Whether you’re a new air mover owner or just need a refresher, knowing how to properly dry carpet with air movers is a vital skill to have to keep your facility dry and mold-free. This article provides a helpful guide to doing just that!
Air movers come in a variety of sizes and can effectively dry large spaces or target specific areas, working on both vertical walls and horizontal floors. While similar to fans, air movers move significantly more air, drying much larger or wetter areas.
A key component for quick drying, air movers dramatically accelerate the process by directing high-volume air flow onto wet surfaces, speeding up moisture evaporation.
Rapid moisture removal is essential for preventing water damage and mold growth, especially on susceptible surfaces like carpet.
For optimal results, proper usage is key. This guide will walk you through:
- Step-by-step instructions for drying carpet effectively
- Tips for best performance and greater drying efficiency
- Key safety and maintenance recommendations to maximize performance
Let’s dive in:
How to Use an Air Mover on Carpet
For carpet, these steps aim to dry at high speeds, removing the moisture as quickly and completely as possible to avoid water damage and mold development.
Step 1: Assess the Area
Step 2: Extract Standing Water
Step 3: Check Carpet Backing & Subfloor for Saturation
Step 4: Position the Air Mover
Need to dry hard floors too? Don’t miss our step-by-step instructions and guide to drying hard floors and using axial air movers.
Step 1: Assess the Area
A thorough assessment of all potentially affected areas is the first crucial step. Failing to understand the full extent of the water damage can result in overlooked spots and ultimately, permanent damage.
Because carpet retains more moisture than other types of flooring, it is important to act quickly to prevent water damage and mold growth.
Here is a checklist of things to look out for:
- Visible water pooling
- Source of the water intrusion
- Discoloration or dark spots
- Saturation of carpet backing and subfloors
- Any areas that feel wet or spongy
- Mold growth
If you are unsure about the extent of water damage, consider using a moisture meter to gauge the moisture levels of the carpet and subfloor or consult a professional restoration company to assess the damage and initiate the repair process.
Step 2: Extract Standing Water
The first thing you’ll need to do is remove any excess or standing water using extraction equipment, if applicable. Extraction is the fastest way to remove large amounts of water from carpet, and an air mover isn’t quite cut out to remove water at that level.
It is absolutely critical to remove excess water as soon as possible to prevent serious or even permanent water damage and mold development.
Step 3: Check Carpet Backing & Subfloor for Saturation
If your carpet is not glued down, check the carpet backing and subfloor for saturation. Probe the carpet and subfloor with a moisture meter and take measurements in several different areas of the floor. Note these readings and compare them to manufacturer guidelines.
If your carpet is glued down and overly saturated, it will likely need to be replaced.
If you suspect significant water damage, or see signs of saturation, such as visible water damage, bulging or warping, or musty smells, consult a professional restoration or flooring company to help you diagnose and plan accordingly.
Pro Tip: If you suspect mold development in your carpet, backing, or subfloor, you need to consult a professional restoration company that can properly sanitize, restore, or dispose of them.
Step 4. Position the Air Mover
After the water has been contained and you’ve determined the damage is under control, it’s time to get your air mover set up. Depending on the size and severity of the job, more than one air mover may be required.
When positioning your air mover, face it directly towards the affected area, tilted toward it if your air mover offers adjustable positioning.
If your carpet is not glued down, run the air mover between the carpet and the subfloor for more effective drying.
While drying, make sure the area is properly ventilated by opening doors or windows and directing the air out with an axial air mover.
Pro Tip: If your job is serious enough to warrant more than one air mover at a time, make sure to overlap their airflow zones by surrounding the area that needs to be dried. This allows for consistent moisture evaporation throughout the entire affected area. For optimal drying, the rule of thumb is to have one air mover for every 300 feet of carpet that needs to dry.
Dry at High Speed
It is important to dry at high speed when drying carpet. Because carpet retains water and mold spores so easily, high-speed drying can make sure the moisture is removed before permanent damage can occur.
