I recently had a bit of a disaster with my basement carpet thanks to a stuck float valve on my sump pump. About 0.25 inches of water seeped into a small section of the carpet, and it's been three days of running a dehumidifier and box fans, but it's still a little damp and now has an unpleasant smell. Since only about 10% of the carpet is affected, should I replace just that part or the entire carpet? How difficult is it to blend the seam between two different sections of carpet?
1 Answer
You could try renting a carpet cleaning machine and giving it a good shampoo. If there aren't visible stains, it might be possible to salvage it just by cleaning. I’ve dealt with lots of flooded areas in college dorms and cleaning usually does the trick, though there’s often a lingering smell. You’ll need a machine that can extract water while you spray it with shampoo. Good luck!
I've heard if it stays damp for more than 72 hours, there could be a mold risk. Do you think cleaning it would still be safe, or could mold be a problem?