Water damage to a commercial building is serious business. Even though the carpets in this type of building are typically tougher than those in residential structures, they still need close attention to drying.
Failing to fully dry commercial carpeting after a flood, a significant spill, or even a routine cleaning can lead to buildup of mold and mildew that can flourish where you don’t see it. That can lead to increased allergies and illness in those working in the building and permanently ruin the carpets. Here’s what matters when it comes to commercial carpet drying.
Airflow
Getting air circulating in the building will significantly shorten carpet drying time. If there are ceiling fans in the building, they can help get general airflow going but won’t be effective on their own. Box fans or more high-powered industrial fans need to be placed on the floor to maximize air current contact with the carpet. Doors and windows should be opened to help the moisture escape.
Dehumidification
Fans are critical to commercial carpet drying, but often they are not enough to do the job completely. If the carpet is being dried from flooding, it’s likely that the ambient conditions are still very humid and stopping moisture in the carpet from evaporating into the air completely. A professional water extraction service will use multiple high-powered dehumidifiers in combination with fans.
Heat
The third component of commercial carpet drying is heat. If your home needs its carpet dried, you can use a few small space heaters to achieve this effect. However, this doesn’t work for commercial buildings because the larger space renders such heaters useless. A professional commercial carpet cleaning service may use industrial-grade vacuums with a heating element to steam the remaining moisture out of the carpet, where dehumidifiers then eliminate it.
They may also use a large extraction device, which is weighted. These vacuums force water out of the carpet and pad, bringing it to the surface and pulling it directly into the tank. Often, they have a see-through section of tubing so the operator can see when all the water is gone from a section and move on to the next until the entire carpet is dry.
Dry Commercial Carpets With Action Restoration
Drying commercial carpets is a challenge most business owners aren’t prepared for. The safest options are to rent professional carpet drying equipment or call in professionals.
If you need commercial carpet drying on the Gulf Coast, call Action Restoration at 800-760-9081 or contact us online for more information on what we offer.
