Shopping for carpet isn’t like going to the grocery store to pick up milk. This is not something you do on a regular basis; in fact, you might only shop for carpet two or three times in your life. So, it can be easy to choose carpeting based on entirely the wrong factors, or misjudge your actual needs in some area.
When you begin your carpet hunt, avoid these common mistakes…
Don’t get too hung up on numbers. When you’re shopping for an unfamiliar product, it can feel helpful to judge different options based on the numerical values assigned to them. Such is the case with face weight, or the weight of the carpet per square yard. A higher face weight indicates more yarn in the carpet, but does not account for other factors such as twist and density.
Don’t judge on appearances alone. Obviously you want beautiful carpeting for your home, and it can be difficult to spend extra money on some factor that you can’t even see. But carpet is like many other products, in the sense that much of the quality factors are seemingly invisible. For example, two mattresses could look identical, but one helps you sleep like a baby while the other helps you wake up with a sore back in the morning. Remember to choose carpeting based on more than appearances, just as you do with many other products.
Don’t skimp on the underpad. You might feel tempted to skip this step, because you can’t actually see the underpad. However, underpad will help extend the life of your carpet considerably by reducing wear and tear from foot traffic. Skimping on it would be like purchasing a new car, but then neglecting to perform regular oil changes.
Don’t choose the wrong carpet for your lifestyle. Consider factors such as the number of people in your household, kids, pets, and even your climate when choosing new carpet. Then compare your needs to features such as stain resistance, color, fade resistance, mold resistance, and so on.
Don’t try to install carpet yourself (in most cases). Carpeting is a major investment in your home. There might be cases in which installing it yourself is an acceptable risk (you’re only carpeting one large, square room, and you’re fairly handy with tools), but in most cases professional installation is the way to go. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you have to purchase the carpet again, and start all over!
Most importantly, remember that professional, experienced guidance can help you avoid most pitfalls of choosing carpet. Since this isn’t something you do every day, contact us to obtain proper measurements, advice on carpeting options, and a quote on installation. We can help guide you through the process from start to finish, so that the end result is a long-lasting, beautiful investment in your home.