When you’re choosing carpet you want one that is built to last. One that can withstand the levels of wear and tear that you and your family can dole out. But no matter how much time and effort you put into your getting the right type of carpet for your home and your lifestyle, water damage can effectively make that carpet a health hazard.
Water damage is often overwhelming and the more of it you’re dealing with after a flood or a burst pipe, the higher the risks of getting sick from the negative effects of having all that water permeating into your home and seeping into your drywall, your wood, and worst of all, your carpeting.
A flood needs to be cleaned up as fast as possible. When it comes to your carpet, that means removing the moisture stat and then having the material cleaned by your local Chem-Dry Carpet Cleaning professional, because the longer you take to restore your home to its original state, the more time you are allowing for mold and mildew to grow, develop, and spread throughout the carpet and the home.
Disinfection is paramount and there is no avoiding this step if you plan on attempting to salvage the carpet instead of removing it entirely. The health of you and your family depend on it and here are the reasons why:
Trigger Allergic Respiratory Reactions
A wet carpet that hasn’t dried correctly can become a haven for the development of mold and mildew. When you and your family are living in a home that has these toxic materials you are all breathing in the spores that come from them.
Inhaling mold spores will trigger allergic reactions causing your nasal passages to become inflamed and you will find it tough to breathe. Sneezing, congesting, watery eyes and respiratory issues are bound to follow. Prolonged exposure to the worst of mold and mildew can lead to bigger problems like asthma and tuberculosis. The more you breathe in these unhealthy toxins, the more you can damage your lungs.
Skin Allergies
Respiratory allergic reactions are only part of the problem. Mold spores that come into contact with your skin can also be highly detrimental to your health and wellbeing. Skin irritation can manifest itself in the form of rash, swollen skin, and bacterial infections, all of which can be very hard to treat with antibiotics in extreme cases. You can take all of the medications you think are going to help the problem but you need to nip this problem at the source, your carpet.
A water damaged carpet will continue to make you and your family sick and if you take the medications to assuage these symptoms while allowing a water damaged carpet to remain in your home, your body could build a tolerance to the medications and become less effective in curing whatever conditions from which you are suffering due to your moldy carpet.
So, get that carpet cleaned up the minute it gets wet, your health depends on it.