Home Design and Architecture Guide

Carpet Home Improvement

When it comes to flooring, putting carpet down can be one of the most affordable and best options available. In fact, carpeting can greatly improve the appearance of a room and increase the value of the home. By shopping around, you will be able to find some beautiful options at incredible rates.

The one thing to remember is that if you or someone in your family has respiratory problems such as asthma, hardwood or vinyl flooring would be a better option since some carpets can harbor mold and dust mites that even vacuuming could not prevent. Regardless, carpet is a great option in that it provides warmth and comfort.

When you look at various types of carpeting, keep in mind that some carpets emit vapors, which is known as out-gassing. These vapors are toxic and are what many people refer to as that �new carpet smell�. For some people, these vapors can actual be harmful. The level of vapors that a carpet emits is based on the blend of chemicals used at the carpet mill. For this reason, you might see two identical types of carpets in a store that came from the same manufacturer but because the chemical blend was different, the level of gasses is different.

Additionally, some carpet adhesives can also give out gasses. Therefore, when you shop for carpet and carpet adhesives, you can perform a quick test. Ask the company if you can have a small cut piece of carpet that just came from the roll that you are interested in buying. Take this sample home and place it in a sealed jar. Place the jar near a window where there is ample sunlight and let it set for one to two days. When you open the jar, if the �new smell� odor is strong, often smelling like paint thinner, you know that roll has the potential of giving out strong gasses that could make you ill. It is because of this that most manufacturers will recommend new carpet �rest� in an outbuilding, detached garage, or well ventilated area for a couple of days prior to installation.

You will also discover that carpeting is made from a number of different materials, each with advantages. For instance, wool is one of the top choices because it holds its shape so well. However, wool does tend to fray, is mildew prone, and costs a lot. Nylon is also a popular choice for carpeting in that it is easy to clean, strong and durable, and resists mold and mildew but like wool, it has its drawbacks. Nylon carpet is expensive. Finally, polyester and Olefin are also good choices and known for being durable and will resist mildew and staining. The one drawback is that this type of carpet tends to pile.

For the look of carpet, you will have many choices. Pile is a certain type of weave. In this category, you will find shag, plush, twist, and loop, which refers to the way in which the fibers are woven. Typically, you can tell if carpet is quality or not by how thick it is. Simply take the carpet and bend it to see how much of the carpet backing can be seen. The tighter the pile, the better quality and more durable it will be.