Buy The Right Carpeting For Your Needs
You see carpet sales advertised all the time. How can you tell a bargain from a rip-off? How can you know what kind of carpeting to choose?
Begin with a dealer whose advice you can trust (perhaps someone you've heard about from a satisfied friend). In general, expect to pay at least $20 per square yard (including padding and installation) for good carpeting.
Besides size and color, consider:
1. Wearability: Heavier carpets and those with denser, shorter naps wear longer and should be used where traffic is heavy--hallways, family room, stairs.
2. Fibers: You're likely to find:
- Wool--soft; looks rich; wears and cleans well; more expensive than other options
- Nylon--cleans well, resisting water-soluble stains and, with new treatments many other spills
- Polyester--similar to but bulkier than nylon
- Polypropylene--resists moisture and mildew; wears well in playrooms, kitchens and outdoors
3. Quality: Bend the carpet to see how dense the fiber tufts are and how much backing you can see between tufts. The harder it is to see the backing, the better quality the carpet is--and the longer it will last.
4. Warranty: How long does the manufacturer back the carpet and for what types of problems? Does the warranty only cover manufacturer's defects or does it extend to wear? Usually, the longer the warranty, the better the carpet-but be sure to ask for and read the fine print.
