Buying new carpet can be exciting, but a lot of people don’t know where to start and can often become overwhelmed by the choices. There are so many different styles and brands and it can be difficult to sort through all the information. Even when it is narrowed down to a few choices, making a final decision can be daunting. When a person knows what to look for, though, the differences between carpets becomes more clear and can change their whole perspective.
Carpet Fibers
When thinking about purchasing carpet, it’s important to know how much foot traffic is going to be coming through the area. If it is a living room, stairway, or hallway, it is important to buy durable carpet. The most durable carpet fiber for high traffic areas is nylon. As a result, these carpets have high wear and texture retention warranties. When buying carpet for a bedroom or another area of a house that is not going to be high traffic, polyester is a good choice of carpet fiber. This carpet isn’t as resilient as nylon, but since there is not as much activity in these areas, nylon carpet isn’t necessary. Porches, sun rooms, and mud rooms usually require a carpet that can be easily cleaned with a hose. A lot of mud might be brought into these rooms and it’s important to have a carpet that is going to be easy to wash off. Olefin is great for this purpose. Another benefit of olefin carpet fiber is that it resists fading from sunlight.
Stain Warranties
Another thing to consider when making a carpet purchase, is the stain resistance. Most carpets will list whether or not they have built-in stain resistance or stain resistance added. Every carpet will also have a stain warranty. The longer the stain warranty, the better. One important thing to remember about carpet stain warranties is that the company will usually only honor the warranty if there is proof of maintenance of the carpet. This typically means that the consumer has to have the carpet professionally cleaned at least once a year. Keeping proof of the maintenance and the receipt for the carpet is necessary in case a spill does occur that is difficult to remove. With most stain resistant carpet, if a liquid is spilled on it, the liquid will bead up and can easily be blotted. Most people don’t have to have a company representative come out to fix the carpet because of the built-in stain resistance. This is a very important feature to look for when buying carpet.
Carpet Styles
Carpet styles are mostly a matter of preference, but there are some things to consider when deciding. Loop carpets and pattern carpets are not recommended for pet owners. This is because pet nails can break the loops in these carpets and create pulls. Twist carpets, often referred to as shag, are very thick, plush carpets. A lot of people shy away from these because they are worried about whether or not their vacuums can handle cleaning carpeting that thick, and they also worry about whether or not footprints are going to show in the carpet. Texture carpets are the most popular carpet style because they come in a wide variety of pile thicknesses and they look the smoothest. The style of carpet comes down to a person’s preference and how they are trying to decorate the room.
Carpet purchases are difficult to make because there are so many different types. It is important to know a few guidelines before trying to buy new carpet. Picking new carpet for a home is a very big decision because it is something the person is going to have to be happy with for a long time.
