About Purchasing New Carpet

There are numerous variables to consider when purchasing a carpet for your home. Consider the area in which the carpet is going to be installed. Is there heavy traffic? Will food be consumed? Is the area susceptible to water damage? All these questions will impact your decision. The use of the following guidelines should help you make an informed decision on your carpet purchase:

Fiber Type

Knowing the characteristics of a fiber will influence your decision process when it comes time to purchase a carpet. Fiber types all have both positive and negative characteristics. Below is a list of the five major types of fibers and their attributes, currently being produced for wall-to-wall installation:

Fiber Type	Resiliency	Cleanability	Affinity to Oil	Stain Repellency	Price	Sun Fading

Acrylic	Modest	Good	Medium	Good	Inexpensive	No
Nylon	Excellent	Good / Excellent	Medium	Good	Moderate	Yes
Olefin	Poor	Good / Excellent	High	Excellent	Inexpensive	No
Polyester	Modest	Good / Excellent	High	Excellent	Moderate	Moderate
Wool	Excellent	Good / Excellent	Low	Good	Expensive	Yes

Face Weight

This is defined as the mass in ounces of fiber on a square foot of carpet. The higher the number, the more dense the construction of the carpet and this may increase cost significantly. Higher face weights, however, are not necessarily the most important aspect of quality carpet. An average face weight carpet, installed with a quality cushion (pad) will wear as well as an above-average face weight carpet with a low quality pad. Quality padding is absolutely necessary to prolong the life of carpet. Once the pad fails, the carpet is forced to act as the pad, causing the carpet to wear prematurely.

Installation

Proper installation is one of the most important parts of purchasing carpet. Be sure to specify the carpet installer "POWER STRETCH" the carpet. This will ensure the proper tension is applied to keep the carpet from loosening and wrinkling over time.

Warranty

As with any purchase, always have the warranty details outlined. Knowing warranty information will ensure any unforeseen problems are covered.