Carpet Installation FAQ

What do I need to do before my carpet is installed?

The best way to prepare for carpet installation is to make sure that all of your small loose items are packed up, the tops of dressers cleared off, your electronics are disconnected, the bottom row of clothing from your closets is moved, everything is removed from your closet floors and that nothing is left under your bed. Rather than putting things on top of your furniture or bed, please move loose items to a room that isn't going to be carpeted. It is also a good idea to strip your bed to avoid the dust that can occur during installation. You may need to arrange for unusual items like artwork, aquariums or sculptures to be moved by others ahead of time. Lastly, secure any valuables and keepsakes before installation and make a note to remind yourself where you stored those things.

The room temperature should be between 65 and 80 degrees 48 hours before and after the carpet installation. Make sure that there is access to fully functioning electrical outlets because power tools will need to be utilized during installation. It is important to make sure your heating and cooling systems are functioning properly because airflow is the best way to dissipate the smells associated with new carpet and padding.

Do I need to be available the day of installation?

An adult should be present at the start of installation to go over any details of the installation as well as verify that the carpet selected is correct. It is also important that any pets be out of work site. If you are having a runner or custom rug installed, you should make sure you are available to make any necessary decisions.

When will the installation start and how long does it take?

Typically, first jobs of the day begin between 8:30 and 10:00 am, but sometimes, because of Chicago's weather and traffic, jobs can be delayed. Every job is unique in terms of how long it will take. Even one bedroom of carpet can take a few hours and any job over 500 square feet could take the better part of a day depending on whether old carpet is being removed and furniture needs to be moved. Bear in mind that the most important consideration is the final result, so please be patient regarding the time an installation takes. It isn't always predictable.

What should I expect during the installation of carpet?

The installers will need an area that they can cut the carpet and store their tools during the installation. Also, removing old carpet will create some dust and the installation will cause quite a bit of noise and vibration. It is like a small construction project. Hiding of cable or other wires under carpet is not something that we recommend.

How do I fix squeaky floors?

You will want to arrange ahead of time with a contractor or handyman to have any squeaky floors repaired. That work should be done prior to scheduling your carpet installation. It is not part of the carpet installation process.

Will I be able to see the carpet seams?

Seams in carpeting, like seams in other fabrics, are often visible. Low pile, flatweaves and looped carpets tend to have the most visible seams. Plush and shaggy carpets hide seams better than other carpets. If you are concerned about seam placement, it is important to discuss this subject before you purchase the carpet. The quantity of carpet will change depending on where the seams are placed. Also, once the installers are on the job, your carpet has already been cut and there is very little that can be done to change the layout of the job.

What padding should I select for my carpet?

Home Carpet One carries a variety of pads for you to consider. Under looped carpets, we recommend firmer pads of at least an eight pound density. Depending on the price of the carpet, we will include either a 1/4 rebond pad or a 3/8 rebond pad. For stairs and under woven carpets, we will include a felt pad, which is extremely firm. If you want a more luxurious feel under a looped carpet, we offer either rubber pads or Healthinex Memory Foam. Both are great if you have radiant heat floors and have excellent anti-microbial properties. The memory foam pad can even be used on stairs and under woven carpets. If you want the greenest padding choice, we also carry an all-wool pad called Big Foot. For cut pile carpets, we include a softer pad called Luxury. The same upgrade choices are available for these types of carpets.

Is there any way to treat the floor against odors or germs the same day the carpet is installed?

The Healthier Living Flooring Installation System is an option if you want to treat the floor after the old carpet is removed and before the new carpet is installed. For a small charge, the floor will be vacuumed after the carpet is removed and an anti-microbial spray called Healthinex will be sprayed prior to installing the new carpet. There are also options to treat pet odors if that is a concern. If you are taking this step, we recommend using either the rubber or memory foam pad because they are both anti-microbial.

Why is there extra carpet?

Carpet comes in standard widths between 12' wide and 15' wide and will be seamed together in the same direction to complete your installation. It is not unusual to have 15% to 20% waste on a job and the amount varies depending on the dimensions of the room and where the seams are placed. In addition, if there is a pattern to your carpet, extra carpet will be needed to match the pattern. If you are arranging your own installation, it is crucial to ask your installer how much carpet is required for the job prior to ordering and to tell the installer the size of any pattern match.

Why is my new carpet shedding?

The balls of fluff, or loose fibers, found on carpet or in the vacuum cleaner bag are the normal result of fiber left in the carpet from the manufacturing process. Removing these loose fibers does not affect carpet life or appearance. Because of their large size, these fibers are too big to become airborne or inhaled. With proper vacuuming and using a quality vacuum cleaner, most shedding gradually disappears within the first year after installation. Please note that for wool looped carpet it is crucial to use a suction vacuum rather than a vacuum with a beater bar.