Daisy-Chaining
If your air movers include the feature, consider daisy-chaining the units. Daisy-chaining is the capability to link more than one air mover together through the use of an onboarded electrical socket. This will allow you to connect up to three of your air movers in one series to maximize airflow and not overwhelm your circuit.
For the dampest of carpet, a high-speed centrifugal air mover is going to be your best friend because it will rapidly increase the drying rate in that targeted area. Support it with an axial air mover for more effective ventilation.
Tips for Efficient Drying on Carpet
Now that you’ve set up your air movers and your carpet is starting to dry, here are some additional tips to optimize your drying experience:
Rotate Regularly
In order to ensure even carpet drying, remember to rotate your air movers every 1-2 hours. This will maximize airflow and allow for consistent moisture evaporation throughout all the different sections of the carpet.
Ventilate Properly
Ventilation is crucial during the drying process because it forces the moist air that is being pulled off of the wet surface out of the area. Proper ventilation prevents the air from becoming overly saturated with moisture, which can hinder or even halt the drying process. Make sure your doors and windows are open—don’t leave any area you are trying to dry completely enclosed.
Safety Tips for Air Mover Use
While air mover use is relatively simple, there are some safety concerns that can complicate the process if you fail to keep them in mind:
Avoid Overheating
It is imperative to make sure your air mover does not overheat. Ensure that air intakes and exhaust vents are clear of obstructions and clean the machine off after each use to prevent dust and debris buildup.
If an air mover overheats during use, it can slow or stop your drying process and allow the water to continue damaging your surface and promote mold growth.
Proper Cord Management
When using air movers, it is important to maintain proper cord management. Failure to do so can result in a tripping hazard or an electrical malfunction. Remember to keep all cables out of standing water and ensure all connections stay dry. Run cables outside of high-traffic areas when possible, and daisy-chain your air movers if they have the capability.
Electrical Safety
As we just touched on, electrical safety is paramount when it comes to air mover use, since you will be primarily using it in damp areas. Never use an air mover in standing water without proper grounding. You should also be vigilant to make sure all cables and connections remain dry.
Failure to acknowledge electrical safety can result in serious injury and permanent damage to your air mover.
Quick Maintenance Tips for Air Movers
Now that you know how to properly use your air mover, here are a few additional quick tips to keep your equipment in top shape:
- Clean the fan and vents regularly to prevent dust buildup.
- Check for wear and tear on cords, plugs, and other components before using.
- Lubricate moving parts as needed if required by the manufacturer.
- Watch out for excessive vibration and tighten bolts and parts as needed.
- Never leave air movers unattended or running overnight.
- Store air movers in a clean, dry area when not in use.
- Make sure the cord is wound up when not in use.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still unsure about what to expect when using an air mover, let’s quickly recap what you need to know:
Make sure you’re using the correct type of air mover for the job. Remember that centrifugal air movers are optimized to blow on the carper. Add an axial air mover for exhausting moisture from the area. For best drying results, use both axial and centrifugal air movers at the same time!
Don’t forget that while there are different steps required for using air movers on carpet and hard floors, the whole process boils down to pre-drying preparation, proper ventilation, and setting up your air mover to optimally dry.
If you suspect mold development in your carpet, contact a restoration company.
If you’re drying carpet, remove any excess water with extraction equipment and check the carpet backing and subfloor for saturation to prep the area. Then, position the air mover by tilting the airflow toward the damp area, use multiple air movers if needed, and run them at high speed for faster drying.
Keep safety in mind while operating, and complete preventative maintenance to keep your air movers operational.
Preventive maintenance is essential for ensuring your floor buffer’s continued operation and maximizing your cleaning staff’s effectiveness. While some tasks, like charging a battery, are simple enough for your team to handle, others, such as power cord replacement, may require professional service.
If you have any additional questions about using your air mover to dry carpet, contact an Imperial Dade equipment expert today. Imperial Dade has service centers across the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Caribbean that can send out a licensed technician to your facility to perform the preventive maintenance services your machines need to keep them running.