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benefits
of carpet
Benefits of Carpet
Carpet
is the floor covering of choice among homeowners,
representing the majority of all floor covering purchases
in the United States. The reasons for its popularity are
both practical and decorative.
Unlike other types of
flooring, carpet is a natural insulator, providing
additional warmth in cold seasons. Its use in a
wall-to-wall application actually increases the R-value,
or insulation level, of the carpeted area. Beyond its
potential value in reducing heating costs, carpet also
enhances the perception of comfort and warmth.
Carpet reduces a home's
noise level, eliminating or muffling distracting clatter.
Carpeted rooms absorb and contain noise, offering a
greater degree of privacy from room to room. Soft
underfoot, carpet also provides a comfortable, non-slip
walking surface that reduces leg fatigue. Importantly, a
resilient layer of carpet minimizes the danger of injury
from falls and accidents.
Another, often overlooked
advantage of carpet is its ability to improve indoor air
quality. EPA scientists have concluded that carpet can be
beneficial in trapping and immobilizing potential
allergy-causing particulates, preventing them from
reentering the indoor air stream, if the carpet is
properly cleaned and maintained. A 1990 study in Sweden
determined that levels of particulate contaminants,
bacteria, and fungi in the indoor air in carpeted areas
were always far below levels in the air above hard surface
floors. Similar results have been obtained in other
studies in American hospitals.
Of course, as with any
interior furnishing, appropriate cleaning is required.
This includes regular vacuuming, removal of spots and
spills, and periodic overall cleaning, preferably using
the hot water extraction method. For more information,
visit the
Carpet
Care section of this site.
Carpet is also a
remarkably durable and practical floor covering.
Technological advances in everything from fiber to backing
enable carpet manufacturers to offer products suitable for
virtually any residential or commercial setting - indoors
or out! Moreover, carpet is an exceptional value and is
generally significantly less expensive than other floor
coverings.
Best of all, carpet is a
beautiful home furnishing that can add elegance, comfort,
and fashion to any setting. Extremely versatile, carpet is
available in an extraordinary selection of styles,
patterns, and colors. From solid, formal cut piles, or
"saxonies," to natural, loop pile Berbers,
carpet affords unlimited decorating flexibility.
Carpet can serve as a
neutral backdrop that complements other furnishings, or it
can "make a statement" as the focal point of a
decor. The only truly three-dimensional floor covering,
carpet offers textural possibilities that other hard
surfaces lack.
Value, comfort, safety,
beauty...it's little wonder that carpet has outsold every
other floor covering for almost fifty years.
© 2008 FloorBiz, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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