Seven Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Install Carpet
Devil’s Advocate: Seven Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Install Carpet
1. Dirt. The fibers in carpet naturally hold everything they come in contact with. Whether you can see it or not, carpet traps pounds of dirt.
2. Allergies. Carpets hold dust and other allergens. For instance, if you’ve got a cat and you have a friend over with allergies, the carpet will add to their misery.
3. Germs and Worms. Carpets aren’t only holding dirt. They’re holding everything that came in with your shoes, and everything that’s settled to the ground over the past few years. Your kids probably play on that carpet.
4. Time. Carpets take longer to clean than hard surfaces like ceramic, hardwoods, or tile. And, they never get truly clean. Vacuuming only picks up the dirt close to the surface. Steam cleaning wets down the dirt, much of which gets trapped in the fibers.
5. Investment. Carpet companies make a living on selling carpet to folks every 5-10 years. What’s worse, the “good” carpeting costs $27.00+/sq. yd. (that’s $3.00+/sq. ft.). Decent hardwoods can be obtained for about the same price from discount flooring places like Lumber Liquidators.
6. Good Alternatives. You can always put down quality rugs with thick padding on top of hard surfaces if you need extra comfort. Those rugs can be professionally cleaned, and allow you to change styles more easily.
7. Maintenance. Besides cleaning time, carpets need to be stretched every few years; else you get “rolls” in the carpet that are eyesores and tripping hazards.
What do you think? Don’t you agree? 
January 30th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Our carpet is having issues and it’s only 3 years old. I have always wanted to have hardwood through the whole house. Sadly, hubby doesn’t agree… even with your list! It’s a good list though.
January 31st, 2008 at 7:29 am
It’s an excellent list. We have kitties and a dog and I cannot imagine what would happen to all those furry-clumpy-hair-dust bunnies if I couldn’t just whisk them away with my swiffer…They’d just stay in the carpet, wouldn’t they?!?!
That settles it. No carpet.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:07 am
I also think hard woods add to the value of a house.
January 31st, 2008 at 9:02 am
Allergies is the biggest reason for us… it’s the reason we are ripping out our carpet and installing wood. That, and our 3 year old carpet is already nasty and stained. It’s white… who put down white carpet? The PO, of course.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Ethan-Good point on the adding value… It would be great to hear from an appraiser what value hardwoods actually provide vs. new carpet, or if it’s too hard to precisely rate.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:19 am
It’s not that hardwood floors add value, it’s that carpet lowers value. Buyers today expect hardwood flooring; it’s the expected standard. Anything less, such as carpet, vinyl, or laminate, makes the home worth less.
Carpet dates a house and gives buyers the impression that if one inferior product has been used, others corners were probably cut as well.
August 16th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Although hardwood flooring is nice when new, it also comes with drawbacks. Hardwood can scratch, take in moisture, is cold to the touch and hard beneath your feet. In our house we are having hardwood through the main living areas and carpet in the bedroom where luxury is what I want. Its a taste thing really - also price will dictate how often you can have your carpets cleaned and/or replaced. Good quality carpet does not retain as much dust.