Heard a homeowner say their old carpet wasn't that dirty after 10 years, until we pulled it up and found black mold underneath

That conversation made me realize how many folks don't understand the moisture that gets trapped under padding, so now I always show them the pad first before giving a quote has anyone else had customers change their mind after seeing what's underneath?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_anthony1mo ago

That line about "black mold underneath" really hit home for me. We had a similar situation in our own house where we thought the carpet was fine, just a little worn, but when we pulled it up the padding was absolutely soaked and starting to rot in spots. It is something people just don't think about because the top looks okay and they figure a vacuum is enough. I think showing the pad first is a smart move, it gives folks a real look at what is actually happening under their feet. A lot of homeowners genuinely do change their mind about waiting once they see the kind of moisture damage that can build up over years.

lee8471mo ago

That "black mold underneath" line got me too. My buddy had this old mobile home where the carpet looked fine, tan color and all. He never thought twice about it. Well his kid spilled juice and it seeped down through a seam. When he peeled the carpet back the pad was straight up black underneath. Like not even spots, just a whole black patch. Had to rip it all out and treat the subfloor with bleach. Took him a weekend and the place smelled like a swimming pool for days. People really don't get what their floors are hiding until it's too late.

mark4361mo agoProlific Poster

I mean my cousin had a similar thing happen with his rv. He bought it used and the carpet looked totally fine, maybe a little faded but nothing crazy. Then one winter he left a window cracked and rain got in. By the time he noticed the smell the whole back corner was a mess. He pulled the carpet and the padding was basically mush, and the subfloor had this greenish black growth that looked like something out of a science experiment. He ended up having to rip out a whole section of the floor and rebuild it from the frame up. It took him like three weekends just because he had to match the old plywood and get the right insulation. I think people just assume carpet is a floor and that's it, but really it's more like a blanket covering up whatever mess is underneath. Once you see what's hiding down there it's hard to unsee it.

mary_west1mo ago

Saw the same thing at my friend Dave's place, whole pad was black sludge under his living room carpet.