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Fire & Flood Restoration
Water over the bridge
Tackling the aftermath of fire or flood can be a demanding job. Keith Robertson,
training director for the National Carpet Cleaners Association, offers advice about
rescuing carpets after disaster strikes
Flood fix
Unsanitary water is water flooding from a lavatory, broken soil pipe,
washing machine or dishwasher. Sanitary flooding is that from an
indoor burst water pipe, jammed tap or other mains water plumbing
failure. In these instances, the following should produce a satisfactory
result:
1) If possible, wet vacuum/extract as much water as possible
before carefully disengaging the carpet from the smooth edge and
lifting it from the floor to the outdoors. Carpets are not designed to
be moved when wet so do not drag them and be careful not to tear
them. Padded underlay is usually impossible to dry, so remove and
dispose of it. Allow the floor to dry, and clean it with a strong
disinfectant before replacing the carpet. To speed up the drying
process, hire a suitable dehumidifier and air movers from your local
hire centre or if that is not possible use a number of domestic fans.
2) Hang the carpet over a clothes line, fence or wall and use a hose
to thoroughly wash it. Spray water directly on the carpet section by
section. Spray both sides of the carpet. Continue spraying until the
water runs clear.
nyone who has faced the problems of getting a business back 3) Use a sponge to massage a suitable carpet cleaning product
A
into reasonable order after a fire, or a flood (or both if the fire into an area of around 30 to 50 cm
2
at a time. If the carpet is dirty, use
brigade had trouble getting the fire under control) will know a soft bristle brush instead of a sponge, but consider the nature of
that it is a grim and unappealing task. Carpets do not take well to the carpet and its durability before using a stiff brush. Treat section by
either fire or flood, but a skilled water damage section and rinse the area with the hose. Repeat
restorer can often achieve what seems to be until the water runs clear again. Continue until
a minor miracle if the circumstances are right. the whole carpet has been cleaned, being
No business owner should automatically careful to overlap each section to prevent
assume that the carpets are inevitably a streaks after it dries.
write-off after a disaster. It is extremely important that the washed
However, if a carpet has been directly carpet is dried as quickly as possible to prevent
subject to flame, or to extreme heat, the the possibility of mould growth or allergen
situation is almost always irrecoverable. In production, so lay the carpet out in a dry heated
that case, the carpet is genuinely a write-off. area and use a dehumidifier and air movers to
But the more usual problems after a fire are assist with speedy drying. If this isn’t possible the
smoke damage, odour and the effects of carpet may have to be replaced.
firefighters’ water. If the main problem is the 4) Once the damaged room has been
water, and the odour is not too bad, a completely dried out, put down new underlay
reasonably effective job might be done using onto the clean, dry floor. Lay the carpet back on
the methods explained below for flood to the dried and cleaned floor and vacuum it
damage. However, in reality all water, smoke thoroughly numerous times to remove any dust
damage and odour are jobs for a skilled professional flood restorer and residual shampoo that has dried-in.
such as the trained and experienced members of the National Carpet In many cases, there is simply not room to carry out this procedure
Cleaners Association (www.ncca.co.uk). with a substantial carpet, the weather may not permit the work to be
done outside or the wet carpet may be too heavy to handle. Health &
What’s the damage? Safety guidelines also need to be followed.
It is important to understand that flood and water damage falls into The best bet really is to call in a professional restorer who knows
three quite distinct groups – Category 1 – Clean Water or sanitary, the right techniques and is aware of the different treatments that
Category 2 – Grey Water or unsanitary, and Category 3 – Black Water. should be applied to different kinds of carpets. If s/he is a member of
Flood damage from the flooding of streets and drains is black water, the NCCA s/he will follow the guidelines set-out by the British
because it almost certainly carries sewage and dangerous pathogens. Standards Institute in PAS 64 (Publicly Available Specification). To
Carpets thus affected must be written off and disposed of, and learn more about carpet restoration or about NCCA training courses,
handling them is a job for a licensed disposal expert with proper please call Keith Robertson direct
42733 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
safety equipment. on the number in the box. Tel: 0116 271 9550
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