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Answers to My Carpet Quiz
©Alan Fletcher - Carpet
Expert and Consumer Advocate
1. Do you know which padding to use for your home? Which padding is the best
deal?
-
Rebond - Best bang for your buck! Most
common.
-
Foam - Not usually a good choice, not very dense.
-
Rubber - Too expensive! Mainly used in commercial settings.
-
Synthetic
fiber - Best for Berber styles on concrete
-
Recycled
fabrics - Best for Berber styles on wood floors
2. Here are some common features padding may have for an extra charge. Do you
know what benefits they provide? Which of these features do you think are worth
paying extra for?
-
Moisture
barrier
Does not solve the pet accident issue
-
Odor
eating This will not eliminate urine odors
-
Anti-microbial
If you have a moisture problem, fix it.
-
None of the
above - These special features are not required, make little difference, if any, and
are expensive.
-
I don’t know
3. Do you know what padding Density to choose?
-
4
pound Not dense enough, warranty void.
Used in apartments.
-
5
pound Not dense enough, warranty void.
Used in apartments.
-
6 pound Minimum density req. for most carpets, not
good for Berber Styles
-
7
pound Who makes a 7 pound pad?
Not a common Padding Density.
-
8 pound Nice upgrade for all styles, great on stairs, Req. for all Berber
Styles
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10 pound
Too dense for most homeowners. Great for stairs and main walkways.
-
Don’t know
4. Do you know what thickness of pad is required?
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¼"
Correct thickness for all Berber and commercial grade carpets
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3/8"
Used for some Berber and commercial grade carpets
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7/16"
CRI maximum thickness for residential applications
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½"
Commonly used but a bit too thick, warranty can be voided.
-
Don’t know
5. Do you know about carpet fibers? Which fiber is most resilient?
-
Nylon Best for high traffic applications, most
resilient fiber.
-
Olefin or polypropylene
Used mainly in looped Berber styles and commercial-grade carpets
-
Polyester or
P.E.T. Lowest
cost, matting and crushing a common problem.
-
Nylon / polyester blend
Upgrade: Matting and crushing problem reduced.
-
Sorona/Smartstrand A newer product, made from corn polymer. Resists stains, Cleans easily.
6. There are different ways to make carpet. Would you
rather choose a Continuous Filament Nylon fiber or go with a Nylon Staple Fiber?
A Continuous Filament is the smart way to go. Carpets
made with a staple fiber (short lengths of fiber) are prone to shedding and
fuzzing. That means you would be vacuuming up bag after bag of carpet fibers. It
is not fun, it's bad for kids and pets who may inhale the loose fibers and it makes your carpet look horrible. Shedding and fuzzing can
continue up to one year after installation.
Proper Carpet Care and Maintenance
How you care for your carpet will determine
how long it will last.
7. How many people live in your home?
8. How many days per week do you
vacuum on average?
7 & 8, Rule of thumb, vacuum as many times
per week as you have people living in your home.
9. Do you have a good vacuum with a beater bar?
10. How often do you have your carpet professionally
cleaned?
11.
Do you keep all the receipts for the professional
cleanings?
12. Do you know what the following carpet definitions / conditions
mean? Which of these conditions are covered by the
manufacturer's warranty?
NONE of the above
Even though you may or may not know what these
terms mean, in most cases, none of these common carpet problems are covered by the typical
manufacturer’s warranty. Read your carpet warranty to find out what is
covered and for how long.
13. Have you visited the website of "The Carpet and
Rug Institute"? (www.carpet-rug.org)
14. Are you familiar with the requirements set forth in
"The Carpet & Rug Institute's Standard 105 for Residential
Installation"?
15. Do you know which manufacturer's warranties apply to
your particular carpet?
Most carpet warranties are now available
online. Here is my list of carpet mill websites
16. If some of your carpet is found to be defective and
you file a valid claim with the carpet manufacturer, what do you think will
typically happen next?
