Are carpeted floors the right choice for your home?
Carpeting is one of the most common ways of covering a floor, but is it the right solution for your room? Here are some of the pros and cons of using carpeting.
The pros
Firstly, carpeting provides a feeling of warmth to a room. They provide good insulation to the floor — other types of flooring can leave your feet feeling cold, even if you aren't barefoot. This is especially important in winter when a room without carpeting can feel cold and unhomely. And as well as heat insulation, carpeting provides sound insulation as well, making a room less echoey and cutting down the sound that travels from room to room.
Carpeting is also a quick and easy method of changing the decor of a room. It can provide the centrepiece of a room makeover if you want to change your colour scheme or design, and it is also perfect for covering up a worn or damaged floor. Any imperfections in the underlying surface will be completely hidden.
Finally, carpeting offers safety to you or your family, as it is not as slippery as smoother surfaces, and will go some way towards cushioning any falls that do happen. This is particularly important if you have smaller children learning to walk — or older ones who don't seem to stop running.
The cons
Unfortunately, carpeting can provide the perfect home for dust mites, and will also trap dust, pollen, mould and other allergens. If any member of your family suffers from allergies, the carpeting may worsen the problem.
Carpeting also needs a fair degree of maintenance. Regular vacuuming is essential, and you will occasionally need to call in a professional carpet cleaner. Carpeting will also suffer from wear over the years and may become damaged, in which case you may need a professional to repair it (unless you opt for a simpler solution such as putting a rug over the damaged part).
This leads on to another potential problem — carpeting does not last as long as other methods. Wooden floors can last for generations if they are properly cared for, but carpeting will need to be replaced sooner or later.
Nonetheless, the warmth that carpeting can bring to a room makes them the first choice for many homeowners. Just talk to your supplier about your needs, and you'll be on your way to the right choice for you and your family.
For more information on carpet flooring, reach out to a local flooring supplier.