When shopping for carpet, the following tips may be helpful for you to select the right carpet for your home and lifestyle.

Tip 1:

Is the area you want carpet for a high traffic area?  Stairways, hallways, family and living areas are usually considered high traffic areas.  Carpets you may want to consider for these areas would include: berbers, heavier frieze’s and commercial carpeting.

Tip 2:

Other factors to consider when buying carpet are children and pets.  A good stain treatment is recommended.  Color is an important factor also.  Too light of a color will show traffic patterns and soiling and will require more maintenance than darker colors.   When selecting a color, it is recommended to take samples home so you can look at them in daylight and lamplight in the evening.   Some berbers and frieze’s have flecks of other colors which will help hide soiling and wear patterns.

Tip 3:

Find a reputable carpet store to shop at.  One that has their own professional carpet installers would be the best.  When you buy from a store that has their own professional installers, if something should go wrong it will be handled in one place.  If you buy your carpet at one place and have someone else install it and something goes wrong, the store could place the blame on the installer and the installer could place the blame on the carpeting from the store you purchased it from.

Tip 4:

If on a budget, tell the salesperson what your budget is and ask to be shown the very best you can get within your budget.

Tip 5:

Remember that padding is also an important factor for your carpet purchase.  Mills are recommending a 7/16″ or 1/2″ padding for underneath most residential carpets and should be a 6-7-8lb. density.  Talk to the saleperson regarding your selection of pad.

Tip 6:

Check to see if your choice in carpeting carries a CRI label.  This assures your carpet choice is rated well within the established guidelines for the emission of volatile organic compounds that can be emitted from common household items which may affect indoor air quality.