-
They will refund my money 100%.
-
They will refund a percentage of my money.
-
They will replace all my carpet with another carpet
of my choice.
-
They will remove all of the old carpet and install
new carpet of the exact same type and style.
-
They will remove the defective carpet areas only and
install new carpet of the same type and style.
-
They will issue a pro-rated credit to your
retailer equal to the cost of the carpet material only, for the affected
area only. The credit is good only toward new carpet from the same
manufacturer. They will likely not pay to remove your old carpet, move your
furniture nor will they likely pay
to have your replacement carpet installed.
-
They will pay to have the carpet repaired,
if possible.
It is your responsibility to inspect the
carpet for obvious defects before the installers install it in your home. This
means you will have to ask the installers to roll it out for you to inspect
thoroughly. (in your driveway?) Once the installers cut the carpet, you will
lose your carpet defect warranty if an obvious carpet defect is found. In some
cases they will pay the installers to remove and reinstall your defective
carpet. It is unlikely they will pay to move your furniture or compensate you
for your time and trouble or time off work. There may be some difference in
color shading or texture from the old carpet to the new carpet due to dye lot
variations.
Carpet Installation
17. What is the best day to have your new carpet
delivered to your home:
-
The day it is to be installed
-
The day before - 24 hours prior, stored in a heated
area above 65 degrees, a warranty requirement.
-
The week before
-
I don’t know
18. What is the best climate to have your carpet installed
-
On a warm day with the doors open
-
On a cool day with the doors closed
-
Any day with the heater on (above 65*F)
before and during installation
-
I don’t know
19. What should do you do before the carpet installer begins to install your
new carpet?
-
Move all small breakables and valuables into a safe
and secure area
-
Make arrangements for kids and pets to be out of the
work areas
-
Check to make sure the installer will use a
power-stretcher
-
Take photographs or a video of the entire area in
case you need to prove damages in court
-
Make sure the installer has brought the right carpet
style, quality and color
-
Have the installer roll out the carpet so you can
check the carpet for obvious defects.
-
Make sure you have the original carpet sample so you
can compare it with the carpet delivered
All of the above. It pays to have your eyes and ears
open and be aware of what is going on in your home at all times.
20. What do you do after the carpet installer is finished installing your
carpet?
-
Call all your friends to come over and see the new carpet!
-
Inspect the carpet installation completely. Withhold
final payment until you are completely satisfied.
-
Pick up all the carpet scraps and vacuum the carpet well.
-
Show the installer where you want all the carpet and pad waste to go.
-
Find out how long the carpet seams will look so obvious.
The installer is to remove all scraps, haul them away,
vacuum and finish job completely before you make the final payment. Carpet seams
that look bad today, will look just as bad in a week or two. Don't let the
installer convince you that the carpet seams will look better once the carpet
has had time to settle in. Fix all problems right now, before you make final
payment or withhold until you are completely satisfied.
So how did you do?
Did you learn
something? I have made this quiz an informative aspect of my website
because I want you to learn what you need to know about buying carpet. There is
so much
more information you need to know before you spend a dime on carpet. The
important thing right now is that you do your homework before you buy
carpet. If you learned something by taking this short quiz, then it should
be a wake-up call for you. The questions on this quiz are the easy ones. It gets
harder to make the right choices and carpet scams are common.
Most people really think they know enough to buy carpet
wisely, but few really do. Some people put their trust in the hands of carpet salespeople.
This is a common mistake. I get e-mails all the time from consumers who
blindly took the advice of a salesperson only to get burned.
Carpet is a major purchase! Don't take
chances. If you make just one simple mistake in your carpet purchase, you stand
to lose hundreds of dollars or worse. You must choose a carpet that meets your needs
and lifestyle. Your home must be measured accurately, you must use
the correct pad, you must have your carpet installed correctly,
you must follow your carpet warranty requirements and you need to get a Good
deal for the whole job.
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