What to Do When a Pipe Bursts On Your Carpet?

Winter is finally here! Frozen streets and holiday cheer abound. If you’ve done a proper winterization of your home, your flooring should keep going strong throughout these colder months, be it hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring, or even stone and carpet.

That is, of course, until disaster strikes in the form of a busted pipe.

Cold temperatures, combined with brittle metal and ice formation, can mean that your plumbing, if not properly winterized, can burst open, which sends gallons of water everywhere. While many homeowners are aware of the dangers that excess water can pose to hardwood floors, few are aware of what to do when it comes to burst pipes and carpeting. Luckily, UB Hardwoods, a Plymouth flooring installation firm, has some tips below.

When It Comes to a Busted Pipe, Time is Of the Essence

Awoken by the sound of running water, you stumble into your hallway at one in the morning and are greeted by the absolutely lovely squelching sound of the wet carpet underneath your feet. It’s a busted pipe! Blinking the blurriness out of your eyes, you stand there, confounded, unable to fathom how you could have missed this part of your plumbing in your thorough winterization process.

Now’s no time to wonder, though; your carpet is in danger! It’s time to take action.

● Turn off the water | Of course, this goes without saying. Identify the source of the break and cut the water supply to it as soon as possible. Shut off your home’s main valve if you need to! If you don’t know where that is, go find it now before a pipe bursts, and your household is thrown into chaos.

● Vacuum up your carpet immediately | Not with a conventional vacuum, of course. If you use that on water, you run the risk of being electrocuted. Invest in a specialized wet vacuum that can pick up the spill safely, as this is the best chance you have of saving the extremely damaged carpet. For severe cases, it’s best to contact a professional remediation company.

● Assess if you need carpet replacement | If your carpet is fully saturated and you simply can't stop pulling water out, you might need to replace your carpet. Contamination from certain plumbing fixtures can also mean that, for safety’s sake, your carpet will need to be replaced.

In the Market for New Carpet? Contact UB Hardwoods Today

Despite our name, we’re experts in everything from carpet to vinyl flooring. We’ll help you pick the perfect one for your home! Give our Plymouth showroom a call today at 763-807-4500.