can’t be salvaged. When a carpet stays wet for a long time it is automatically ruined. Making sure that you keep the carpet dry and disinfecting it can really make a difference. By disinfecting the carpet you can get rid of bacteria in most situations. When the mold and bacteria start to grow there are major health problems. Changing the padding and tack strips if there is any mold or water can make the padding more useful. Tack strips should be cleaned and dried. Carpets in basements should be cleaned and dried to be sure there are no mold or bacteria in the house. If the basement is just made out of concrete or hard floors, dry this as soon as possible to prevent from CO2 poisoning or mold in the house. These types of floors are more vulnerable. Making sure that they are clean is the best way to know that you are safe. With carpets exposed to high pet traffic, treating the carpets with pet shampoo or vacuuming it can diminish the allergens and mite problems. Pet dander can cause health problems for people who are allergic to animals or who have asthma. Make sure to check for hidden mold in and under wall to wall carpeting and in notorious and widespread areas which have been subject to wet conditions such as basement or floors on leaky slabs.
 
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