[Lanceb2b]

Hello all,
I am hoping that someone can provide me with a little more information...

In our bedroom, we figure that either our puppy peed on the carpet, or that an old damp towel was sitting on the carpet under our bed, and we now have a musty/moldy smell in our room. I am pretty sure I have nailed down that the smell is coming from the carpet in a 6" round spot. (was on my hands and knees smelling around.. and the odour was centralized in that spot.
I have tried differnet enzyme cleaners on the carpet, and am pretty sure that the mold is in the underpadding.

Is it a difficult task to replace underpadding?. I do now know much about carpet, but am assuming that I would need to remove the carpet from the tack strips, somehow remove the underpadding (isn't it glued on??) replace it, and then replace the carpet back on the tack strips.... I see talk on stretching, glued carpets, etc... What am I in for if I want to do this myself?

 

[Teetorbilt]

I doubt that you have a gluedown in the bedroom.
The carpet should come up fairly easily from the tack strip, getting it started is the hard part. The underlay (padding) should be free floating. If your problem is urine, it has probably soaked into the flooring and you will need to seal this before replacing the carpet. If the floor is concrete put down 2 coats of concrete sealer, if wood, 2 coats of shellac or oil based primer like BIN. Get the carpet professionally cleaned . Then call in a carpet guy and tell him to install the best underlay he has, the underlay is what protects the carpet. Cheap underlay can ruin the best carpet. Installing carpet is not a DIY project, it requires special tools and skill that can only be learned over time.
I installed carpet while in college and my right knee started acting up when I hit 50, let the pro do it.

 

[PipeGuy]

In our bedroom, we figure that either our puppy peed on the carpet, or that an old damp towel was sitting on the carpet under our bed, and we now have a musty/moldy smell in our room. I am pretty sure I have nailed down that the smell is coming from the carpet in a 6" round spot.

If I had a 6" round carpet problem, under my bed no less, I sure wouldn't be tearing out the carpet in the entire room unless I was either a.) going to replace the carpet anyway or b.) considering selling the house and was worried about the resale implications or c.) unable to match a repair to the existing carpet. Why not just replace, say, a 2' square piece? Any pro can handle this provided you can find a good piece to use for the repair. After all, if you accidentally stained the carpet under your bed would you replace the entire room?

 

[Lanceb2b]

If I had a 6" round carpet problem, under my bed no less, I sure wouldn't be tearing out the carpet in the entire room unless I was either a.) going to replace the carpet anyway or b.) considering selling the house and was worried about the resale implications or c.) unable to match a repair to the existing carpet. Why not just replace, say, a 2' square piece? Any pro can handle this provided you can find a good piece to use for the repair. After all, if you accidentally stained the carpet under your bed would you replace the entire room?

Well I hadn't necessarily intened to tear up all of the carpet, originally enough to get at that spot in question. However, While out during lunch, I thought that what if it's not only 1 small spot, but a bunch of little spots? and I dont' realize this until I put it all back? I'll have to take it up again.... so maybe I should??? take up all the carpet?

Our house will be up for sale in about 1 1/2 months, and do not want to hurt the sale in any way. I'm not a carpet fan at all, but the carpet is still fairly new carpet (3 years old), so unless I have to I don't want to replace.

Originally I was going to pull back the carpet from one of the corners, pull it back until I hit the "spot" in question, cut out the underlay, replace it, then put the carpet back into place.

 

[Mike Finley]

I would rent an ozone machine, run it in the room with the door closed. Make sure you and the puppy are not in house, as the ozone machine kills living things. That smell should be gone.

 

[Lanceb2b]

thought of that already, but 2 things
1. Have done some research on Ozone generators, and quite simply do not feel safe/comfortable using one.

2. That wouldn't really get rid of the mold at the source would it? That would just get rid of the smell! (which would come back)

 

[Floorwizard]

Plus the dog would still smell it.
the pad needs to be replaced, the carpet needs to be cleaned, and the floor needs to be sealed.
if this is a wood subfloor, then it went thru the pad and could have soaked the subfloor, and the smell will continue.
The restretch will be the most difficult part of this work, unless you need to rip open a seam.
Pull the cpt up, replace sections of pad that need to go, or just replace all of it, it will not cost much. then seal the subfloor with Kils before installing new pad, then the carpet is ready to go back down and be cleaned.

