How To Choose The Best Carpet For Your Home

How to choose the best carpet for your home, you have many things to consider and many different options to weigh as well. Carpets come in many different colors and styles, textures and fibers, and there are many different qualities to choose from as well.

The two most popular choices of carpet today are the loop pile and cut pile. Loop pile has individual strands of yarn pulled through the backing of the carpet twice, which creates a small loop.

The cut pile has the loop cut at the top, leaving tufts of yarn that stand straight up. Cut pile is normally more durable than looped pile. Cut piles come in many styles, such as shag, textured, saxony, and velvet. Loop pile choices include berber, cable, or sisal. For high traffic areas, loop pile is an excellent choice.

One of the factors with choosing your carpet is the cost. Even though there is nothing more luxurious than having wool carpeting in your home, most of us can't afford wool. If you are able to afford wool carpeting you'll find that even though it costs more to install, it will prove to be far more superior than any other type of carpeting. There is no man made carpet fiber that come close to the durability, rich look, or even the feel of wool - which can also
last for 30 years or more.

Acrylic carpeting is very similar to wool, and sometimes referred to as man made wool. It is
resistant to moisture, fading, mildew, crushing, and staining, although it isn't recommended for high traffic areas.

Nylon carpeting is also popular, as it is recommended for high traffic areas. Nylon is one of the most expensive types of synthetic fibers, although it is still cheaper than wool.

Olefin is a low cost carpet material, often used for indoor or outdoor carpeting. Olefin is colorfast and strong, very easy to clean. One of the draw backs to olefin is that it can easily be crushed.

Another consideration you'll have is the color and patterns of the carpet. Light carpeting colors help to create a spacious effect, making the room appear to be larger. Light color carpets will of course, show much more soil than dark colors.

If you have pets around the house or little kids, dark colors may be your best bet. There are many different varieties of dark colors, which is great for those interested in style. Dark colors are ideal for stains or pets, as they don't show soiled areas near as much as light colored carpets.

If you end up selecting light colors around pets or little kids, you'll find yourself having to work twice as hard to make stains less noticeable. It would be easier and also smarter to select a dark color and make it easier on yourself.

Here you must know benefits of carpet

In the past and even today, carpet is very popular with home owners all across the U.S.  Carpet is the most practical, fashionable, and versatile choice of flooring out there, as it also accounts for more than half of all flooring purchases that are made each and every year.  The fact is, carpet has outsold every other type of flooring for more than 60 years.

Carpet offers you several advantages that other flooring options can't compete with.  Below, you

will find many of the features that carpet will add to your home.

Warmth

Carpet is the best choice you can make for your bedroom, family room, and other areas where you 

need warmth underfoot.  

Insulation

Both carpet and carpet padding will provide an extra layer of much needed insulation between the floors of your home.  Depending on the density and weight of the carpet, it contributes to the R-value of your home, which adds to the energy efficiency as well.

Safety

Carpet offers a slip resistant surface that will prevent accidents along with a natural cushion

in the event of someone falling.  For young children and the elderly, this is very important.

Reduction in sound

Carpet will also reduce noise better than any other type of flooring.  Carpet works to dampen

noise in three ways:

1.  Reduces surface noise from foot traffic

2.  Absorbs airborne sound

3.  Blocks transmission of sound 

These qualities are valuable in apartments as wellas semi-detached homes.

Surface

Adding carpet to a room can also disguise any existing damage to the floor and also hide any

other problems such as warped floors.  The thicker density the carpet is, the more problems it will be able to hide.

Easy to care for

The carpets of today are more stain resistant than they have ever been in the past, which makes

cleaning even the worst possible spills easier than ever.  No matter type of spill it may be,

there is always a way to clean it up.  

Clean air

Research has proven that carpet can indeed improve the quality of air by trapping allergy causing dust and allergens if it is properly cleaned and maintained.  

Variety of use

Carpets aren't only for floors anymore, which is a really great thing.  You can easily add carpet to steps, stairs, walls, posts, and other non level surfaces, without having to worry about it slipping, lifting, or buckling.

Flexibility

Carpet is the primary foundation in almost any room.  Because it is available in a variety of

different colors and textures, it helps to create an unlimited number of possibilities for

decorating.  From the neutral tones to rich solids, carpet is the first step you can take

to make your home look better than ever.

Low cost

Carpet doesn't cost a lot of money, as it offers an economical alternative to the other types of

expensive flooring.  Even with professional installation, you won't pay near as much as you

would for hard surfaces.  Unlike hard surfaces, carpet can keep you comfortable if you decide

to lay down on it.

Life span

The carpets of today are very durable and can outlast most other types of flooring available on

the market.  All you have to do is select a type of carpet that has a life span of 5 - 30 years or more, which is very common now days.

Warranty

With most manufacturers, you can get great warranties with your carpet purchase.  This way,

you'll be protected when you install your new carpet.  Once installed, all you have to do is

enjoy it - as the warranty will ensure that you are very well protected.

Easy and simple installing your carpet

A majority of how your interior looks and feels will depend on your floors.  Houses that have carpet give off an undeniable warmth, vibrancy, and an aesthetic appeal.  There is a wide range of colors, textures, materials, and designs available that can transform your home and give every room a chance to be unique.  Your carpet installation has a long term perspective, so it's important that you select the best one for your needs and install it right the

first time.

