In article .com, "abhi" wrote:
Hi all,

Yesterday the flush tank on the second floor overflowed and caused a
little bit of flooding. About 40 square feet of tiled area and 10
square feet of carpeted area was covered in water. Water leaked through
the floor and damaged the ceiling on the first floor.

I managed to shut off the leak before it did much damage. Water
probably leaked for about 15-20 minutes. The ceiling is intact, with
very little water marks.

Today we had a restoration expert come in and he plans to
- remove the wet carpet
- put a large fan to dry carpet padding
- Put a large fan to dry the tiles
- Cut the sheet rock on the first floor ceiling
- Put a large fan to dry the ceiling

I talked with a few other people (not in water damage restoration
business) and they claim, we don't have to do all this. Every thing
will dry out and it is unlikely for mold to appear with this little
amount of water. According to them, I should dry out the carpet with a
fan.
Ceiling will be ok, sheet rock is supposed to absorb water.

Now, I am considering whether to let the professional do the job or
wait for the carpet to dry?

What have been your experiences? Any suggestions on what is the right
thing to do?

Based on your description, I would:

1. Make certain the leak is *really* fixed. You don't want
any more water coming in!

2. Help the area dry out as quickly as possible. Maximise the
ventilation, turn on heating if appropriate, deploy fans,
possibly lift the carpet (depending on how much water seemed
to be lurking in or under it), move furniture, and whatever.

3. Wait a few days for the area to dry out thoroughly and then
re-assess what repairs will be required.

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