FAQ
We invite you to browse our FAQ, many answers to common questions are available here.
Allergies
Question:
We are looking to replace our carpets with wool carpets due to allergies. Is it true that wool carpets are durable, naturally cleans the air and prevents dust mites? What are the pros and cons?
Answer:
Wool carpets are very durable although we have seen no evidence that they prevent dust mites. Pros are the longevity of the carpet and it does feel great. Cons are the cost..usually over 100.00 square yard installed, and wool carpets do pill. You may not like that appearance. Any carpet will work as a filter to collect dust which the Swedes have proven work better for allergies. Hard surface products keep the air and dust moving constantly and is worse for allergies….as proven by the Swedes.
Question:
My son is very allergic to new carpets. We are in need of getting new carpet and I was wondering if there are any brands or types of carpet that do not contain a lot of chemicals but still stand well.
Answer:
There are a few different reasons that allergies can kick into high gear during a carpet installation. Allergy problems can arise from dust, dust mites, dirt and mildew that are trapped in the backing of your existing carpet. When this carpet is removed, these things are released into the air. In terms of your new carpet, you should look for a green label on back of the carpet which says CRI. This is the Carpet and Rug Institutes seal that the carpet has passed the test for safe VOC (volatile organic compound) emission levels. VOC's can also be emitted by the seam sealer. You can ask to have a seam sealer be used that carries the same CRI green label. Now having said that, in cases of extreme allergic reaction, I would remove the child from the home for a few days during the installation process until the carpet has had a chance to air out.
Damage
Question:
What can I do to fix spots on the carpet, where bleach was dripped?
Answer:
If you have some carpet remnants available, it may be possible to do a patch. If that is not an option, there is a little trick - however, this is not a recommended method and could void any warranty that you may have left on the carpet. Find some clothing dye that is close in colour to your carpet and use that on the bleach spots.
Question:
I have managed to ruin my carpet as I spilt candle wax on it. I tried getting rid of it by using an iron and baking paper but it must have been too hot and now, on the carpet, there is this big round mark and the carpet has burnt. Should I just give up and think about getting a new carpet? Color of the carpet is beige so you can see it so clearly!
Answer:
Once the carpet has been burned, there unfortunately is not much you can do to get rid of that. Do you have any carpet remnants from the original installation available. If so, it might be possible to install a carpet patch in the affected area.
Question:
Each time that I run my vacuum with a power beater bar over seams in the Berber carpet, the power bar sometimes catches a thread in the carpet, at which time it unravels the carpet. How do I go about fixing the carpet where the beater bar has created the tear in the carpet?
Answer:
The answer to this could be relatively easy or it could be quite difficult depending on the extent of the damage. If only one loop has unravelled, I would cut the strand off at the height of your carpet. If you have really pulled it and the thread has zippered through your carpet, then you have a bigger issue that would need to be addressed by a professional. Beater bars are not recommended for Berber carpet for this exact reason - suction only with the hard surface attachment.
Question:
My toddler recently ran water in the bathroom that caused water damage on the carpet. What steps do I need to take in order to try and save my carpet. my husband has used the dri-vac several times and it feels better but there is a smell. My children have mild asthma and allergy and i am concerned, this is primarily in my bedroom on the bottom floor. This carpet is only a year old.
Answer:
More than likely your underlay is still wet. You will need to pull the carpet back in the affected area and check the condition of the underlay. The underlay may need to be replaced. If you notice that the backing of the carpet is still wet, place something underneath the carpet (ie - peices of 2x4) to allow some air circulation. The carpet can then be rekicked back into place.
Design
Question:
I plan to have laminate flooring installed in my open living room/dining room/kitchen. The only separation is a breakfast bar. I want a large area rug to place under my dining table and chairs but would it make more sense to have a neutral carpet inlay in the living room rather than pay for both the laminate floor and another large area rug in that part of the room? There is an open staircase with an oak railing to the downstairs that will be re-carpeted at the same time. Also, off of the dining area there is a short hallway leading to a bathroom on the right, laundry room on the left and door straight ahead out to the deck and pool. I would like to have a complimentary stone or tile floor laid in those areas. Is that too much going on?
