Complete flooring information and inspections

I have written a complete user-friendly guide for people considering buying new carpet for their home.  I do not endorse any manufacturer, and as stated in the foreword reprinted below, the book is about everything other than brand names/etc.  Avoid a costly headache by knowing what warranties really mean, installation no-no's, and the pros and cons of different types of carpet fiber and construction.  To instantly download this 43 page booklet, entitled "Carpet Buying Secrets", click HERE.  You too can become a carpet buying expert in 90 minutes (or less).  The book is $15 and is a great investment before spending several thousand dollars on new carpet.

Introduction to

"Carpet Buying Secrets:

Let’s suppose you want to buy a shiny brand new washing machine.  I know, this book is supposed to be about carpet, but track with me for a moment.  Suppose you want to buy a new washing machine, but you want to be sure to get the best product for your particular situation.  And suppose you really don’t know anything about washing machines.  Of the following, whom would you trust most to give you the most valuable and correct information; 1) a washing machine salesman,  2) your friendly neighbor,  3) your brother-in-law; or 4) a washing machine repairman.?  You’re right!  The repairman, of course.  Why?  Because they will tell you flat out what is good and what’s not.  The washing machines may look pretty on the showroom floor, but the repairman knows what they are like after 1, 2, or 10 years of use.  That’s where we get back to the subject of carpet.  I am like a carpet “repairman”. 

 I have been a professional carpet cleaner for 25 years, a certified Senior Carpet Inspector for the carpet manufacturers since 1991, and have been actively researching all I can about this subject most of my adult life.  I know how different types of carpet perform, and how they look after 5, 10, or 20 years of use.  Even my own home is a great research laboratory….  My wife and I have raised (and are still raising) 9 children, multiple dogs/cats, 3 goldfish, and a rabbit.  I’ve taken all this information and boiled it down into simple, easy-to-read language for you.  Why?  As I have been doing my flooring inspections (which not only includes carpet, but laminates, hardwood and vinyl as well), I find that a consumer will often depend on the carpet salesperson to know what is best for them.  With all due respect to the carpet retailers, I am amazed at how many of them don’t know the first thing about carpet construction/characteristics, how different types of carpet will perform in YOUR home and in your environment. After reading this guide, you’ll know everything you need to in order to make a wise buying decision that YOU will be happy with.  Let me illustrate with the following true stories….

A couple in Kennewick, WA entered a carpet store to purchase carpet.  The husband, confined to a motorized wheelchair, came into the store with it.  They told the salesperson they needed a carpet that would stand up to the use of the wheel chair, and they wanted to know what carpet would be the best.  They ended up buying a 95% polyester/5% nylon looped berber style carpet, with a ½” 3lb. bonded urethane pad.  When I came to inspect this carpet a few months later, there were ruts in the traffic areas where the wheels of the wheelchair traveled.

Second story:  a woman in Yakima had purchased $50/yard wool carpet for her family’s entire home, which was in excess of 5,000 square feet.  After about a year’s use, I was called to look at the carpet.  It now had fuzzy areas over all the main areas that stopped within an inch of the walls.  There were also 2” lines as wide as her vacuum cleaner in various places where the carpet was fuzzed even more. 

In both of these cases, if they’d read this book first, THESE THINGS WOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED! (You will discover the reasons for these mistakes in later chapters).   By the time you finish reading this information, you will be safe from making mistakes like this, regardless of the information you may or may not get from the carpet salesperson.  Or from your research.  Or even from your “expert” brother-in-law (yes, I have one also).  I know this book will be of great value to you.

Here is an excerpt from the chapter titled

 "Installation-This is Critical!"

"...Here’s the main point: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE INSTALLER SHOW YOU WHERE THE SEAMS WILL BE PLACED BEFORE THE CARPET IS INSTALLED.  This aspect is so critical.  If you don’t like the placement, ask the installer about options in context with your preferences.  Sometimes a few seams can be eliminated by buying a few more yards of carpet, and it may be worth it to you.  The important thing is to discuss this with the installer before it’s too late!  Also, with some types of patterned carpet, buying extra yardage of carpet may be necessary so that the pattern will line up at the seam. 

The seams themselves also need to be well constructed.  One issue that some installers won’t like me discussing is the issue of “sealing.”  When carpet is cut to prepare for seaming or even for going into a transition (see the next paragraph), the carpet is weaker at the cut area.  Let’s see…  Remember I talked about the construction of the carpet and the primary and secondary backings being “laminated” together with latex?  Okay; when the carpet is cut, it can have a tendency to delaminate in that area over time and with foot traffic.  This is the reason why many of the seams I have later observed that are falling apart started coming apart.  Other possibilities are edge ravel and tuft loss.  CRI-105 emphasizes that the edge cut for seams needs to be sealed prior to seaming so that the edges of the primary and secondary backings are adhered firmly together.  I would estimate that over half of the residential carpet installed does not have the seams sealed, and the reason is because it simply takes the installer longer to do.  The second reason is that there are usually no problems with the unsealed seam later.  So verify with the installer that the seams will be sealed.  I would then suggest that if you can observe part (or all) of the installation process to see if the seams are being sealed...."