Carpets are an excellent flooring choice for your home, especially when it comes to bedrooms or other comfort areas, such as kids’ playrooms or television rooms. In addition to creating a warm and cozy space, carpets reduce noise, add style and texture to your home, and create a healthy environment by trapping dust and increasing air quality. Carpets are low maintenance and last for many years. However, even with the best care, it is natural for carpets to show signs of deterioration. Over time, carpet fibers wear down and fall out. So how do you know when your carpets need to be replaced or simply restored by carpet experts?
Misshapen and Distortion
Due to the flexible fibers in carpets, it is normal for carpets to stretch over time. Ensuring proper carpet installation will allow for some flexibility without serious lumps or stretches. However, excessive lumping, carpet wrinkles, and stretching can be a trip hazard and lead to serious injuries, especially to those unfamiliar with your home’s floors. A consultation with a specialist can provide an accurate diagnosis of whether your carpets should be replaced or restored. Sometimes it is possible to re-align the carpets, while other times the carpet is too worn out to be repaired.
Pet Damage
Our pets’ habits can severely affect the longevity of our carpets. Cats and dogs are especially prone to scratching at the carpets, running wear-patterns into the floors, and even repeatedly urinating and defecating on the carpets. While surface pet stains may be easily removed, moisture from pet urine or vomit can seep into the carpet padding and subfloor below. In addition to potential mold and structural damage, the lingering scent will trigger behaviors in your pet, ensuring they return to the same spot, again and again, performing their undesired behavior. If this is the case in your home, it is best to replace the carpets and the carpet padding beneath the floor to eliminate the smell, preserve the subfloor, and then deter the behavior from continuing on your new carpets.
Burns and Stains
Carpet burns from cigarettes, clothing irons, flat irons, or curling irons may be patched by a professional. Similarly, stains can often be removed without long-term damage to a carpet. Professional carpet cleaners can be used to ensure your carpets are protected. Harsh chemicals used in cleaning stains may potentially to discolor or harm your carpet, so make sure to read the instructions first and test the cleaners on a small, hidden part of your carpet. This will eliminate the need to replace the entire carpet. If the stains are throughout the carpet, it may be best to replace the carpet.
Worn-Out Carpet Padding
Worn-out carpet padding is a sign that your carpet needs to be replaced. Even though your carpets may still look great on the surface, your floors will feel uncomfortable and lack a proper foundation without the carpet padding. In turn, this will lead to carpet wrinkles, creaking noises, and ultimately cause structural damage.
Water Damage
Water damage is a threat to most flooring types, especially carpets. Moisture from water damage, such as floods or plumbing issues, will cause mold growth and structural damage to your floors and subfloors. It is best to dry your carpets as quickly as possible, with the intention of replacing the affected areas.
Whether you need a professional to replace or restore your carpets, our professional team here at Hatcher’s Floors can walk you through the entire process. To schedule a consultation or receive a free estimate for your flooring projects, call 703-451-0459.
