Carpets are popular flooring choices for many American households because the material enhances the peace and quiet of your home by absorbing sound. It insulates against cold, and cushions your feet. It also enhances safety, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), by helping to prevent slips and falls, and protects items when they are dropped.

Since carpet is a key decorative element in the home and a major purchase, you should keep several factors in mind during the selection process. Does it fit your taste, suit your lifestyle and your budget?

You will also need to consider how the carpeted room will be used. Will the room be the center of activity, such as a family room? Or will it be used less frequently, such as in the living room? Will carpet be exposed to direct sunlight?

When shopping for carpet, the CRI recommends that you look for performance rating guidelines with various brands of carpet. This rating system offers guidance on choosing the carpet that will perform best for various traffic needs. Most guidelines will be based on a 5-point scale, with the number 4 or 5 rating being best for the highest traffic areas. A 2 to 3 rating is good for areas with less traffic.

Color is important because the carpet will cover so much living space. You will want to select one that unites your decorative tastes. Lighter colors make the room seem larger; darker colors provide coziness. New stain and soil resistant technology makes today’s lighter color carpet much easier to clean, according to the CRI, allowing more decorating options. Medium and darker colors, tweeds, and textures will help disguise common soil in your home’s high traffic areas.

Carpets should be selected by looking at four factors: the fiber itself, the pile, the density and the texture. The carpet fiber is the material itself. Some carpets have single fibers, while others have fibers sewn together to make two, three or four-ply yarn. All the fibers are then attached to a woven backing to put the whole thing together. The pile is the height of the fiber. The density is the amount of fiber yarn per square inch. Finally, the texture of a carpet is the style of how the fibers are sewn, looped, twisted or cut.

Carpet fibers come in either natural or synthetic material. Wool is a very durable carpet fiber and is naturally stain-resistant. However, wool requires some maintenance to keep it looking like new. Nylon is the most common fiber in today’s carpets. Since it is such a strong fiber, it is an excellent candidate for heavy traffic areas, and its high durability makes it easy to maintain.

Poly-propylene carpets are used because they feel like wool and have great durability. That is because polypropylene carpets used to be designed for outdoor use only.
Polyester carpets are a good alternative to nylon, however they are not as durable. Polyester carpets are also prone to pilling and shedding, but they are also stain-resistant and naturally resist moths.

Out of all the synthetic fibers, acrylic carpeting is the closest to wool, however acrylic carpeting is suggested only for commercial use.

When shopping for carpets, remember the pile or the height of the fiber. The pile is also important because it determines the cut of the fiber and how far apart each fiber is from its neighbor. Popular piles for today’s carpets are Saxony, textured, Frieze, Berber loop pile, level loop, and cut and loop.

Saxony is the most popular for luxury or formal rooms. The fibers are cut at an equal height and are placed close together. Text-ured fibers are also cut at the same height but not as dense as Saxony carpeting. This gives the carpet a more casual feel and is recommended for just about any room in your house.

Frieze carpeting are short fibers, very durable and twisted for added tenacity. Place Frieze carpeting in high traffic areas around your house. Berber loop fibers are looped from end to end, oftentimes at different heights. It is great for high traffic areas.

Last, but certainly not least, a carpet’s padding is extremely important to the selection process. The right padding will feel comfortable to your feet, but also aid in insulating the house.

- For more information about carpeting, contact A Floor Store at 515 Broadway in Vallejo; (707) 552-8150.

A Floor Store

VACUUM your carpet as often as possible, especially in the high traffic areas. Change the vacuum bag often.

DEEP CLEAN your carpet every 12 to 18 months, using the cleaning method recommended by the carpet manufacturer. In most cases this will be a wet-extraction cleaning method.

REMOVE STAINS immediately. Consult a stain removal guide for the best methods to use on the various types of stains.

CLUB SODA is excellent for removing water-based stains. Dribble a little on the stain, and then blot with a soft cloth. Repeat the procedure again, allowing the club soda to soak in for a few minutes before blotting.