In what area of your home do you see the most wear in your carpet? Typically carpet begins to show wear and traffic patterns in hallways and on stairs before other areas of the home. Concentrated traffic patterns with pivot points all add up to the carpet wearing down faster in those areas. Maintaining carpet with consistent vacuuming and proper cleaning can help restore a carpets appearance, but long term there is little that can be done to keep the carpet looking as good as it does in other parts of the home with less traffic.
Smart shoppers of today are always looking at ways to make sure they get the maximum return on their investment when purchasing floor covering. That is why pattern carpets are increasing in popularity for use on stairs. Pattern carpets or LCL (level, cut, and loop) products have always been known for their fashionable styling however they tended to be prohibitively expensive limiting purchases. That is not longer the case. You can purchase a pattern carpet for at or close to the same costs as any texture or frieze. Carpet manufactures of today have designed styles of patterns, textures, loops, and frieze carpets with the same color lines so a pattern can be picked out for the stairs while another type of carpet can be used throughout the remainder of the home.
The tight pulled down construction of a pattern carpet increases its ability to withstand the high impact of being used on stairs. Not only will a pattern carpet on your stairs help show less wear but it also makes your home fashionably distinct.
Style Trends: Stair carpet
Deceptive Floor Covering Marketing
As consumers we all, at some point, have been swayed by great marketing ideas that promote a product or service. Only to find out that when we made our purchase and it was all said and done the marketing hype did not live up to its billing. As a sign I read once accurately confessed ,”when all is said and done more is said than done.”
The floor covering industry is no exception where great marketing ideas are being employed to influence consumer’s decisions. One for example is the $99 install. This idea started at the big box stores and now trickled down to even local small time dealers that are offering $99 or less installation. I recently came across a dealer who advertised free installation with the purchase of specific products. Most consumers are smart enough to know that there is no such thing as a free lunch. When installation is offered at a significantly reduced rate the store is making up the difference in the cost of the material.
Ever notice there is the * by the offering of $99 install which of course means read the fine print because there are going to be some exceptions to the price. Typically that installation price is for basic installation only. The definition of basic installation varies but does not include such things as removal of existing carpet, the moving of furniture, tack strip, or installation on stairs. When you look at the individual cost of these particular items they are general almost double the cost of industry standards for local installation. Suddenly that presumed $99 install bid is costing a lot more.
The best thing to do is shop around getting multiple bids. Check the bottom line to ensure you are getting the best product for the price. Finally do not be swayed by marketing that is intended to do nothing more than draw you into the store.
Carpet Warranties
It is not uncommon these days to find 10, to 15, to 30 year, or even lifetime warranties on carpet. It becomes really confusing when looking at the same carpet being sold by two different companies each one offering a different warranty on the same product. How can that be? There is a sad truth behind the warranties associate with carpet. The truth is that carpet warranties are designed to limit the manufactures liability. So while they may give the customer confidence when making a carpet purchase in the end the limitations and exclusions make the promises inferred in the stated warranty ring hollow. I always tell my customers that in all the years of selling floor coverings I have never once seen a customer come back on a warranty, make a claim, and actually get the results they were expecting based on their understanding of the warranty.
For example most carpets offer a wear warranty which, when initially read, would imply that the carpet would wear better right? Wrong. Actually a wear warranty refers to the loss of fiber content. Years ago when most carpets were made of wool in areas of the home with high traffic and tight turning patterns the fiber would break and wear away to the point you would see the backing of the carpet. When synthetic fibers, like Nylon, began taking a hold in the market they offered a wear warranty guaranteeing that you would not lose fiber content because of the durable nature of the fiber it will not break and wear away. So that warranty gives the customer a feeling of comfort during the purchase but means very little.
Texture retention is the warranty that actually refers to the visual appearance of your carpet and if your carpet has this warranty it usually means it is better constructed than carpets that do not have the same warranty. Here is the catch though, if you have not had your carpets professionally cleaned every 18-24 months by a certified carpet cleaner your warranty is void. There are often other exclusions such as stairs and other areas of the home with high traffic.
Finally there are the stain and soil warranties. There are carpets currently being offered that have lifetime warranties on stains. If it sounds too good to be true than it usually is because once you read that most non food or beverages stains are excluded from this warranty the coverage you thought you might have had when you purchased your carpet is suddenly limited.
Therefore what? Should we ignore warranties altogether when purchasing carpet? No, just do not fall into the trap of using them as the guide to what carpet you purchase. If you purchase a carpet based on a warranty you will be disappointed. Rather select a good quality carpet, take good care of it once it is installed, and if you follow the manufacture’s guide on maintaining your carpet will be satisfied with the performance of your product.
Carpet Performance
Once your carpet has been installed the primary factor in determining how it will perform long term is in how the carpet is maintain. The last post focused on the selection of a proper vacuum to help maintain the appearance and performance of your carpet. Here we will talk about another important element of carpet maintenance. Professional carpet cleaning.
We are often asked if the use of a home cleaning unit is sufficient for the care of a carpet. Although home cleaning units can be very helpful in removing a spill once it has happened in order to stay within the warranty guidelines most carpet manufactures require a professional cleaning be done by a recommended cleaner at least once every 12 to 18 months.
Many people may make the mistake of waiting to have their carpets clean especially if the carpet does not appear to be dirty. Carpet cleaning not only removes soil and stains from the carpet but the temperature of the water also helps to revitalize the twist of the carpet fibers thus protecting your investment for years to come.
For a list of recommended cleaning products consult your manufactures warranty guidelines booklet provided to you at the time of your carpet purchase. You may also visit the Carpet and Rug Institute web site at http://www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/cleaning-and-maintenance/index.cfm to find useful tips on cleaning your carpet or to find a carpet cleaning professional in your area.
Remember, “The beauty and life of your carpet depends upon the care it receives”.
Vacuums
There are a lot of factors that go into a carpet’s overall long term performance and how a carpet is maintained determines in many ways how long that carpet will last. One of the most frequently asked questions from our customers is what type of vacuum should they use. There are so many makes, models, and prices ranges for vacuums it is no wonder that question so often comes up. A good quality vacuum is important to help maintain the lasting beauty of your carpet so when selecting a vacuum here is what we would recommend.
Most manufactures do not void warranty based on the type of vacuum used on their carpets. However there are a few exceptions to that rule. Several carpet manufactures will void the warranties on their carpet if a particular vacuum is used or if a vacuum is used that is not recommended by the Carpet and Rug Institute. To find a list of approved vacuums you can visit their website at www.carpet-rug.org When you get there click on Residential Customers. Once the page loads, on the left side you will find the link Cleaning & Maintenance. Under that, you’ll find the Seal of Approval (SOA) link. From there, you can do a search for vacuums that are recommended. Most manufacturers recommend but do not require that customer’s chose a vacuum from this list.
We hope this information proves useful when selecting proper methods for the long term care of your carpet.
Welcome
In today’s world of ever expanding technology which is leading to the dissemination of a wealth of information, whether accurate or not, we at Carpet Direct felt that the sharing of information regarding floor coverings would only serve to empower individuals when making important decisions regarding their flooring . It is with that that we welcome you to the Carpet Direct blog where you will find posts about flooring trends, product care, and all things flooring. We invite your comments and any inquiries regarding questions you might have related to floor coverings. We appreciate you taking time to visit our blog. Hope you enjoy!
