Did you know that you should replace your carpet around every 10 years? Whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, it’s important to know when a carpet should be replaced as well as the apartment carpet replacement cost. Fortunately, you’re in the right place to have all your questions on this matter answered.
New carpets for your apartment can cost anywhere between $1 and $12 per square foot. The cost depends on what kind of carpet you get such as cut pile, cut and loop, or loop pile carpets.
To start off this topic, let’s take a closer look at the signs it might be time to get a new carpet.
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Signs to Get a New Carpet for Your Apartment
All carpets are subject to some wear and tear with time, but there comes a point when a carpet can’t take anymore and needs to be replaced. This is especially true if the carpet starts to smell or starts to grow mold as this can quickly turn into a potential health hazard. But what are some of the less obvious signs that it’s time to replace a carpet?
One of the major reasons to replace your carpet is because it is stained. This is especially true if it is stained in multiple places and you find yourself trying to cover the stains with rugs and pieces of furniture. Modern carpets may be quite resistant to staining, but even the most resistant carpets can be stained with time.
In some cases, professional cleaners can suck the stains out of your carpet, but in the case that they can’t, replacement might be the best option. More often than not, the most difficult stains to remove involve red wine, mustard, bleach, and coffee. You could try removing the stains yourself with homemade or store-bought cleaners, but harsh cleaners can often end up damaging your carpet even more.
Carpet Matting
The second sign that it’s time to replace your carpet is that it is becoming matted. This can happen if your carpet is not well cared for and is getting old due to natural wear and tear. Polyester carpets tend to mat more than others, but any kind of carpet has the potential to become matted.
Matting can make the carpet hard to clean and can make it more likely to tear. These problems can quickly lead to a very unattractive carpet. If these carpet problems are only in one small area, you might not have much to worry about.
In this case, you can repair the carpet yourself, or have a professional do it for you. However, if your carpet is matted and torn in several different areas, it might be better to replace the whole carpet in favor of a fresh new one.
Smelly Carpet
As when an old couch smells bad, a smelly carpet should also be replaced. It’s hard to forget about this kind of carpet since whenever you enter your house, you’re likely to catch a whiff of it. A smelly carpet can occur if you don’t clean your carpet regularly.
Bad-smelling carpets are especially common if you have pets or children. Urine, vomit, and other foul substances can find their way onto your carpet in these cases. If these substances are cleaned right away, they often are not an issue. However, if they have time to seep into the carpet fibers, you may have a more serious problem.
In some cases, a smelly carpet may be caused by mold growth. In this case, it’s best to replace your carpet for health and safety reasons.
Allergy Symptoms
Some people have more sensitive allergies than others, and some carpets can aggravate allergies more than others. This is especially true for shaggy carpets that love to suck up particles of dust, pollen, and pet hair.
If you have an older carpet, you can clean it all you want, but sooner or later, it will be insufferable if you suffer from allergies. The best option is to toss out your carpet in favor of something more allergy-friendly.
The Cost of New Carpet
Now that you know about the most common signs that it’s time to replace your carpet, you need to know more about the cost of new carpet and new carpet installation costs as well. One of your first questions in regard to this subject might be, “can a landlord charge you for carpet replacement?” The answer depends on how the carpet is damaged.
All carpets are subject to wear and tear, but some carpets might be suddenly damaged as in the case of a spilled glass of wine or a dog urinating on the floor. More often than not, the landlord will need to pay for the replacement carpet for regular wear and tear, especially if the carpet is already old by the time you are living in the apartment. However, if you are the one to cause damage to a newer carpet, such as by burning it, you may have to pay.
Although, the tenant usually doesn’t need to pay the full cost of the carpet. Also, the laws on this issue can differ from state to state. If you feel that your landlord is unjustly trying to make you pay for a damaged carpet, you can try taking the matter to court.
Types of Carpets and Pricing
There are several different types of carpets you can choose from when replacing your carpet. Knowing these different types is important for several reasons.
Different carpet types can vary in terms of cost, so if you’re short on money, you’d better know the cheapest options for you. Also, you likely want a carpet that matches the interior of your apartment. Knowing your carpet options can help you make the best choice.
Loop pile carpets involve yarn that has not been cut. These carpets consist of loops that are tightly woven together. Because of this, these carpets are very durable and will not usually pick up footprints or other signs of traffic.
Loop pile carpets are ideal for offices and other spaces that receive a lot of foot traffic. Also, because of the way they are woven, they only pick up stains with difficulty. These carpets are quite affordable as well, usually ranging from $1 to $5 per square foot.
Cut Pile Carpets
Cut pile carpets are more popular than loop pile carpets because of their look and feel. Unlike loop pile carpets, which consist of uncut fibers, cut pile carpets involve cut fibers. Because of this, they are fluffier and softer than loop pile carpets and are more favored for houses and apartments.
However, there are some downsides to cut pile carpets. Mainly, they absorb stains much more and they can become matted over time. Because of this, they will require more maintenance and cleaning than loop pile carpets.
Cut pile carpets are a little more expensive because they can be more luxurious than loop pile carpets. Cut pile carpets, on average, range between $1 and $12 per square foot.
Cut and Loop Carpets
Cut and loop carpets, as the name suggests, are carpets that involve cut and uncut fibers. This choice makes these carpets visually unique. They also have a different texture than cut pile or loop pile carpets.
They are more resilient than cut pile carpets, although not as resilient as loop pile carpets. Because of this, these carpets can be installed virtually anywhere from the bedroom to the office with great results. They tend to range between $1 and $10 per square foot.
The fabric you choose for your carpet can also change the price. For example, easily manufactured fabrics such as polyester might be cheaper than more uncommon fabrics such as wool or more luxurious materials.
Once you choose the right carpet for you, you might be wondering how to replace your apartment carpet. Luckily, if you’re a tenant, you likely won’t have anything to do with it. It will be your landlord’s responsibility to hire professional carpet installers to remove the old carpet and install the new carpet into the apartment.
This is beneficial to you because you will not need to spend hours installing new carpet, especially if you don’t know anything about carpet installation. If you’re a landlord, you can choose to work on the carpets yourself, but this can cost you time that you might not have. Though hiring professionals might cost you a little extra money, it’s usually worth it.
The Apartment Carpet Replacement Cost
By the end of this article, you should know all about the signs it’s time to replace your carpet and how to choose the right carpet for you. With this information, you no longer have to deal with an unruly carpet.
Instead, you can look forward to having a fresh new carpet in your apartment.