Answer:
The only reason I don't like the carpet inlay is because you cant change out the rug easily and you can't adjust the location. We have done both ways. Is there to much going on? Absolutely not! Even if you would use a pattern area rug in the living room and install a neutral carpet on the steps it still would be fine.
Endurance
Question:
I understand carpets are made of different fibres, nylon, wool etc. What type of carpet do you recommend will last longest, especially in high traffic areas?
Answer:
For high traffic areas I would recommend a nylon. Nylon is very durable against wear and tear, easily died so you have a larger color selection than wool and all are stain treated. Wool is also very resilient and performs well in high traffic areas as well - its only real downfall is its stain resistance. Wool does not come with the same stain treatments as synthetic fibers and protein stains like tea and coffee are particularly difficult to remove.
Installation/Flooring
Question:
We want to replace our rug either in the fall or next spring and I wanted to know if you needed the baseboards off or on. We want to paint the house before the rug goes in and we wanted to paint the baseboards and caulk them at the same time. This means that the baseboards will not be able to come off. Can the baseboards remain on to have rug installed?
Answer:
It is best to have the baseboards off before installing the carpet. It would be ideal to do things in this order. Pick your carpet style and color and finalize that first, then pick your paint to coordinate with that. You can put on a coat or two of paint before the carpet comes and then paint the last coats on the baseboards and walls after your done. Although everyone is very careful handling the products, touching the wall lightly with the rough backing on carpet can slightly scuff the walls or baseboards so the final coats should be saved until after the carpet is in, just in case. The other factor is that your baseboards may be put on too high or too low if you do them before the carpet comes because the height can vary quite a bit depending on the products you chose, including the underlay.
Question:
Are carpet tiles a suitable application for a basement family room? We have floor heat and wonder if there are any restrictions as to what type of flooring to put down.
Answer:
Carpet tiles are not a suitable application over a radiant heated floor because they are installed with an adhesive. Over time the adhesive could dry out and cause tiles to become loose and come up. A broadloom carpet wall to wall can be installed but you want to use a low pile carpet and a thinner pad because thicker carpets and pads have higher R values for installations. You may have to keep the radiant flooring at a higher temperature to get a warm foot feel. There are several other options over radiant heated floors, just check with the manufacturers recommendations.
Question:
Please suggest a type of carpet suitable for the basement concrete floor. Also let us know the method of installing it.
Answer:
Pretty much any type of carpet would be suitable for installation over a basement concrete floor. The actual carpet you select should reflect your particular lifestyle and performance requirements. The carpet would traditionally be installed "kicked in" over under cushion - but can be glued down as well.
Question:
How can you lay carpet over hardwood floors without damaging the wood floor and keeping parts of the hardwood floors visible?
Answer:
The only way to achieve this is by laying area rugs over the hardwood. Area rugs should be laid over a special type of underlayment which will help to protect the hardwood, as well as keeping the area rug from "crawling". To "install" carpet, one would need to install smooth edge (aka: tack strips) around the perimeter of the room - which would cause damage to the hardwood.
Question:
I am updating my basement and am going to have a Berber carpet installed. My basement is dry (I've been living there 2-1/2 years) and haven't noticed any moisture. My question is should I have padding installed under the carpet or not? What are the pros and cons of having or not having pad installed?
Answer:
Just because you have never seen water in your basement does not mean you will never have water in it in the future. The padding will give you a better feel when walking on it and will help the overall wear of the carpet.
Question:
I am thinking of replacing my laminate flooring in my lounge with carpet. Do I need to remove the laminate first or can the new carpet be installed straight onto the existing laminate flooring?
Answer:
You should remove the laminate flooring and install the carpet directly on the subfloor.
