Wet Carpet in Cars: Where Did That Come From?

With the recent onslaught of hurricanes, flood-damaged cars seem be just about everywhere. Awareness has been raised among Americans to be careful in buying these restored vehicles. However, a small percentage of cars also suffer from water damage without it being even exposed to the slightest of flood. Evidence of this is only present in wet carpet.

One of the reasons for wet carpet inside your car is the air-conditioning system. Clogged A/C tubes can cause water to drip down on the passenger side, thus the wet carpet. In order to avoid this, you have to conduct a regular check of the tubes. Make sure that they do not have debris big enough to clog your system.

Another reason why you have a wet carpet is cracks near the door. If your vehicle has some cracks, these could let the water in especially when it is raining. It could also let water in when you are doing some car washing.

Faulty rubber door seal is also a primary reason for wet carpet. The rubber sidings in your vehicles door might no longer be working leaving some openings where water could come in.
Depending on the make of your car, some sunroofs could catch water and have it flow inside your car. Heaters can also fracture and leak due to rust and corrosion if not checked regularly.

Some cars also suffer from water damage and wet carpet when parked in a slanting position. The culprit in this case is the improperly placed wires which could act as conduit for water from the A/C to travel to the carpet. The inclined position of the car makes it more possible for the water to move.

Damaged evaporator core box can also be the reason for the water inside your car. Since this car part is not easily accessible with it being hidden behind the dashboard, damages to it is not easily detected and might take years before it would be discovered.

Another probable reason yet is plugged up drain slots in the doors. Rain water hitting your car’s window drains through one of the slots at the bottom edge of the door. You can unclog these slots wit the use of a thin bladed knife. Open the door and carefully examine its bottom edge. The narrow slots that you could see along the lowest edge of the exterior “skin” of the door are the drain slots.

Upon inserting the knife into the slot, pull it in and out while also swinging t back and forth inside the slot. This should break down whatever is causing the blockage and allow to water to drain. Be careful though, as water could drain out and spill on you.
Using a garden hose, let water run along the lower edge between the window and the bottom of the widow opening.

Keep in mind, however, that this could only work for small debris. If you suspect that there could be large debris stuck in the drain slots, you would need to take out the inner panel of the door and remove the debris.

There could still be other reasons why you have a wet carpet inside your car. This could include windows and sunroof inadvertently left open. Just the same, knowing where the water came from is already a step towards the solution of your problem.

A Total Flood Damage Cleanup

A house damaged by flood is never a heart warming sight for anyone. It brings a lot of headaches, worries and stress. This is usually the case of basements, the most ignored part of one’s house.

Structural damage as well as health and safety problems are one of the results of a flooded basement. Pooled water provides the best environment for mosquitoes to bred in while mold can thrive in damp walls. These molds can produce spores that might be harmful to your health.

Water pressure can also damage your foundation and provide openings for small insects to enter your flooded basement. Insects such as ants and termites are drawn to wet environments. They can be quite destructive moving from your flooded basement to wall spaces as well as electrical conduits. These are some of the reasons why a flood damage cleanup should be done as soon as it is safe to do so.

Make sure that your home is already safe to enter. Remember to wear rubber gloves, masks and water-proof gloves before starting any flood damage cleanup effort.

The first step in flood damage cleanup is to have a water damage professional conduct an inspection of the interior and exterior of your house to check which areas need to be attended to first.

Check if, aside from the flood in your basement, you also have busted pipes that can wreck your flood damage cleanup efforts. Keep in mind that, even small water puddles can lead to flood is left unchecked.

Use a sump pump to drain water from your basement. Check your drains and gutters and make sure that water flows away from your home. Any flood damage cleanup effort would be futile if drains and gutters are not checked properly making water flow back into your basement.

Pools of standing water outside your home can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This insect is known for carrying diseases such as Malaria, Encephalitis and West Nile Virus. To avoid this, flatten areas where water accumulates, concentrating first on portions nearest to your home. Damp and heavy soil can damage your foundation causing cracks that can lead to another round of flooded basement as well as create entry points for insects and small animals. Trim back any branches that touch your roof. Remove any dead or rotting trees and stumps.

Flood water in your basement can seep into your walls causing wood to rot. This would become a food and shelter source for ants and termites. This makes flood damage cleanup in basements a must. Basements should likewise be sealed off so that it doesn’t flood again. If the cracks in your basement are not sealed properly, you can end up with a whole colony of unwanted roommates that are really tough to evict. Contact flood damage clean up specialists or a pest control professional if you need help in the cleaning or exterminating process.

Once you have removed any standing water from your house, you can start washing and scrubbing your walls. Do not forget to sanitize these parts also to ensure that molds and other bacteria or fungi have been removed.

Put epoxy on all cracks in your house. Epoxy can stretch from the inner to the outer wall as well as expand and contract with every temperature change.

Although the whole flood damage cleanup process can take a while, it still is worth it. Any delay in starting it could mean a minute less for you or your family member’s life.