North Americans seem to be just as prone to replace carpets as they are to cover their floors with them in the first place. But can all those carpet replacements be justified? According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, 70 percent of carpet replacements are done for reasons other than that the carpet is beyond repair.
Carpet flooring is a huge investment as well as a major responsibility. Furthermore, it causes environmental disturbances such as the overcrowding of landfills, as mentioned by ColorYourCarpet.com.
The decision to replace or repair the carpet in your home is not a light one. The hardest part is figuring out whether an issue warrants a repair or if the carpet is history altogether. The following are examples of the most common issues carpet owners encounter along with tips on how you should deal with them.
Burn Patches and Marks
Is a cigarette burn marring the appearance of your otherwise flawless carpet? If the thought of replacing it give you an instant headache, you can take a breather. The entire carpet doesn’t need replacing in most instances of burned-in patches.
If the burn damage is a mere mark, a professional carpet cutter can do the trick by cutting out the tiny bit of carpet, making sure it doesn’t fray, and taking a bit of carpeting from an unnoticeable area to cover up the cut. the same is done in instances of much bigger burnt patches, although it’s best that you have an extra piece of identical carpet on hand to fill in the patch.
Harsh Stains
If you’ve accidentally spilled a glass of red wine on your carpet, it’s understandable that you’d like to get rid of that unsightly stain. Even more urgent is that disgusting urine stain caused by your beloved pet; after all, not only does it make the carpet look tacky but its stench is unbearable. In most cases, you don’t have to resort to replacing the carpet as a whole, no matter how much of an urge you have to do just that.
Small stains can be blotted out as long as they are new and have not set into the depth of the carpet yet. If the stains are deep and unmanageable even with these DIY tips from “This Old House,” it’s time for the professionals to come in, cut the patch with the stain out of the carpet, and then replace it with an identical piece.
Bumps and Folds
If you’ve had your carpet for years now, you might have looked down at it one day and noticed some strange bulges making a not-so-subtle appearance in more areas than one. You might have even stubbed a tow on one of them, and now you’re prompted to rip up and replace.
Not so fast. Wrinkles and waves can be made flat again by a simple restretching of the carpet. This is much more wallet-friendly and less time-consuming than a replacement. Inman News describes the equipment and the technique needed for a proper restretching, but you should always have a professional to do the deed rather than attempting it yourself.
The conclusion across the board is consistent: most carpet damage can be repaired. If the carpet is old, frayed and has seen many repairs over the years, then of course, it makes more sense to replace it entirely. Let the professionals have your carpet replaced without hassle or headache. When in doubt, push for a repair, but when you see more floor and gradually less carpet with each bit of damage, replacement is your best option.
Photo Source: courtesy of Mister GC / Free Digital Photos
