How SERVPRO of Marietta West Detaches Carpet After a Water Loss

6/10/2021 (Permalink)

Whether your home has been damaged by water damage or you just need your carpets professionally deep cleaned, call SERVPRO of Marietta West today!

One of the most common types of flooring SERVPRO of Marietta West runs into on restoration projects, is carpeting. Through our years of experience restoring hundreds of Marietta and Kennesaw properties and highly trained technicians, SERVPRO  of Marietta West has a great deal of success restoring water damaged carpet. Restoring carpet can be a tricky process, and if not handled properly stains can be permanently set, and/or unintentional additional damage could occur. If you have experienced water damage or your carpet is in need of a deep cleaning, let SERVPRO of Marietta West restore your property to “like-new” condition. We are the restoration company that is faster to any size disaster and can make water damage “Like it never even happened.”

Detaching Carpet After Water Damage

Tools: Carpet Knee Kicker, Carpet Awl, Knee Pads & PPE

Carpet awls look very similar to screwdrivers but with a sharp point instead of a patterned head. The carpet awl is used to penetrate and lift carpet away from the tack strip. The carpet knee kicker is used to relieve tension in the carpet from being stretched during the installation process. The carpet knee kicker has a large pad on the back of the tool and teeth that grip the carpet at the front of the tool. The user kicks the padded end of the tool with their knee (hence the name “carpet knee kicker”), causing the teeth to grip the carpet backing and relieving the tension holding the carpet in place. The carpet can then be released from the tack strip with the help of the carpet awl, and peeled back for removal .

Removing Carpet Quickly, Non-Invasively & Safely

To remove carpet without damaging or removing the baseboards, start in a corner of the room. With a gloved hand feel where the carpet tack strip runs parallel to the wall. The tack strip should be around one to three inches from the wall. Be sure to adjust the depth of the teeth of the carpet knee kicker to match the thickness of the carpet as to insure a good grip on the carpet while not over penetrating the carpet (possibly causing damage to the carpet, pad or even the subfloor). Place the teeth of the tool about two to three inches from the edge of the carpet and firmly strike the padded end of the carpet knee kicker with your knee. Then with the carpet awl, pry up the corner of the carpet. Repeat these steps along the wall in all affected areas to free the carpet from the floor. 

Carpet Cleaning Methods & Services

SERVPRO of Marietta West primarily utilizes five time-tested carpet cleaning methods. The cleaning industry uses several methods to clean carpets and other cleaning companies use other methods that SERVPRO has chosen not to offer for varying reasons. Determining the proper cleaning method depends on the results of the pretesting and pre-inspection process. Topical treatments such as a soil retardant or deodorizer are normally applied after the carpet is cleaned. 

The following are just a few of SERVPRO of Marietta West’s most popular carpet cleaning methods and services; Listed in order of least aggressiveness to most aggressive cleaning method:

• Bonnet Cleaning - Bonnet cleaning is most effective on low-cut pile or low-level loop carpets and is the least aggressive restoration method. It is not intended to be effective on deep-cut pile carpets and should not be used on shag carpets or Berbers.
• Hot Water Extraction - Hot water extraction is considered to be an effective cleaning method for light to moderate soiled carpet. Hot water combined with SERVPRO’s proprietary carpet and flooring restoration products, dissolve and emulsify soils to be suctioned away during the hot water extraction process.
• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse - Deluxe precondition and rinse is effective in moderate to heavy soiling conditions and utilizes similar techniques to the Hot Water Extraction method with some added steps for additional cleaning power for noticeably soiled carpeting. 
• Rotary Jet Extraction - The Rotary Jet Extraction method is very similar to the Deluxe Pre-conditioner and Rinse method except the RX-20 is used instead of a carpet wand. The additional agitation provided by the RX-20 improves cleaning and makes this method very effective in heavy soiling conditions. The weight of the RX-20 compresses carpet fibers to squeeze out moisture. This improves extraction of moisture and reduces drying time.
• Showcase - Showcase is a two-step process and is the most aggressive restoration method. This method is highly effective in the heaviest of soil conditions and is the method often used in fire damaged restorations. The first step is to shampoo the carpet with the Rotary Jet Extractor, essentially performing all the services mentioned in the previous method. The second step is to rinse the carpet with an extractor and clean water rinse with Fabric Rinse and Color Set carpet restoration products.

Cleaning, restoring and/or removing carpet is a labor intensive process and if not done properly, can result in issues down the road when reinstalling the flooring. If you experience water damage, don’t risk damaging your property further by trying to clean up the mess yourself. Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Marietta West at (770) 428-5467 or click here and one of our job file coordinators will reach out to you as soon as possible. 

*If you are experiencing a water restoration emergency please call us directly on our 24-hour phone number mentioned above. A speedy clean up is paramount to almost all successful water restoration projects.