Restoration Company or Carpet Cleaner After a Pipe Leak?
Wet carpet after a leak needs drying before it needs cleaning. How to tell which job you have, and what to do first.
Do I need a restoration company or a carpet cleaner after a pipe leak?
If the carpet or the pad under it is still wet, you need a restoration company first, because the water has to be extracted and the carpet, pad and floor underneath dried. That is drying work, not cleaning work. Mr. Fresh Carpet Care does both from Fairfield, so one call or text to (707) 816-7103 covers it, 24/7.
The EPA's mold course says why a cleaning pass alone falls short: "Wet vacuums alone will not dry carpets. Wet carpets must be pulled up and dried, then reinstalled. The carpet padding also must be dried." Once everything is dry, any stains left behind are a carpet cleaning job.
What is the difference between a restoration company and a carpet cleaner?
A carpet cleaner gets soil, spots and residue out of carpet that's otherwise dry. A water damage restoration company gets water out of a building: it extracts the standing water, dries the room with air movers and dehumidifiers, and checks walls and subfloor with moisture meters until they read dry.
Both use extraction, so they can look alike from the doorway. The difference is what comes after: a restoration job isn't done until the moisture readings say dry. Before you book anyone after a leak, ask whether they'll measure the moisture in the pad and subfloor.
When is a carpet cleaner enough after a leak?
When the water was small and clean, you caught it early, and the pad underneath stayed dry. A sink supply line that dripped onto the carpet edge, mopped up straight away, with dry pad when you press a paper towel into the spot, is usually a cleaning job, if it's a job at all.
If you can't tell whether the pad got wet, treat it as wet. The EPA lists "the underside of carpets and pads" among the places mold can hide, which is the side you can't see from the top. Our post on carpet that is still wet days after a leak goes through how to check.
When do I need a water damage restoration company?
Call a restoration company when any of these is true:
- The pad under the carpet got wet.
- Water ran under a baseboard or into a wall.
- A pipe upstairs leaked through the ceiling.
- It came from a drain, a toilet or a sewer line rather than a supply pipe.
- A musty smell hangs on after the leak is fixed.
The EPA's carpet drying guidance is written for clean water. It says to consult an experienced professional if you don't have expertise with contaminated water, and "Do not use fans until you have determined that the water is clean or sanitary." So find out where the water came from before you start drying.
Is water from a pipe leak clean or contaminated?
It depends on which pipe failed and what the water touched. A supply line carries the same water as your tap, and the EPA's flood cleanup guide says damage from a pipe leak or rainwater "typically presents fewer hazards and affects a smaller area than damage from hurricanes and floods." Water from a drain or sewer line has already been used.
The IICRC S500 water damage standard sorts water into categories. A position statement from the S500 consensus body quotes it: the categories "refer to the range of contamination in water, considering both its originating source and its quality after it contacts materials present on the job site", and "Time and temperature can affect or retard the amplification of contaminants, thereby affecting its category." Sewage and "wasteline backflows that originate from beyond any trap" are Category 3, which the quoted definition calls "grossly contaminated". If it's sewage, that's our sewage cleanup service: we take the work order and bring in a licensed company for the regulated biohazard portion.
What should I do first after a pipe leak?
Shut off the water at the main, or at the valve under the fixture, if it's safe to reach. Stay out of any room where water is near outlets, cords or the electrical panel. Photograph the water and the damage before you move anything, then lift electronics, rugs and furniture legs off the wet carpet. A plumber fixes the pipe. For the water, call or text (707) 816-7103.
Our guide to the first 4 hours after water damage goes step by step, and what to do when a frozen pipe bursts covers the winter version.
Who does both in Fairfield and Suisun City?
Mr. Fresh Carpet Care does. We're a family-owned carpet cleaning and water damage restoration company at 4160 Suisun Valley Rd in Fairfield, in business since 2013, with IICRC-certified technicians, fully insured, and 24/7 emergency dispatch across Solano County. That includes Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville and the other towns on our service area page.
On a water job we document the damage with photos and work with your adjuster. Water damage work has no set price, so call or text for a quote on your job; the water damage restoration cost guide explains what moves the number. You can read what customers say on our reviews page.
More questions after a leak
Can a carpet cleaner dry out a wet carpet after a leak?
Extraction pulls water out, but drying is a separate job. The EPA says wet vacuums alone will not dry carpets and that the carpet padding also must be dried. That's why a soaked carpet after a leak is a water damage job before it's a cleaning job.
Should I call the plumber or the restoration company first?
Stop the water first, then call both. The plumber fixes the pipe and we deal with the water in the carpet, pad and floor. Neither can finish without the other.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for a pipe leak?
Whether a loss is covered is between you, your policy and your carrier, so read your policy and ask your agent. What we can do is the paper trail: we document the damage with photos and work with your adjuster.
Do you handle sewage backups too?
Yes. We take the work order for a sewage backup and bring in a licensed company for the regulated biohazard portion. Our own part is the water extraction, drying and cleaning around it. Call or text (707) 816-7103.
Carpet still wet from a leak?
Call or text us at any hour. Tell us where the water came from and how far it spread, and we will tell you which job it is.