Is there a best time of year to buy new carpet? If you know what to do, the answer is YES!
You can save as much as 25% or more by knowing when to buy, where to buy and how to negotiate your best deal. You just need to read some free unbiased carpet buying information!
Locally-owned Carpet stores have busy seasons and slow seasons. If you try to negotiate a better deal during their busy season, you won’t stand much of a chance to beat them down on the price.
However, if you negotiate wisely during their slow season, then you stand a very good chance of negotiating a very sweet carpet deal for yourself.
The Worst Times to Buy New Carpet
Now, when are the slow seasons you ask? Let me start by telling you when the busy seasons are so you can get a better understanding of the big picture.
The real question is, when do people buy carpet most? You don’t want to buy carpet when everyone else is buying. It’s almost impossible to negotiate a great deal on carpet when there are other customers waiting in line behind you holding their checkbooks.
Here are the big three ”busy” seasons to steer clear of:
Between February 20th and April 30th when people are expecting a tax refund
From the 4th of July through August 31st. During the hot summer months when people are remodeling an existing home
or moving into a new home before the new school year starts.
Mid-October thru December 10th. That’s when many homeowners are putting in new carpet because relatives and guests are coming for thanksgiving dinner and other upcoming holidays.
The Best Times to Buy New Carpet
Alright, now you know when NOT to buy carpet if you want to negotiate your best deal. Now lets look at the three windows of “money-saving” opportunity so you know exactly when IS the best time to buy new carpet.
Once December 15th rolls around, the Christmas trees are going up and holiday shopping is at an all time high. This means that buying after December 10th is a great time to buy new carpet. This window of opportunity lasts through January 31st.
By Feb 15th it’s all done, as the tax refunds are starting to come in. People who file their tax returns early know how much their refund will be and that’s when carpet shopping goes into full swing. You’ll be able to get the best deals at the beginning of January when this slow season is in full swing.
The next slow season is from May 1st to June 30th. The tax refund is spent, Memorial Day weekend is busy, the kids are getting out of school, vacation planning is underway and there is plenty of springtime gardening to do.
Buying new carpet is not at the top of the priority list for most people during this time. This makes it a great time for you to negotiate a great carpet deal.
I suggest shopping for new carpet from May 15th through June 10th for the best negotiating power.
The next slow season comes right after the kids go back to school and lasts the whole month of September. Everyone is getting settled into a new school year regimen, enjoying the last few weeks of hot summer weather, and getting ready for the autumn leaves to fall.
No one wants to think about getting ready for the holidays just yet. September is a great time to negotiate a great deal on new carpet for your home.
This window of opportunity is not very long, I suggest shopping early in September because once people start thinking about the holidays it is all done until December 15th.
Which carpet cleaning method works best, steam cleaning, (hot-water extraction) or the chemical dry-cleaning method? (like Chem-dry). Are there any other methods? which have you used and had good luck with. Which method works best on pet urine odors?
Best Carpet Choice for Walkers and Wheelchairs? These can be very damaging to residential-grade carpets installed over pad.
Rubber wheels are very abrasive and tend to roll the carpet in front of the wheels causing the carpet to stretch-out and develop wrinkles quickly.
This can ruin even the highest quality carpets. What is the Best Carpet Choice in this situation?
Thicker is Not Better in this Situation!
Best Carpet Choice for Walkers and Wheelchairs? A thick carpet pile and thick padding are the absolute worst options for anyone who is unstable walking, using a walker, a wheelchair or a power-chair as it increases the chances of tripping and falling.
Thick carpet and padding also make it more difficult to push and maneuver manual wheelchairs and walkers.
Padding or No Padding?
To make it easier to get around easier you might want to install a low-profile carpet no thicker than 1/2″ pile height.
Basically, the shorter the carpet pile the better, and the thinner the pad the better! Sometimes using no padding at all is a wise choice!
Wheelchairs tend to roll more easily over low-pile commercial-grade carpets which are commonly installed in schools, businesses, institutions and retirement homes.
These low-profile styles are often glued down without any pad to increase longevity, clean-ability and reduce costs.
Commercial Grade or Residential Grade?
You might want to consider using a commercial-grade “level loop” or “cut pile” carpet, with either a 1/4″ (10-pound density) padding
Better yet, use no pad underneath at all, just glue the carpet directly to the floor.
It’s not very soft underfoot without a pad, but it is easier to clean, more durable, easier to walk on and easier to push a wheelchair around too.
Commercial Carpet Cost?
The cost for a basic commercial-grade carpet is very reasonable, about $15-20 per yard installed for a simple 20 to 26 ounce carpet, glued down without pad. (level loop or cut pile style)
You can choose a single color or multicolored style. Look for brands like Mohawk or Shaw for the lowest cost.
Vacuuming Your Carpet frequently and thoroughly is an absolute must if you want your carpet to retain its like-new appearance and last as long as possible.
You can easily cut your carpet’s life span in half if you don’t vacuum regularly or fail to maintain your new carpet according to the manufacturer’s new carpet warranty requirements.
