 | Patrick Goebel has been involved in the home improvement industry for over 10 years and is currently director of retail flooring of the Flooring & Decorating Division of Star Lumber & Supply Co., Inc. You may contact Patrick by email at pgoebel@starlumber.com or by phone at (316) 942-2221. |
Carpet Cleaning & Restoration
2003-08-01 11:28:00
What are the benefits of carpet?
: We are remodeling. We are struggling between carpeting and hardwood floors. What are the benefits of carpets and rugs as compared to hardwood floors?
ANSWER: While the aesthetics of hardwood floors is hard to match, carpet and rugs do have a lot of other advantages. Often times, these advantages are not thoroughly considered. Here are some of the benefits of carpeting. Nothing looks like, feels like, or performs like carpet. Carpet is a key decorative and functional element in a home or business. Carpet just feels better. Comfort - Carpet provides an added measure of warmth and insulation with its millions of fibers and places between them to hold warmth or to insulate against extreme heat or cold. It's warmer to sit on or work on, providing more stable temperatures for foot and leg comfort near the floor. In colder climates or seasons, it retains warm air longer, an important benefit in our energy-conscious world. In warm climates, it also insulates against invasive heat. When the insulation value is important, the carpet's label may offer an "R-value," and a cushion label may offer one, as well. When the carpet R-value is not available, you may multiply the total carpet thickness measured in inches by a factor of 2.6 to approximate the carpet's R-value. The R-values are additive for any combination of materials. For example, a combination of carpet with an R-value of 1.3 and a prime polyurethane cushion with an R-value of 1.6 will yield an overall R-value of 2.9. Aesthetics - Because carpet is a foundation of decorating, covering a large quantity of the surface of our living spaces, it is an important consideration in the overall scheme of color and texture. It can provide simplicity and casualness for softness and liveability; or it can provide pizzazz with vibrant color and heavier textures for making a decorating "statement." Carpet can be one of the easiest ways to personalize an environment - its color can be a neutral foundation "in the background," or it can be a vibrant focal point. Safety - Safety in the home, especially for small children, seniors, and generally the entire family is a primary focus. Most of us seek a stable, non-slick walking surface that prevents slips and falls and for the time when someone does trip, a surface that protects from bruises and other injuries. Carpet is great for cushioning our footsteps, minimizing slips and minimizing injuries from falls. It's hard to watch a toddler take his first steps on a cold hard floor. Carpet's softness and cushioning nature is ideal for family activity - whether it is the first steps of a toddler, the slow steps of the grandparent, or the fast action of the mother or teenager. Sound Reduction - Carpet is as easy on your ears as your feet. With the introduction of computers, speaker telephones, big screen TV's and video games, our homes have become a lot noisier. Fortunately, the solution to this problem of airborne sounds can be found right below our feet - carpet. Carpet not only serves as a beautiful floor covering, it also provides sound insulation. Additionally, carpet creates an aestheticambiance conducive to lowered voices and heightened privacy. The sound-reducing qualities of carpet include sound absorption. Recently, home builders have moved towards reshaping the home by combining all of the living area rooms into one big, open space. This layout promotes the family togetherness, but also creates a noisy atmosphere. With the addition of carpet, sound is absorbed rather than bounced off the floor and back onto the walls and furniture. Results from tests show that there is a pronounced "hush" in carpeted rooms. Carpet and cushion reduces noise better. Carpet serves as an effective noise-reducer because it absorbs the sound of foot traffic within the home. These results are even more pronounced with the addition of carpet cushion. Research shows that properly specified carpet and cushion combinations produce better noise-reduction than carpet alone. Carpet cushion also increases comfort and ergonomic qualities, adds insulation, and extends the life of your carpet by protecting it against wear and tear. Carpet and cushion also insulate between floors. Carpet works as a sound barrier between floors by helping to block sound transmission to rooms below. Carpet and carpet cushion are especially effective in masking the "hollow" sound from foot traffic often associated with staircases. Specific noise reduction data can be obtained from the manufacturer. Next month, we’ll continue our discussion on floor covering options.