Question:
We have recently installed wall-to-wall carpeting and thought it would be a good idea to place a couple of smaller carpets over the heavily-traveled areas. Unfortunately, it seems the smaller units are anxious to escape and constantly creep and curl despite numerous efforts to weigh them down.
Answer:
There is an under padding which you can get at most stores selling carpets that will hold the smaller rugs in place. It is a thin fabric-type that is sticky on both sides. It will not leave any residue, but will adhere to both the wall to wall carpeting and the smaller carpet on top. It is called "Arret - Stop".
Question:
What is the best type of carpet to use on a cement basement floor? We do not have moisture problems. Also, what type of Laminate flooring is best?
Answer:
There really is no "best carpet" to use on a cement floor. There are going to be, however, certain types of carpet that are better suited to you and your lifestyle and your expectations of your new flooring. Laminate flooring sales have been steadily increasing over the past 8 years. This means BE CAREFUL because everybody is trying to get in on this increased market share. There are some very good types of laminate available on the market (and some that I wouldn't install in my own home even if it was given to me for free). You want a laminate with a good core (is dense and has a low swell rate) / a good strong joint (uniclic is a great joining system).
Price/Quality
Question:
Can I save money by buying a less expensive carpet and putting the best cushion underneath it?
Answer:
A good cushion is critical to the carpet, but you must remember that you walk directly on the carpet so you want the carpet constructed to meet your needs and lifestyle. If you buy a cheaper carpet, you may end up with an excellent cushion but a carpet with which you are dissatisfied.
Question:
How do I choose a good quality of carpet? Is price the only way to tell that I'm getting a good quality of carpet.
Answer:
Cost is not a good way to purchase your carpet. Look for the warranty on wear (rated 1-5), good tight twist if it is a Friese at least a 50 oz, if it is a Saxony, and a Berber should have a good oz and tight loop. Is it a stain master bcf nylon, does it have R2X-this is a super stain resistant carpet. Also ensure your underlay is at least 7 lb. Do not go thicker-for example a 7 lb 3/8 or 8 lb 3/8 is very good. Thicker is not better in underlay but density is. As far as cost goes there is no doubt you will pay more for better quality but set a criteria as to what you want your carpet to stand up to…for example busy family, heavy traffic, commercial, or long lasting and inform the sales consultant what you expect for performance.
Question:
I have 85,000 square feet of retail space to recover in a nice carpet. What is available what is the cost and what kind of lifespan?
Answer:
In general terms you would have many choices for carpet. There are many qualities, colors, fibers, etc. to choose from and also will determine the prices. Commercial carpet starts at about 1.00 per sq ft for material only and goes up from there. The lifespan on commercial carpet is generally about 5 years on economical carpet and about 10 years on better quality carpet, but how much traffic, what areas it goes in, and the maintenance it receives will play are large part in its longevity.
Question:
We are about to buy new carpet. What should we look for in a good quality carpet?
Answer:
Depending on the intended use you will find a wide range of quality, pricing, and features. Everybody has their own opinions on carpet but I would sugest the following. Shop at least two, preferably three, stores and ask the salesperson for information on warranty, durability, weight, and practicality for the use you intended. Ask for any literature they may have available for general consumer information. You will get a quick educational overview to help you with this important selection. You might also try finding the Consumer Reports website on the internet and try accessing their product reports on carpet. They usually will provide a ranking by manufacturer and product line as well as make a "CR Best Buy" recommendation.
Ventilation
Question:
After buying new carpet, we were advised of the importance of ventilation. Why is this so important?
Answer:
The Environmental Protection Agency says typical airborne pollutants now run two to five times higher indoors than outside. Blame it on household chemicals, appliance vapors, and mold caused by tightly sealed homes. One culprit: combustible by-products from heaters and stoves and from poorly vented fireplaces and kerosene heaters. Mold and bacteria can cause lung problems, but bleach kills them and dehumidifiers dry them up. If you have new wood paneling, wood flooring or new carpet in your home, you need extra ventilation.
