A carpet should last between five and fifteen years on average. The quality of the carpet and how you use it, however, have a significant impact on how long it will last. A high-quality carpet can last 20 years or longer with the right maintenance.
The carpets with the longest lifespans are those made of wool or nylon. Carpets made of polyester and polypropylene (olefin) are less expensive, but they won’t last as long. Benefits can be found in every material. But nylon and wool are without a doubt the best options if you want a carpet that will last as long as possible.
When To Replace A Carpet
Determining when to replace your carpet can be difficult. Carpets never experience a breakdown that necessitates repair, unlike an appliance or a car. Instead of doing so for practical reasons, most people choose to replace their carpets with aesthetic ones. So let’s talk about some of the most typical types of wear and tear that you should be aware of.
Matting
One of the best things about carpet floors is the way it feels under your feet: soft. All carpets will eventually experience some matting. They become less cozy to sit or stand on due to the carpet’s flattening.
Matting affects high-traffic areas of the carpet more than less-used ones. However, over time, all carpets will begin to mat, at least somewhat. Carpet cleaning can lessen the severity, but matting is a long-lasting process. As a result, you should start considering carpet replacement as soon as you start to notice it.
Smells & Stains
In addition to giving a room a plush feel, carpets can improve its aesthetic appeal. However, if stains begin to blotch your carpet, it no longer serves as a design feature but rather as an eyesore. An otherwise good carpet does not need to be replaced because of a single stain. However, every stain adds more weight in favor of replacement.
On the other hand, stains that come with a bad smell are a much better justification for replacing your carpet. One of the most frequent reasons for a smelly carpet is pet poop. Simple carpet cleaners from the store should be able to get rid of the smell left behind by Fido’s accident if it is discovered in time. In the absence of that, hiring a pro carpet cleaner usually works.
The smell, however, frequently lingers even after expert cleanings if your pet has a habit of peeing on the carpet. You might not need to replace the carpet right away, depending on how strong the smell is. However, every mishap will only make the situation worse. And you might want to think about other flooring options entirely if your pet won’t find a better bathroom on his or her own.
Water Damage
Carpets that have been wet usually smell moldy and mildewed. As a general rule, if your carpet is only 3 to 5 years old and gets wet, call in the experts to give it a good cleaning. They frequently have the power to perform miracles and restore relatively new carpets to like-new condition. However, if your carpet survives a flood but is already displaying other signs of wear, it should probably be replaced.
Fraying, Snags, & Holes
Fraying carpet fibers, carpet snags, and carpet holes are primarily aesthetic problems. The carpet’s functionality, though, may also be impacted by them. When left exposed, carpet snags can turn into holes. Additionally, holes make the carpet padding or the floor underneath it visible, increasing the risk that one or both will be damaged.
Fraying carpets won’t restrict how you use the carpet; instead, they’ll just get worse over time. If you think the carpet needs to be replaced, you’ll have to make that decision for yourself.
Fading Colors
Color fading in carpets is caused by both sunlight and foot traffic. Fortunately, these problems are merely aesthetic and don’t call for immediate attention. However, the matting is also much more likely to affect carpets that have already begun to fade from foot traffic.
How to Make Your Carpet Last Longer
A high-quality carpet can last up to 20 years with proper care! Here are some tips for proper carpet care:
Clean Your Carpets Regularly
At the very least once per week, vacuum your carpets to get rid of dust and debris and lift the fibers to avoid matting. Additionally, we advise deep steam cleaning every 12 to 18 months. Professional cleaners or high-quality cleaning agents like Rug Doctor can remove bacteria and buildup from your carpets as well as remove even the most difficult stains (or at least lessen their appearance).
Use Entrance Mats
Doorways frequently receive heavy foot traffic and are easily clogged with dirt and debris. An easy way to prevent your carpet from wearing out too quickly is to use a washable doormat.
Make Sure Your Carpets Are Installed Properly In The First Place
Your carpet’s lifespan will be significantly shortened by improper installation or underlay. Use a trustworthy flooring company, please!
Tips To Choose Carpet
Consider The Padding
The padding won’t be visible once the carpet is installed, but that doesn’t mean you should cut corners to reduce the cost of carpet installation. The padding layer is crucial for support and cushioning, and it also evens out any subfloor irregularities, insulates the floor, and serves as a sound barrier.
Your carpet will last longer if you choose the right padding because it keeps the carpet’s fibers from deteriorating over time. While rooms with little traffic might need less protection, high-traffic areas require firm, dense padding.
Pick The Right Styles
The ideal carpet styles for your home depend on your lifestyle. Your ability to choose the right carpet style will also affect how long it lasts. There are numerous carpeting designs, including Saxony, Plush, Berber, Frieze, and Textured. These phrases describe the surface pile of the carpet, which is made up of looped yarn tufts.
Consider how the carpet will fit into your lifestyle in addition to how it will look and complement the interior design of your home as a whole. For instance, plush carpet is incredibly soft, but it frequently shows the effects of vacuuming, so you shouldn’t use it in high-traffic areas. However, you can use it in the family room.
If you have both pets and children, a durable, textured loop pile or hard-twist cut would be ideal. If you enjoy different design aesthetics, combining cut and loop piles in contrasting textures can give your home a contemporary appearance. A mix of light and dark patterns will also make it less obvious if there are footprints.
Anticipate Fading
After installation, the carpet will start to fade, so you’ll notice that it gets lighter over time. Whatever color you choose, it will fade, so you might want to pick a carpet that is about two shades darker than you had originally intended.
Treat The Stairs With Extra Care
Your stairs’ carpet needs to be curved over the edges of each step. A cut-pile carpet performs better than a loop-pile because it will see more traffic and endure more wear.
You might want to take your carpeted stairs’ density into account. One simple trick is to insert your fingers deeply into the sample for testing; if the fiber can be easily separated from the backing and you can feel or see it, it probably isn’t dense enough for the stairs. The durability of wool carpet makes it the perfect choice for stairs, but it is expensive.
Consider Green And Recycled Materials
Particularly for people with asthma and allergies, carpet, padding, and adhesive can have a significant negative impact on our environment and health. Choosing a carpet made of natural or organic materials, such as non-synthetic latex, untreated wool, camel hair felt, or those without chemical dyes is the best way to safeguard your family.
Inquire about the percentage of recycled content when purchasing a carpet if you have the option to select one made from recycled materials. Since producers don’t use pesticides or fertilizers to create them, carpet made from the renewable fiber is typically the most environmentally friendly. So, look for bamboo, cotton, sisal, seagrass, coir, jute, or organic wool.
The Conclusion
How long does a carpet last, then? It depends on the type and style of carpet you choose for the various rooms in your home, as well as the carpet’s material. The longevity of a carpet is also influenced by how well you look after it over time. Additionally, to protect the environment and the health of your family, choose renewable carpet materials if you are committed to living sustainably.