To decide what to do if your basement is flooded go by these rules.
Carpet flooded foam padding.
Steam clean all carpets to properly sanitize and deodorize.
Accidents happen that result in the saturation of your carpet padding with water or liquids that require you to dry the padding.
Be it an overly wet carpet cleaning flood or other water damage the carpet padding must dry thoroughly to eliminate foul odors mold and mildew growth.
It s also the padding under the carpet.
So if you were to reuse the padding it will be damp and begin to mildew grow mold and smell under the carpeting.
Carpet padding is like a sponge and will absorb a lot of water but it will not dry out.
To do that pull up the carpeting wearing gloves to reach the padding.
Density carpet pad with spillsafe moisture barrier 80 sq.
When your house floods it s not only the carpet that gets wet.
If the floodwater was clean broken pipe burst washing machine supply hose or a foundation leak you can probably dry out and save the carpet the pad is iffy.
Typically water damaged carpet padding must be replaced.
Replacing just the padding is much less expensive than having to re carpet your entire home.
But you ve got to act fast.
If the carpet isn t dry within 72 hours it ll start to grow mold.
Then pull out the padding and dispose of it.