Is there still life in your carpets? Or is it time you threw them out and considered some new flooring. Carpets typically last about 5 to 15 years. It all depends on how heavily used they are, how well maintained they are and the quality of the carpet as to how much life you can get out of them. To truly determine whether you need to replace your carpets, it’s worth looking out of a few telltale signs. Below are 5 indicators that your carpets may need replacing.
Fraying and tears
It is possible to fix a frayed carpet. However, if there is fraying everywhere or large tears in your carpet, it’s best to replace it. Such fraying is common on old carpets that have received a lot of foot traffic. If you have pets, they may also be the cause of this fraying. This is particularly the case with cats, which have a habit of clawing carpets.
Water damage
If you’ve experienced flooding in your home or a major leak, and the carpets have got soaked, this could be another instance where replacing your carpets is necessary. Damp carpets can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. It may be possible to restore them if you act fast, but if water has been sitting on them for a while and has already discoloured them, it’s likely time to remove the carpet.
Stains and burns
Got ugly stains in your carpet? Depending on what caused the stain, it may be possible to use a carpet cleaning machine to remove this stain. You could even consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. However, if the stains still don’t shift and you can’t cover them up with furniture or a rug, it could be time to replace your carpet. As for burns in carpets from candles or cigarettes, these cannot be removed. If you similarly cannot cover them up, consider getting a new carpet.
Allergies
Carpets can help trap many common allergens including dust mites, pet dander and pollen. If you’ve started to experience serious allergies, you may find that getting rid of your carpet reduces the issue. Another type of flooring like vinyl or laminate could be easier to keep clean and could help reduce allergic reactions.
Lifestyle changes
There are many benefits to carpets – they provide warmth, they’re soft and they muffle sound. However, they are one of the most high-maintenance flooring solutions. Certain lifestyle changes could increase the work required to keep these carpets clean. Many people find that after getting dogs or cats, keeping on top of carpet cleaning becomes a nightmare. Opting for a hard floor could allow you to more easily sweep up animal hair and you won’t have to worry about your floor being scratched to pieces (although hard floors can still scratch). Similarly, some people with young kids find carpet to be too challenging to maintain. Unless you’re constantly on the ball with food and messy play, you could find that frequent spillages quickly ruin your carpet. A hard floor could be a much easier-to-clean choice.
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