How to deal with wet carpet?

[LorenzoB]

Came home from church late Sunday night to some sopping wet carpet in the girls room (basement). We had a torrential downpour today and the gutters didn't do their job well enough and also a small river formed in our front yard this morning. I think the ground just got saturated under this abnormal situation and so water came up through the concrete. :(

So the wifey and I took everything out and pulled up the carpet a bit, and have some fans going, but I know it will need more than this. I was thinking a shop vac to suck out some water? Anyone else ever deal with this... And have good advise? Please notice I said "good". ;)

I also cut the carpet and foam at the doorway and pulled it back so it wouldn't wick into the rest of the basement. We did this because while we were working we noticed the wetness wicking toward the other side of the room.

[OldLincoln]

You may as well pull up all the carpet and pad in wet areas and those immediately adjacent. There is no way for air to dry the covered areas even with fans. If the carpet is sound enough, it may be relaid. The pad is usually ruined and will rot very quickly.

I have delt with wet carpet and tried it both ways and the one I recommend is better. Note this is based on "sopping wet carpet" in other words saturated. The used house we moved into 35 years ago had smelly carpet from where they rented a supermarket carpet cleaner and put way too much water down. It had some odor when we looked at it, and a lot worse when we were ready to close, so we replaced the whole house before moving in.

Point it you have to get all the moisture out, not just some, and not just the best we can get it, but all of it. Good luck.

[Popeye]

Really hate saying this, but that carpet sounds like Sopping wet trash.:( It would never go back in my childs bedroom, or room where they play.

[MW surveyor]

Trash the carpet and the pad.

You may also want to take a look at the sheetrock or whatever is covering the walls in the basement to see if any moisture got into it.

[muggsy]

Trash the carpet and pad. If you don't you're inviting black mold into your home. Been there, done that.

[mr surveyor]

sounds like some french drains may be in order too

[Tinman507]

Oooohhh la la or zee sump pumpz, mai oui?

[MW surveyor]

So were any of your guns wet?

[LorenzoB]

Guns are all dry. I'm only talking 1/4" of water in half a bedroom (and I don't keep guns on the floor on that half of the kids bedroom). ;) But it did soak into that carpet and pad pretty good. When I pulled up that corner and held it up, water drains out, so it is very wet. :(

I took the day off so I could get the carpet out of there. I'll try to put it up on some bins or buckets to get airflow underneath to dry it out, but I'm fully prepared just to replace it (which I will most likely do anyway).

[LorenzoB]

I also have a call in to a couple of contractor friends for their opinion on how to do a french drain. What is crazy, is that there already is a huge one against the wall there (3 to 4 feet wide 8' deep and filled with rock and rubber membrane against the wall). I think we had the "perfect storm" so to say, but I would like to catch some of that water and divert it before it gets up against the house.

Thanks for all your advise! My wife posted on Facebook, and I said my post on KahrTalk would be more helpful!

[LorenzoB]

UPDATE:

Well, it was a lot of work, but I saved a lot of money (the last time I checked, there was no money tree growing in the yard). ;)

I was able to get the carpet completely dry within 48 hours (took it out and set it in the garage suspended on 2x4's with big blower fans and a big propane heater). It is clean now and no hint of moisture or mold. I bought new pad and installed it. I bought a kicker/stretcher from Harbor Freight and reinstalled the carpet. Looks like a professional did it, but my knees sure do hurt! You can learn a lot from YouTube! Now the outside work begins (french drain, fix gutter, etc).

How does this relate to guns? If I had to buy new carpet and pay someone to install it, I would have to put off buying fun stuff for a while.

Thanks for all your advice!

[OldLincoln]

Glad it worked out. Gotta keep the guns stuff coming in.

[Bawanna]

That's one thing I remember well in home construction. Painters, flooring guys and finish carpenters get all the glory. Foundations, framing, roofers, plumbers, etc, not even an honorable mention.

We did most ourselves except plumbing and electrical. We were just workers until we got to the finish stuff, then we were hero's.

Glad it worked out for ya.