HOW TO DRY WET CARPET IN THE BASEMENT

Having a wet basement carpet is a complete nuisance as it can give off an unpleasant smell and if left to sit for too long undried, it can become a breeding ground for mold. Therefore, if you have wet carpeting in your basement, you should dry it out as soon as possible. 

Drying it out is definitely the first task at hand, but additionally you should determine the cause of the wet carpeting in the first place so you can figure out how to prevent this from happening again in the future.

Here are some potential causes of the water coming into your basement, getting your carpeting wet:

Leaking appliances

Degrading windows and doors

Cracks in home’s foundation

Broken pipes

Roof leak

Poor exterior drainage

Extreme weather

This guide is going to walk you through how to dry out wet basement carpet as quickly and effectively as possible.

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STEPS FOR DRYING OUT WET BASEMENT CARPET

Follow the below steps to dry out wet carpet in a basement as quickly as possible:

REMOVE THE STANDING WATER

First thing you need to do is get all of the standing water out of your basement. The easy way to do this is to call water restoration professionals. They will bring all of the necessary to complete the job thoroughly and efficiently. 

If you’d like to take on the work yourself, the most helpful tool for you will be a water pump. Place the pump into the standing water and place the other end of the extension tube near a drain or open outdoor area. The pump has a motor that will push the water out of the tube so it can drain safely away from your home. 

If you do not have access to a water pump, then a wet vacuum can help you remove some in short bursts. Of course, if time is of the essence and you have none of these tools, grab a bucket and start bailing out the water as fast as you can. 

REMOVE ALL ITEMS AND FURNITURE OFF OF THE CARPET

Heavy furniture and items on top of the carpeting will make it more difficult for it to dry out. Take everything out of the room that you can. Excess pressure on wet carpeting can also break down the materials in the carpeting itself, so clear the area and avoid walking on it too much.

Additionally, in order to salvage the wet furniture and other items, they need to be taken out, wiped down, and dried out in a well ventilated area.

FANS AND DEHUMIDIFIERS

Now that all of the standing water and excess items are removed from the room, it is time to dry the carpeting itself all the way through. The way to do this is by bringing in dehumidifiers and large fans. One dehumidifier is good, but three is better, so grab whatever you can and throw it down there. The same goes for fans. The faster the carpeting dries out, the better off it will be. 

When you think it’s time to turn off the dehumidifiers and fans, keep them running a little longer. Even when it seems dry, there’s more moisture hiding in there than you might think. A moisture meter will help give you a reading of the moisture levels in the basement. This would give you a more accurate idea of when you can complete this process.

If you’re looking for a solid dehumidifier, see our guide to the Best Dehumidifiers. 

REPLACE ANY DAMAGED MATERIALS

In some cases, certain materials will be so broken down or developing so much mold growth that it will be clear they need replacement. This may just be the carpet padding underneath. In this case, just remove the whole carpet pad and replace it. There could also be some portions of the carpeting that need to be cut out. You can fill in with new carpeting in those areas and if done well, it could be barely noticeable.

CLEAN THE CARPET

The last step is to give the carpet a good deep clean to remove any odors, mold spores, or other bacteria  that could be left behind. You can call in professional carpet cleaners to do the job for you or you can attempt to do it yourself. 

In some cases you may need to get underneath the carpet and disinfect the subfloor underneath, before cleaning the carpet. If you are taking it on yourself, purchase or rent a steam cleaner and as well as some carpet shampoo and a scrubbing brush and get to work.

Drying a wet carpet can be done quickly. However, having a wet carpet frequently can be a huge pain to deal with time and time again.

If your basement carpet is often getting wet, look into finding the source of the water intrusion and stop your basement from flooding in the first place.