It turns out carpets and rugs actually reduce the amount of allergens in a room, enabling fewer particles to escape in the air, and thus, improving indoor air quality. A study by an independent biomedical research group found that carpets could trap allergens, which leads to decreased airborne dust, and giving asthma and allergy sufferers a great reason to start adding the floor covering to homes and offices.
Of course, you will need to vacuum the carpet you place and not let the particles and dust settle for far too long in the floor covering. Otherwise, allergens will continue to permeate the space.
Aside from actually improving indoor air quality, carpets and rugs can enhance the beauty of your home or office; these floor coverings can reduce noise and provide sufficient cushion for falls and slips, and they can also add warmth. The key to enjoying all the benefits that carpets and rugs can offer is to pick the right ones.
After all, these added space features could be quite the expense for homeowners and businessmen. To choose appropriately would be to ensure value for money.
Think About These Things Before Buying:
1. Purpose
How is the carpet or rug going to be used? Just as an accessory or as safety feature for elderly members of the family? Knowing the carpet’s purpose and certain factors, e.g., light to heavy foot traffic, pets in home, etc., will help you pick the right type of carpet.
2. Size
Much like clothes would do to any body, ill-fitting carpets and rugs could ruin a perfectly good space. If the carpet is too massive for the scale of the room, it will end up shrinking the size of the space. Choosing the size of your carpet or rug will depend on a number of factors, not just the measurement of the room. You’ll want to consider the orientation of the space as well as the furniture.
3. Budget
Naturally, make sure you have sufficient funding to buy your preferred carpet and rug. Certain floor coverings will be far more expensive than others, even though they are smaller in size. This may be due to its construction, where the carpet or rug was made, the material, the craftsmanship, and so on.
4. Maintenance
Cleaning your carpet determines its longevity and quality. Some carpets may be easier to care for than others. Carpets made from nylon, for instance, are easier to clean than those made from wool; the natural fibre can make stain removal a bit of a task. So if you would rather not spend too much time fussing over your carpet and area rugs, choose floor coverings that are easier to maintain.
5. Overall Décor
Think about the overall décor of your space. While there might not be strict rules about what sort of style goes with rooms, it is still good to factor in interior décor so that the floor covering does not end up clashing with the space and becoming an eye sore.
What to Look for When Shopping:
· Quality
For high-traffic areas, you will want a carpet or rug that will endure and maintain its shape. Not only that, you need to know if it feels “luxurious” enough under your feet. Good quality carpet need not be pricey though but it should be constructed well and come with good cushion, which forms the foundation of the floor covering.
For residential purpose, a cushion of 7/16 inch thick and no less than ¼ inch with 6 pounds per cubic feet would be recommended. Heavy traffic areas will need thicker cushion.
· Fibre
Fibres come in synthetic and natural types, with different features. Nylon is pretty resilient as well as being easy to clean but it is the easiest to stain with usual beverage spills; polyester is soft to the touch, naturally stain resistant but it is attracted to oily soils; wool fibre is durable, enhances the warmth of any room but it does not react well to chemical cleaning products.
· Warranty
Carpets and rugs will come with warranties. Some carpets come with a lifetime warranty on pet urine stains, decade-long quality assurance warranty, and labour for any work that has to be done. Learn about the warranty that comes with your carpet or rug and be aware of limitations that make it null and void.
· Eco-Friendly
Finally, most carpets and rugs are made with eco-friendly fibres and manufactured with less energy resources and no toxins (which sometimes come with the dyeing process) at all. The “greener” the carpet the better for your home or office, and the environment.