 

[Lanceb2b]

So the Underpad can just "float" on the floor? I do not need to glue it to the floor?
What kind of sealant do I use on the subfloor (it's wood). Couldnt' I use an oil based paint?
The only thing I don't feel comfortable about is putting the carpet back.......... If I have to end up hiring someone, I might as well replace the whole dang floor!!!! and put down laminate...

 

[Floorwizard]

If it's a wood subfloor, then the pad gets stapled down. once you get your hands dirty, you will know how it's installed.
Kils is highly recommended for sealing, you will find it at any hardware or big box store.
a minimum charge will apply to have an installer come in to restretch. it could only be 50 bucks. new cpt or lam will be much more. but of course I will leave that decision up to you.

good luck.

 

[Lanceb2b]

Thanks for everyone's replies! They are muchly appreciated.

I think I will follow florcraft's advise.
remove cpt
remove underlay
seal the subfloor
lay new underpadding
and lay old carpet back down (after cleaning)

Thanks again

 

[Floorwizard]

Make sure you check the backing of the carpet for delamination. it is the seperation of the carpet backing from the carpet.
delamination means the cpt is toast.

 

[Mike Finley]

thought of that already, but 2 things
1. Have done some research on Ozone generators, and quite simply do not feel safe/comfortable using one.

I would get comfortable. There is nothing to be worried about. If you have gotten to a level in life where you can use a dangerous chemical like household bleach in laundry without killing yourself because you know enough not to drink it, you will be able to use an ozone machine.

2. That wouldn't really get rid of the mold at the source would it? That would just get rid of the smell! (which would come back)

I'm not talking about a air purifier or negative ion system, but a true industrial strength ozone machine or a professional ozone machine used for restoration available for rental by select rental companies. These are the machines that are being used for mold remediation. If the ozone generator only produces enough ozone where it is safe to be in the room, it won't do the job, you need one that is used for shock treatments. Ozone kills mold. If mold is alive, ozone will kill it. In regard to smell, I know a few rehabbers who make their money rehabbing real estate. They all have their cat lady stories of a house that no one would buy because the lady owned 20 cats that peed on the floors for 10 years. The only thing that get the odor out is to ozone the house and the smells are gone.

 

[Lanceb2b]

I will check for De-lamination on the back of the carpet (if I decide to pull it up), and also I will research Ozone Generators some more.

thanks again.

 

[Lanceb2b]

I've spent the past 3 hours calling all rental centers here in my area of Canada, and I can't find a single one.....

 

[NewKidinTown]

I second the ozone machine, My good friend rehabs homes and uses these all the time.. Also carpet pad is easy to replace so there is more than one option...

 

[Teetorbilt]

I think that the ozone will only go so far. Years ago I had a problem with male cat spray. The lady replaced the carpet and underlay after the cat went to kitty heaven but the smell came back every time that she aired out the house. The pee had gone into the slab and when the humidity went up the smell did too. Got to seal the floor to ensure that it won't come back and don't use anything waterbased, it just almalgamates with the pee.

 

[Mike Finley]

Teetor - you are a concrete sealing zealot! Is it me or is it your mission to get the benefits of sealing concrete into the hands of the public at large?

 

[Teetorbilt]

Mike, I see so many problems that could have been avoided if contractors only took the time to seal a slab. Much of FL is only 6ft above sealevel and in most places you only have to dig a few feet to hit water. My current elevation is 14.4 ft, it's the highest place that I have ever lived in this state. I'm on the Atlantic Ridge, almost a mountain around here. The highest spot in the state is only 360 some feet and it's up there close to GA.
Most people think of concrete as a solid when, in fact, it is porous. Water can come up through it and stinky stuff can be absorbed from above. Sealing it is inexpensive and I don't understand why more people don't do it.

 

[Lanceb2b]

I pulled up the carpet, and the underpad did not have any problems with it... I beleive that this may have been lingering smell in the room. I can't find any other problems in the room (only that room)

There is no signs of moisture onthe walls... (when i removed the baseboards, I was able to see/smell behind the gyproc (spelling???) and nothing there.

We bought a product recommended by a local flooring installer to help remove the smell, and after an almost all night process and hours later, the smell has decreased... I have some activated charcoal, and something called an Air sponge in the room right now with the fans running, and the window open a crack... and will see how that removes the smell.

 

[PipeGuy]

Lance- do you, by chance, live in Amityville, NY?