Carpeting, most of us have it somewhere in our homes, but it seems that without proper care we may be putting our health and the health of our loved ones at risk. According to an article by Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men’s Health titled “The 5 Germiest Places in a Bachelor Pad” carpet made the list, here’s what they had to say about it.

“Tierno’s (Philip Tierno Jr., Ph.D., a microbiologist and immunologist at New York University Langone Medical Center and the author of The Secret Life of Germs) research indicates that your carpet probably contains about 200,000 bacteria per square inch, making it 4,000 times dirtier than your toilet seat. "Rugs are botanical and zoological parks," says Tierno, who adds that hundreds of thousands of different types of species live there. These invasions occur because the average person sheds about 1.5 million skin cells every hour; these skin cells hit the rug and serve as food for germs. Add in food particles, pollen, and pet dander, and you have a gratis buffet, he says. And since a vacuum cleaner's suction and rotating beater brush don't usually reach the bottom of the carpet, you're bound to have communities of E. coli, salmonella, staphylococcus, and other bacteria down there. Every time you walk or roll around on your carpet, you disrupt the bacteria, bringing some closer to the surface, Gerba says. (Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona and one of the country’s foremost experts on germs)”

“Your cleanup: Hire a company to do a deep steam-cleaning at least once a year, and consider covering high-traffic areas with machine-washable area rugs.”

This is sound advice and most all carpet manufacturers require routine professional cleaning as a condition of their warranty.

We also recommend that customers use an upgraded stain block carpet cushion (commonly called carpet pad) as this keeps any spills from being absorbed by the cushion or pad, the cushion will not hold the spill like a dirty sponge thus not allowing germs to incubate under the carpet.

Be sure to check out the carpet care tips in the Resource Guide section of our web site.

If carpet floors are what you want installed in your home then you should be familiar with the ratings and terms that are assigned to carpets that are designed for residential use.

 These ratings provide you with some very valuable information about each and every carpet you might be considering adding to the rooms in your home. With plush carpet floors can assume new depth and life while providing your feet with thick, soft comfort. In some situations plush carpets may not be your best choice, especially in rooms where the foot traffic is considerably heavier. If you understand the basic facts about the different carpet choices it will make it much easier to make a wise choice about which carpeting is best suited for each area of your home.

The carpet scale has numerical ratings ranging from 1-5. These numbers provide you with information concerning the amount of wear that each carpets can withstand in a residential setting.

Any carpet rated as a 5 indicates that the carpet material will still look like new even after long periods of normal wear and use.  If you see a rating of 4 or higher it means that these types of carpets can hold up to heavy foot traffic. A carpet rated 4-5 will be a great choice for any room that is subjected to a lot of activity such as a playroom or family room.

Carpets that can be placed in most rooms in your home should at least be rated 2.5-4.0 which means that they can withstand normal amounts of use and foot traffic. If you are going to keep these floor coverings well maintained and regularly cleaned they will provide you with several years of use.

Any carpet that is rated lower than 2.5 on the rating scale is not suitable for heavy traffic areas in your home. These are only to be used in a bedroom or a room that sees very light use over extended periods of time.

Higher density is what you want in a plush carpet that gives you luxury and comfort. The density number tells you about the fibers that are wound together to create the carpet. The tighter the winding of the yarn fibers the higher the density will be.

Face weight is a term that may or may not be readily available on carpet labels. This gives you information concerning how much yarn is used in each square yard of carpeting. When it involves carpets floors will be the proving ground and this is why you need to check out as many of the information features as possible.

The twist in a carpet is related to how many times the individual strands of carpet fiber are twisted in each 1 "piece of yarn. This ‘twisting' feature is responsible for the appearance and the texture found in quality cut-pile carpet fabrics.

Owning a rental property is a big responsibility when it comes to keeping the place in livable condition for your renters. When someone moves out chances are that you will have to replace or update the flooring in the rental in order to get top dollar for the place when you rent it out again. The best way to take care of this situation is to use laminate flooring, or even carpet.

