Three years ago I didn't check a subfloor for moisture and had to rip out 800 square feet of carpet last week

3 comments

3 Comments

bettywilson29d agoMost Upvoted

Is it really that bad though? I've had damp spots under carpet before and just let it air out for a few days and everything was fine. Maybe you could have saved a bunch of that carpet with a good cleaning and some dry time.

terryb1129d ago

The 24 hours it takes for mold to start growing doesn't wait for air drying. I pulled up carpet in a basement flood once that looked fine on top but the pad underneath was already green after two days. If that damp spot sat for more than a couple days, the backing is probably compromised. You're better off ripping it out than risking breathing issues later.

noah88023d ago

Betty I gotta disagree a little bit with you on this one, @terryb11 is spot on about that 24 hour mark being real for mold. The pad underneath traps moisture way longer than the top carpet, and even if it looks dry after a few days the spores are already spreading. You might get lucky sometimes but breathing issues from black mold are no joke, I'd rather pull it up than gamble with my lungs.