Once you have picked out your material and design, you'll need to it install it.  Professional carpet installers can do the job for you, or you can choose to do it yourself.  Even though doing it yourself is cheaper than hiring a professional, it isn't recommended if you don't have the right tools, lack time, or have no experience.

A great way to ensure a professional installation of your carpet is to buy from an authorized carpet retailer or dealer.  Most of the time, your carpet retailer will have an installation staff that is very experienced with installing carpet.

If the retailer doesn't offer an installation service, they can still guide you to a reputable

and experienced installer.  Even though installation by a retailer is a bit more expensive, it offers several advantages.  The experience will show in their work and you'll come out better in the long run.  You can also approach them if you aren't satisfied with anything they have done.

However, if you are looking for low budget carpet installation services, you'll also have the option of hiring independent contractors, architects, builders, or interior designers.  You should always remember to get their references and inquire about their experience, where they received their training, and any certification they may have.

You can also visit homes that the installer has previously worked on, as this will give you an

idea of their work before you hire them.  If it isn't possible, you should at least make it a 

point to see some pictures of their work.

Even though private contractors may offer a lower rate for carpet installation than your retailer, the services of post installation may be very poor.  If you encounter a problem, you'll find that your options are limited.  No matter what happens, if you choose an independent carpet installer, you should always make sure that the installer follows the standard for installation of residential carpet CRI 105.

Choosing the right installer for your carpet will entirely depend on your specific needs.  If you like to change your carpet type every few years, you may be better off to choose an independent carpet installer.  If you want carpet that will last for a long time, you should get a follow up from a retailer, as this will ensure that you have a trouble free experience with installation.

No matter who you choose, you should ensure prior to installation the carpet is power stretched

so wrinkling and rippling will be minimized. It is also important that your rooms are 

measured before laying any of them and the sub floor has been cleaned.  

You should also vacuum the old carpet good before it is removed, to help eliminate dust.  Once

the new carpet is down, the edges should be trimmed and sealed with hardwood.  You should

always inspect the carpet, and make sure that nothing looks out of the ordinary and that

everything pleases you before you finish the deal.

You should always keep in mind that no matter how expensive or exotic your carpets may be, it

is the installation process that makes or breaks the look of your home.  Therefore, it pays off

to invest a bit of time, money, and effort when you choose the right installer for your carpet.

Carpet Cleaning

Although vacuum cleaning can remove a majority of the dry soil, it is also necessary to clean your carpet on a frequent basis to remove the oily, sticky soil that builds up in the pile as a result of odors and dirt that is tracked in from outside.  

If you can clean the carpet before it becomes too bad, the cleaning chore will be easier to do and a lot more successful.  There is a myth that is totally false, which states that cleaning the carpet before it is necessary will get it dirtier faster.  The carpet with the typical household should be cleaned every 12 - 18 months depending on the number of people living there and the amount of traffic that walks on the carpet.

The choice of the right vacuum is important as well.  There are some vacuums that will leave 

residues behind, which will promote re-soiling and basically defeat the whole purpose of household cleaning.  

Professional carpet cleaners

It is in your best interest to use professional cleaners simply because their experience will enable them to do a much better job than you can do yourself. The equipment they use has more extraction power than the units available to you, and the carpet will dry faster as well.  They know the cleaning agents to use, and they know the differences in

carpet construction and fibers.

Doing it yourself

If you have made the decision to rent a steam cleaning machine and do the job yourself, you 

should check on several systems before you make a selection.  Most of the units available for rent don't clean well enough and may end up damaging your carpet.  Therefore, you should always consider the following:

• Several rental companies offer cleaning equipment that is similar to what the professionals use.  The equipment should have enough vacuum power to allow the carpet to dry within 12 hours of cleaning.  You should always avoid rental units found in retail and grocery stores that don't have the power to extract the cleaning solution from the carpet fast enough, as it can actually damage the carpet due to over wetting.
• Make sure you avoid over wetting the carpet.  Any prolonged dampness can lead to mildew growth and bacteria in the carpet, or cause a seperation of the backing.  A wet carpet that stays this way for longer than 24 hours can develop problems.  You can control this by using proper equipment and the right training.
• Carpets that have stain resistant  treatments have to be cleaned with products that are formulated for this very purpose, or the stain resistance will be impaired and the warranty will be voided.  Never use cleaning or spotting solutions that contain bleaches as they can mess up the color of the carpet.
• Never use any silicone based treatments on the carpet.  
• You can help to reduce the drying time by using several fans to move the air around the carpet.  You can use a dehumidifier as well, as it will pull moisture from the air.  

Hot water extraction

The hot water extraction system is highly recommended, as it considered to be one of the best methods for carpet cleaning.  Also known as steam cleaning, the process consists of spraying a mixture of water and detergent into the pile and recovering the water and soil with a powerful vacuum that puts it into a holding tank.  You can use a truck mounted unit or a portable self contained unit as well.  This method is easily one of the best, and is ideal for soiled carpets or pet stains that you have yet to get out of the fibers.

Cheers.

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