Carpet

Carpet is one of the least expensive flooring options to use in rental properties. You can find great deals on low end carpet, and you can usually install it pretty quickly. Low end carpet will cost you anywhere for less than $5 per yard and even less if you have the time to do some research. Cheap padding will cost you an additional $2- $3 per yard so you are looking at about $6 or $7 a yard for the entire setup. While carpet is one of the more inexpensive flooring on the market, it won't hold up as long as other options such as laminate flooring.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring can be affordable and durable which makes it perfect for a rental property. This kind of flooring holds up well to accidents, scratches, scuffs and stains. Low end options can be almost as affordable as carpeting and it will last a lot longer so it's probably your best bet if you have a little more money to invest. Because laminate flooring does not do well with moisture or water, it's not a good idea to use it in kitchen or bathroom areas. All in all laminate flooring can be had for as little as $7 a yard.

When considering carpet flooring, the decision of what to buy often is a result of personal taste and money. There are several other things to consider, though, particularly the type of fiber and qualities that are found in each, and the construction of the carpet.

Wool

Wool carpet flooring has been in existence for over 5,000 years, and seems to last forever. Heavy traffic can wear them down, and they are easier to stain. People with wool carpets often have area rugs and runners to protect the most heavily-used carpet areas. A soft, comfortable carpet fiber, wool is extremely expensive.

Polypropylene

Carpet flooring returned to its glory with the advent of polypropylene fibers. Also called Olefin, its color doesn't fade. This makes it ideal for areas that receive a lot of direct sunlight. Olefin does not absorb water. Instead of dyeing to achieve color, pigment is built into the fiber while it is created. It is mildew resistant. A downside is that is does not have the resiliency seen in other carpet flooring. As a rule of thumb, that problem is resolved by making it a loop pile carpet.

Nylon

Nylon is one of the better-known synthetic fibers, and the most expensive. It's excellent for both loop and cut pile carpet flooring, and accepts dyes readily. Its versatility compensates for the lack of stain resistance. Nylon is usually treated with a stain-resistant formula. Nylon is constantly improved. The flexible, long-lasting nylon fiber is now softer.

Polyester

No manmade fiber compares to polyester for softness, stain and fade resistance, and color. Construction is the key to exceptional carpet flooring with polyester. It is less expensive than nylon and available in cut pile carpet.

Blends

Scientists continue to work with fibers, blending the best features to achieve softness, stain, and fade resistance.

When looking for ways to save on energy and enhance the value of your home, perhaps you have wondered if carpet can actually save you money on your energy bill. The answer is a resounding yes. Carpet flooring is a natural insulation, that provides the needed warmth in the cooler month.

The R-Value (which refers to the thermal resistance) is the factor that affects the overall effectiveness. Homes that have wall-to-wall carpet have the highest R-value, which saves you money.

Sophisticated tests from Johns Manville Thermal labs have explored this option in multiple settings. The carpet was tested based on the carpet’s construction, with and without padding. These results were compared to ceramic tile, hardwood and laminate. Results proved that the carpet is warmer! The better the construction of the carpet, combined with cushion, maximized the R-value. The carpet ranged from 3 to 17 times the R-value of the other flooring surfaces.

This demonstrates the effectiveness in using carpeting as insulation as opposed to hard surface flooring. There is no way to predict exactly what the savings will be. There are things that will affect these savings, such as:

* Floor construction.

* Local Energy Costs

* Climate

* Quality of Carpet/Pad

The colder regions of the country would be the biggest beneficiaries of carpeting.

Not only does carpet help lower energy costs, but it feels warmer as well. It helps maintain the body heat, instead of taking heat away from the body.

The best part of carpet flooring? It just looks nice and feels great on bare feet. That is a great combination when designing your new home or refreshing your current.

Although carpets have been used for a long time, they are still very popular. The main types of carpets are woven, flat weave, tufted, knotted, and needlefelt. They are available in rolls, rugs or tiles. Carpets are made of various materials, but nowadays, most are made of synthetic materials such as nylon, polypropylene, and polyester. Sometimes, a carpet can also be made of wool that is blended with other synthetic materials.

