Carpets are one of the most popular choices for flooring – and for good reason. There are many unique benefits to carpet flooring that can make it preferable over hard surface floors depending on your lifestyle. Discussed below are the benefits of choosing carpet as your flooring.
- First, a major misconception of carpet should be cleared up: carpet is not inherently worse for allergies. Compared to many other types of flooring, carpet will generally release less volatile organic compounds (VOCs.) VOCs can often cause allergy symptoms, such as irritated eyes, nose, or throat. As well as having reduced levels of these bothersome compounds in your living space, carpets can act as a filter against other common allergens. Many of the most well-known culprits such as dust, dander, and pollen become trapped in the fibers of your carpet. This keeps a great deal of these allergens beneath your feet and away from your face. If you vacuum your carpet well on a regular basis, you may find that carpet helps to reduce your allergies.
- The most obvious benefit that comes to people’s minds when thinking of carpet flooring is comfort. Carpet is cushiony under your feet, both due to the carpet itself and the pad installed beneath it. Hard surface floors are inflexible under your feet, causing the impact of your steps to be felt by your body. Carpet, instead, absorbs the impact of your steps due to its ability to bend beneath your feet. Carpet is also more comfortable to sit and lay on, which can open your living space to more activities.
- On the same note as comfort, carpet can keep a room much warmer than other types of flooring. Carpet is made of fibers, just like the clothes you wear on your body. Naturally, any heat in a room with carpeted floors will be held there much more easily. In addition, hard surface floors can be cold to the touch, causing your feet to feel cold and even painful as you walk across it. Instead, carpet is warm under your feet, eliminating this issue.
- Carpet can also contribute to a quieter environment. Carpet, being made of soft fibers, doesn’t allow sounds to reverberate in a room the way that hard surfaces do. It absorbs sound, so it can often be beneficial for busy houses with many people on different schedules. Footsteps won’t be so bothersome when other people are asleep and sounds from things like speakers won’t travel as much either.
- Spaces with carpet installed are also safer than those with hard floors. Carpet gives your feet more traction, reducing the risk of falls. Also, if you do fall, it’s less likely you’ll injure yourself. This makes carpet a good choice for stairs, and in rooms like nurseries where it’s possible a child might fall.
- Oftentimes, carpet can be a cheaper option than other types of flooring. There are many carpets that are very affordable while still being great quality. In comparison to floors like tile or hardwood, carpet is far less expensive on average while still adding a chic, stylish look to the room it’s installed in.