How to Safely Buy and Protect Your Carpet

The vast array of carpeting selections on the market makes buying and installation for holiday decorating an overwhelming task. There are so many factors to consider, from texture to traffic area, not to mention how to avoid being taken to the carpet cleaners by a crooked dealer. Follow these 14 tips to safely buy and protect both your carpet and your investment. If all else fails, you might consider buying an area rug.

1. Select a Reputable Dealer
Always buy your rugs from a dealer you can trust. Check the dealer's BBB rating and any online reviews, although you should take these with a grain of salt. Are they a customer-service-oriented dealer with a special carpet section? Make sure the dealer stands behind the products they sell.

2. Keep on Looking
Don't settle on the first carpet dealer or the first carpet that attracts your attention. Look at all the different types of carpets available and ask questions about durability, cost of installation, pricing, etc.

3. Get Estimates
Since you're visiting several dealers, you'll also receive different estimates, which means several home visits to measure the space to be covered. Before you invite a carpet company to give you a quote, take a 25-foot measuring tape and measure each room yourself. Take the length and width of each room, including the closets and all hallways.

When you have a total measurement in feet for all rooms, add them together for a grand total. Divide that total by nine to get the square yards. Add one to three more square yards to your total, or whatever you feel comfortable with adding, just as a precaution. This is the maximum square yards you'll need. Use this as a standard to compare against the dealer's figure and determine if they're being honest.

4. You Get What You Pay For
Cheap carpet will typically last three to five years, while quality carpeting may have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years. While you may save money in the short term, you may want to make a larger investment if you plan on keeping the carpet for a long period of time.

5. Color and Texture
The color and texture will affect the look of the room and lighting conditions will affect the look of the carpet. If the carpeting is smooth, it'll have the velvety or plush look you want in a formal dinning room. To help a room look lighter or brighter, a more lustrous carpet fiber should be chosen. Remember an even-surfaced, luxurious carpet will show footprints and vacuum marks. If you like this look, then ask for a luster fiber.

You can get carpeting in a uneven surface where the looped pile is a bit uneven, giving it a tailored look. You can get a sculptured look by combining different piles at different heights. This look can also be duplicated by varying the color. You'll find some carpets achieve this affect by actually carving on the surface of the carpet pile.

6. Density Means Long Life
A dense carpet shows no footprints. The low, densely-packed fiber is the best for high-wear areas. Because the carpet loops are not cut, it will last longer than a carpet with cut pile. In addition, the taller the pile, the more the carpet will absorb sound. Remember, however, that high pile carpet is not necessarily good in high-traffic areas. These fibers will be trampled and become harder to clean.

7. Look Under the Carpet
Consider the under-pads available for the carpet. This is no place to skimp as the pad can improve the quality of your carpet and extend its life. Just because it's not visible doesn't mean it's not important.

8. Twist
Look at the twist in the individual yarn pieces. The number of twists affects the performance and the density of the pile; several twists typically equals a good carpet. Don't confuse density with the height of the pile, as pile height has nothing to do with performance or longevity.

Generally, the more twists in the individual yarns the more spring in the carpet. Remember, the more spring, the less any footprints will show. If you're looking for vibrant carpets, however, you'll have to forgo springiness because more vibrant carpets don't have that crimped texture.

9. Stain Protection
The carpet industry has introduced some amazing carpets with stain, soil and static protection in recent years, and they are often worth the extra cost. Most home owners only deep clean once a year so you'll want a carpet to perform well over a three-year period. See tip 13 for more about preserving your carpet.

10. Guarantee or Warranty
Find out what the guarantee is on the carpet and what the guarantee covers. Does it just replace the carpet or does it also cover installation? What will void the warranty and what is simply not included? Know before you buy.

11. Professional Install
Always ask your dealer for a professional-installation estimate. They'll either have their own crew or recommend you to someone else. If you're going out-of-house for installation, ask around for several estimates.

12. Finalizing Your Order
Once you've selected your carpet, keep the sample so when you place your order, you can check the paperwork against what you received. Make sure your paperwork also gives the total price, padding specifications, price, sales tax and installation charges. Don't hand over any money until you're completely satisfied the paperwork and product reflects everything you ordered.

13. Tips to Preserve Your Investment
    •  Rearrange your furniture, so that wear becomes better distributed.
    •  Vacuum regularly.
    •  Avoid tracking in dirt.
    •  Shampoo once a year for low-traffic areas and 2-3 times for high-traffic areas.
    •  Snip loose threads.
    •  Designate eating areas.
    •  Treat spills and stains quickly.
    •  I always make sure I have my cleaning products on hand.
    •  If you have pets, test cleaning agents in small areas before problems strike.

14. Be Prepared To Hide Future Flaws
Not every spill, tear or mess can be repaired. Area rugs, careful furniture rearrangements and subtle lighting changes can help extend the "life" of your carpeting for another few years.