For domestic use, tufted carpets are usually used. A tufted carpet has an initial backing, where the pile is threaded through it. Then, the backing is put together with another backing using a weaving technique called the hessian weave. Glue can also be used.

Woven carpets are made on looms, just like making cloth. They can have a plush or a cut pile. Woven carpets are more expensive than other types of carpets because the weaving technique takes up more time than other techniques. In making woven carpets, the yarn loops that make the surface of the carpet can be cut or uncut. When making plush carpets, the loops are cut, leaving a smooth surface. When the yarn loops are not cut, it is called berber.

Flatweave technique makes very sturdy carpets. The weft and warp threads interlock, making the carpet strong and very durable. It is one of the earliest technique used in carpeting, and it is still used in manufacturing industrial carpets and making hand-crafted carpets from Kashmir and China.

Needlefelt carpets are used in commercial buildings like hotels and offices. It is often used in busy, high traffic area, since it is highly durable and long lasting. Needlefelt carpets are also used in carpet tiles that are appearing more often in homes.

Even though there are many other types of flooring such as ceramic tiles and laminated wood, carpets make excellent flooring choice because they provide heat insulation. They are great for cold basement floors and floors that do not have heating under the crawl area.

Many homes are beautifully decorated with carpet flooring. While the process might seem extremely easy, it is important that you note there are some factors you should take into consideration when purchasing any type of carpet.

To begin with, color is an essential part of the process. When you are looking at carpet flooring, consider the other colors you will be using in the room. If any are set to clash, consider a different flooring option instead.  With this in mind, realize that lighter colors will also make a small room look larger. If you have limited spacing in a room, this is often the best direction to go. While darker colors will give you a relaxed and cozier feeling as they make the room appear smaller.

It is important that while you are doing this process, you never exact match your furniture color to your carpet color. Instead, pick colors that complement each other for effective results.  With this in mind, also be sure your lighting casts well on the entire setup you have and that light has the ability to draw in your colors as well.

Another thing about colors is they bring in the feeling they have based on Mother Nature. For example, a warm room will have reds and yellows for their carpet flooring. While a cooler room would make use of blues and greens instead.  But don't think you are going to get past this problem with beige. The carpet flooring mixture for this contains red, yellow and blue. This means the shade can vary considerably, and should be noted in the decorating process.

No matter what direction you go in, keep one thing in mind. While your carpet floor will hold a majority of the feeling of your room, accents will play a vital role as well. This means, you should keep your accent pieces in mind during this process as well.

Maintaining carpet flooring can be difficult for dog and cat owners. Sharp pet nails can get snagged into the carpet while fur and dander can get trapped within the carpet fibers. Not to mention the possible stains and smells that can linger if a pet has an accident on the carpet. So what is a pet owner to do? Is it actually possible to enjoy the stylistic benefits of a carpeted floor? Not to mention the luxurious look, feel and warmth? Yes, it is possible to enjoy carpeting by choosing pet friendly carpeting.

A major problem with carpeting is the ability of a pets nails to get snagged in the piles, causing visible little tufts to get spread all over or even damaging the animal's nail. To prevent this from occurring, look for carpets that are tightly piled, dogs and cats will have trouble snagging their nails in this type of carpeting and the dense material will hold up well to active pets.

The differences between synthetic and natural fibers are also important to consider when it comes to handling pet stains. To provide protection, look for carpet flooring that is stain resistant. Wool, for instance, is a natural fiber popular for pet homes because the material naturally resists stains and is very durable.  Not all natural fibers, however, perform like wool and in many instances; synthetic carpet flooring may be the more appropriate option. Often, synthetic carpets contain chemicals that work to provide some resistance to staining and will usually not wear off. As all pet owners know, accidents will eventually happen, so to protect the carpet and the floor beneath, pet owners should also look for carpeting with a moisture resistant backing.

To get the right pet friendly carpet, pet owners should consider the specific needs of their home and pets. For instance, getting a carpet with the same color range as the pet's hair can help better disguise it in between vacuuming. Let us help consult with you on choosing the best carpet for your home and your needs.