Carpet flooded.
Save it or replace it?

Sometimes — under specific conditions. Category 1 water (clean: burst supply pipe, appliance fill water), professional extraction and drying begins within 24–48 hours, and the carpet has not delaminated (backing separating from face fiber) are the criteria for attempting in-place drying. Even then, carpet pad is almost always replaced rather than dried — padding retains moisture and odor that creates mold conditions under the carpet even if the carpet face dries adequately. Category 2 water (grey water: dishwasher, washing machine, toilet tank overflow) — carpet pad is always replaced; carpet may be cleanable depending on exposure time and type. Category 3 water (sewage, black water, flood water) — carpet is always demolished and replaced regardless of exposure time. The padding-to-carpet contact zone is where most mold develops after a water event in Florida's heat.

Carpet pad (also called carpet cushion or underlayment) is a highly porous, compressed foam or fiber product that absorbs enormous quantities of water relative to its volume. Once wet, padding retains moisture for days even under active drying equipment — the carpet above acts as a vapor barrier trapping moisture in the pad. In Florida's humidity, this moisture-saturated pad at floor level begins growing mold within 24–48 hours. The cost of drying carpet pad in place long enough to actually reach baseline moisture is almost always more expensive than simply removing and replacing it — and the mold risk during the extended drying window is significant. Most insurance adjusters recognize pad replacement as standard protocol and include it in the scope automatically.

Yes — when the carpet damage results from a covered sudden loss (burst pipe, appliance failure, roof breach). Carpet is covered under Coverage A (dwelling) as a structural floor finish. The adjuster determines whether the carpet can be cleaned and dried in place (less expensive) or requires replacement (more expensive). Pad replacement is almost universally included in the scope. If the adjuster's initial estimate calls for carpet cleaning only and the carpet subsequently cannot be restored, a supplemental claim for replacement is appropriate — with your contractor's moisture meter readings and condition documentation as evidence. Photograph the carpet and pad condition before any extraction begins.

Professional carpet drying (float drying method): high-powered truck-mount or portable extractors remove standing water from carpet and pad; the pad is then cut and removed; air movers are positioned under the carpet (the carpet is 'floated' slightly off the subfloor with air movers beneath) to dry both the carpet backing and the subfloor simultaneously; industrial dehumidifiers maintain low relative humidity in the room. Daily moisture readings are taken on the subfloor, carpet backing, and ambient air until baseline is reached. The subfloor must dry before new pad can be installed — typically 3–7 days for OSB or plywood subfloor in Florida. Attempting to reinstall new pad on a wet subfloor creates a mold sandwich: fresh pad on top of wet wood.

High and fast. Florida's average indoor summer temperature (78–82°F) combined with the moisture-saturated pad and carpet backing creates near-perfect mold growth conditions. Mold colonies can begin in wet carpet within 24–48 hours. The mold typically grows first in the pad and on the subfloor surface — not on the visible carpet face — which is why you can smell mold before you see it. By the time visible mold appears on carpet face fibers, the subfloor and pad below have had active mold growth for days. If wet carpet has been left without professional drying for more than 48 hours in Florida, assume the pad and potentially the subfloor are contaminated and plan for pad replacement, subfloor treatment, and carpet assessment.