Why does my carpet seem to change color when I look at it from different directions?

Light reflects differently as the pile is pushed in different directions. Foot traffic generally causes this and the best solution is to vacuum the pile in a uniform direction.

Is there a way to avoid seeing footprints?

Carpet has gotten much softer over the years by making the fibers finer (like high-count sheets). The downside of this innovation is that it makes foot traffic visible even with looped carpets. If you want to minimize the visibility of footprints, work with a sales associate to select a very tightly constructed carpet.

Some tufts are longer than others. What should I do?

Just snip the end to even the carpet surface. Never yank out long or loose ends as this can permanently damage your carpet. If a tuft becomes snagged or works loose, simply cut it off and let the surrounding yarn fill in the space.

What can I do about static?

When a room's relative humidity is very low, a static charge can build up in your carpet as you walk across it. If this occurs, a humidifier or other commercially available products can help.

Should I paint before or after the carpet is installed?

This is really up to the painter to decide. If you do paint first, arrange with the painter to come back to touch up the baseboards and perhaps some spots on the walls. Carpet installation requires the use of tools to stretch the carpet that may touch the walls and baseboards. Also, the carpet will touch the lower portion of the walls when it is cut into place, which sometimes can scratch the paint. Paint, typically, takes thirty days to cure so during that period it is even more susceptible to damage. When walls or baseboards have been painted multiple times, it is also prone to chip or crack during carpet installation and may need to be touched up afterwards.

How high should my baseboards be placed above the floor?

To avoid seeing gaps between your carpet and the walls, your baseboards should be as close to the floor as possible. Carpet goes up to the baseboards rather than under it so it is important that baseboards be installed before the carpet. Bear in mind that most carpets are only between 1/4 inch to 3/8 of an inch thick. If you had existing baseboards and your new carpet is thinner than your old carpet, you may need to have your baseboards re-painted after installation.

How can I avoid permanent indentations?

Your carpet pile may compress due to heavy foot traffic or weight of furniture. Rotating furniture may help reduce indentations. You can work the pile back into place with the edge of a coin. Sometimes, passing a hot steam iron over the spot can also help, but keep the iron at least four inches above the carpet. The best way to avoid permanent indentations, however, is to ask for Healthinex Memory Foam pad.

What do I need to know or do if my floors have radiant heat or drain tiles?

First of all, please let your sales associate and measure person know if there is radiant heat or drain tile. The last thing you want to happen is for either of those systems to be compromised. Typically, installing carpet over radiant heat floors or drain tiles takes an extra day because the tack strip used to install carpet needs to be glued down rather than nailed into place. In order to glue down that tack strip, it is important that there is no paint on the floor on the perimeter of the room. If paint needs to be removed it will slow down the process and result in an extra charge so it is important to discuss that with your contractor ahead of time. If you have radiant heat, you will want to select either a rubber pad or memory foam pad to allow the heat to transfer through as efficiently as possible.

What options are there if I don't like the carpet I selected?

Any carpets purchased from Home Carpet One with our Gold, Platinum or Titanium warranties carry the Beautiful Guarantee, which allows you to select a different carpet under that warranty system at the same price point or less within a certain time after the installation (60 to 120 days depending on the warranty level) if you don't like how the carpet looks. Under the Beautiful Guarantee, there are no costs for the replacement other than furniture moving, custom labor (like stair work) or if you select a more expensive carpet. The carpet must be installed before you can utilize the Beautiful Guarantee. See store for details.

How do I select the proper vacuum?

The most important step is to share the characteristics of your carpet with a reputable vacuum dealer when making a selection. If you have an extremely soft carpet, like those made with Karastan Silk, Innovia Touch or Tigressa Cherish, it is important that you select a vacuum with the following characteristics: adjustable height, wide wheels, lighter weight model, adjustable motor speed and the ability for the brush roll to be adjusted. If you purchased a wool or viscose carpet, it is essential that you select a suction vacuum that can function without the beater bar touching the carpet to avoid abraiding the fiber. Certain very high-powered vacuum brands with very stiff brushes will ruin carpets and void any warranties. You are responsible for using the appropriate vacuum.

Does my carpet have a stain warranty?

Many of the carpets at Home Carpet One have comprehensive stain warranties. For example Relax its Lees carpets have comprehensive no exclusion stain warranties. Many of the other carpets we offer also have excellent stain warranties and you should discuss this before you purchase the carpet. Wool carpets do not have any stain or wear warranties. After the installation, we will send you a warranty and care guide, but please contact us if you don't receive one or if you want to see that information prior to installation.

Is there any way to make wool, tencel or viscose carpets more stain resistant?

There are services that will apply a post-installation stain treatment that will allow spills to bead up on the surface to make the carpet easier than it would otherwise be. These applications cannot make the carpet stain proof. If you are interested, we can refer you to a company that provides this service.