Animal Stains and Odors in Carpet, Upholstery, Draperies

—How to Restore; When to Replace— 

Homeowners with a serious animal stain or odor problem frequently believe their insurance policy should cover restoration or replacement of damaged materials. Whether such damage is actually covered by their insurance policy is another question entirely, because seldom is a urine contamination problem truly “sudden and accidental.” The contamination has usually been taking place for months or years before a claim is filed.

An even more confusing issue arises when carpet subjected to a covered loss, such as water or smoke damage, is not restorable primarily because of preexisting urine contamination. Water damage, especially, activates all the dried urine deposited over a period of months or years, creating a major odor problem and a (possibly significant) health risk. Whether an insurer is obligated to pay such a claim is left to the insurer’s or adjuster’s discretion. 

 “The biggest factor to consider when deciding whether to restore or replace property is determining whether restoration attempts are likely to be cost-effective.” When contamination is limited to small areas, cost-effective restoration is often possible. However, complete removal of severe urine odor and staining from carpet is difficult and expensive at best. How acceptable the end result will be cannot be predicted. A property owner is often well advised to apply any money available for restoration towards replacement instead.

Restoration

If you choose to have an item restored instead of replaced, make sure the following steps are completed by the restoring contractor: 

• Clean both the front and back of the carpet thoroughly, using specialized preconditioners and rinse agents.
• Do not attempt to restore a contaminated cushion. Replace it!
• Deodorize using EPA-registered disinfectants, enzyme digesters, and/or oxidizing agents.
• It may be necessary to seal the subfloor after cleaning.

 Long-term, heavy contamination may require far more aggressive procedures to eliminate odors, including:

• Replacement of affected tackstrip, drywall, baseboard, and subflooring material
• Special treatment of airspaces and HVAC systems
• Cleaning, sealing, and painting of all surfaces in affected rooms or even the entire structure

Recontamination

Procedures cannot be permanently effective unless all animals are removed from the areas treated. We all love our pets. However, once a home’s carpet, upholstery, or draperies have severe pet stains and odors, solving the problem may not be cheap, easy—or insured.

For more information about restoration alternatives, call Paul Davis Restoration, at 732-886-3001.

Paul Davis Restoration has been serving Monmouth & Ocean Counties with loss mitigation and emergency restoration services for over 15 years. Specializing in fire and water damage mitigation and restoration services.

The document details the following topics:

• Mold Basics
• Mold Cleanup
• What to Wear When Cleaning Moldy Areas
• How Do I Know When the Remediation or Cleanup is Finished?
• Moisture and Mold Prevention and Control Tips
• Hidden Mold

For more information on mold related issues including mold cleanup and moisture control/condensation/humidity issues, you can call the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318. Or visit: www.epa.gov/mold

Of course, for professional repairs of any mold related problems, call Paul.

photo credit: dantekgeek