Thick wet felt pad

[Goomer]

Had a lady call me to rip up out a soaked carpet that was flooded by TROPICAL STORM Irene. She said she had spoken to her builder and he told her that since the padding was heavy felt, it would have to be ripped out, and that is what she wanted done.
This padding must have been at least a half inch thick over marine plywood and totally saturated. I never saw such heavy padding, but since it seemed like a garage/office conversion, I guess it makes sense.

Is it possible to extract enough water from this type of heavy felt padding if utilizing strong enough equipment?
Or is this stuff is too dense to ever dry fast enough if soaked?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Can it be done? Yes, if its synthetic fiber pad.
Should it be done? Not in this instance.

I'm asuming its ground water so it really should be pulled, plus if its over a wood subfloor I'd be more concerned about getting the structure dry than saving pad.

 

[Goomer]

Ok....I see how in this instance it had to be pulled, but for future reference, assuming it's not over a wood subfloor, and it is clean water, if extracted using the right equipment, there is a shot at this stuff giving up the remaining moisture in a acceptable time frame without opening it up?

I was just really surprised at how dense and heavy this stuff was. I would assume that if I ever come across this stuff again, in this condition, regardless of what is underneath, it would have to come up.

 

[Desk Jockey]

As long as you can extract it as well as you would normal pad and provided its synthetic it can be saved. The real question you'll need to ask yourself is should it be saved. Can I dry it and it be cheaper than the labor to remove buy new pad and replace it.

If it saves you from cutting seams and messing with a difficult installation I could even justify an extra day of drying. As long as its cost effective or as long as there is a valid reason for extended drying times then dry it.