Hey everyone! I made a big mistake. I took the drain plug out of my washing machine to clean it, but I completely forgot to put it back in before running a load. Fifteen minutes later, I come back to find my drain pan overflowing all over the laundry room. It's on the second floor, and now I see a little water leaking through a ceiling light fixture and my carpets are soaked. How serious is this? Am I definitely facing mold issues between the floors and carpets? Any tips on preventing this from getting worse?
3 Answers
You might be okay, but be proactive! Rent a couple of carpet blowers and set them up to help dry out your carpets. Definitely run that dehumidifier too. Depending on the extent of the leak, you might need to take down the ceiling, but hopefully, you can avoid that if you dry out everything fast enough.
First things first, get yourself a dehumidifier and run it non-stop for a while. It can really help manage the moisture in your laundry room and prevent mold from settling in. Just make sure to set it up where it can reach the wet areas best!
I’ve dealt with a lot of leaks in my time, and here’s what I’d do: get a pinless moisture meter to check for hidden wet spots on your ceiling and walls. If you find any serious damp areas, carefully drill holes to allow air to circulate for drying. Pull up the carpet and pad to let everything dry out properly. Renting an industrial-strength dehumidifier is also a smart move! Once it's all dry, just patch up any holes and paint over as needed.
But where do you recommend drilling? Should I just start anywhere? I’m worried about hitting something important!
If I have to take down the ceiling, what do I do after that? Just replace it or is there a specific way to fix things?