Periodic Cleaning and Vacuuming Is Required
According to virtually every new carpet manufacturer, homeowners are required to have their carpet professionally cleaned periodically, usually every 18 months.
This will keep your new carpet warranty in force. Read your new carpet warranty very carefully to see what carpet care and maintenance is required by the carpet manufacturer.
This is important, even if your new carpet is installed in a seasonal home, your are still required to clean the carpet on a regular basis regardless of the amount of time you spend in the home.
For example: if you only inhabit the home 6 months of the year, and it is vacant for 6 months, you can’t forgo the cleaning requirement as required by the carpet manufacturer.
If you fail to clean your carpet according to the required cleaning schedule, your warranty can and likely will be voided.
Retain all your professional carpet cleaning receipts for proof of scheduled cleanings!
Improper carpet care and maintenance is a common reason why your carpet will wear out prematurely. Abrasion from ground-in dirt and grit can quickly cause your carpet to lose its like-new shine and quickly make your carpet appear worn-out, look dull and dingy.
Once damage from abrasion is done, there is rarely anything that can be done to reverse the damage. This also voids your new-carpet warranty due to improperly caring for and maintaining your new carpet according to the requirements, as stated in your new carpet warranty.
Most Carpets Don’t Wear Out, They ‘Ugly-Out!’
The common phrase ‘Ugly-Out’ is a common expression used for any carpet that loses its shine, or when the surface pile mats down prematurely.
This event is most common in medium to heavy traffic areas such as hallways, stairs, in front of couches and main traffic to and from the front door!
How can I reduce damage from abrasion?
Abrasion caused by ground-in dirt and grime is the main reason why carpet will show signs of wear and tear before its time.
Dirt and grime is mainly tracked-in from the outside via shoes, pets and many other sources. This is the major cause of carpet abrasion.
“Frequent vacuuming is an effective way to reduce the damage caused by abrasion and can help your new carpet last years longer! Sadly, most homeowners do not vacuum enough, and most folks do not have their carpet cleaned on a regular basis.” – Alan aka The Carpet Professor
Once your new carpet starts to look dull and dingy, you have already ruined your carpet to some degree.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do reverse the damage already done and make your carpet regain its original shiny like-new appearance.
Ground-in dirt and grime is the main reason why your surface carpet fibers will lose its shine.
The Carpet manufacturer will deny your warranty claim if you have not properly maintained you carpet according to their warranty requirements.
How to Prevent Abrasive Carpet Damage?
It’s the sand-like dirt, grit and grime that is tracked into your home and deposited into the carpet pile over time that causes of the loss of carpet fiber shine.
There are some easy ways to help prevent the damage from happening, or at least slow down the amount of damage you experience over time.
First, a walk off mat is a great place to start. Simply wiping off your shoes before entering the home will help considerably. Some entry mats are better than others.
Next, some homeowners ask visitors remove their shoes and even provide “house” slippers to wear when entering their home. This will surely help reduce the amount of grit that causes damage to your carpet to some degree.
Vacuum! Vacuum! and Vacuum some more!
Frequent vacuuming is a smart way to help reduce the amount of dirt and grit that causes abrasion to your carpet.
Frequent vacuuming and regular professional cleanings is an important key to help keep your carpet looking like new. However, selecting the right grade of carpet is equally important.
Call a professional carpet cleaning company and have them do a thorough carpet cleaning on a regular basis according to your new carpet warranty requirements. This will help stop the abrasion to your carpet pile from getting worse.
Need to buy new carpet? I have created my own special Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to help homeowners determine what grade of carpet to consider buying, based on several key variables.
Should I have my Carpets Cleaned or Buy New?
Some Carpets are designed to last for only 3 years and some are designed to last for over for 30 years, but sooner or later your Carpet will have outlived its usefulness and should be replaced.
Below is Alan’s Quick Carpet Replacement Guide to help you determine if your old Carpet is still worthy of another professional cleaning or if it’s finally Time to Choose a New Carpet!
Learn more: Alan’s Carpet Replacement Quiz
Visit my free Carpet Care Guide to learn smart ways about how to make your carpet last years longer. My best advice? Read your new carpet warranty carefully.
You have certain warranty obligations to properly maintain your new carpet. If you fail to follow the manufacturer’s care and maintenance requirements, your warranty will be null and void.
How Often Should I Vacuum my Carpet?
Abrasion is the main cause of carpet wear and tear. How many people live in your home? That’s how many times you should vacuum each week, especially in high traffic areas, stairs, and in heavy traffic lanes!
Do you have 3 people living in your home? Then you should vacuum your carpet about 3 times per week! 5 people = Vacuum 5 times per week
Use a good quality, well-maintained vacuum with enough suction power.
You will first see the effects of abrasion on stairs and down hallways or any heavy foot-traffic lanes.
Carpet fibers can only tolerate a certain amount of abrasion before they begin to show signs of permanent damage.
Abrasion from dust, dirt and grit and grime is what causes carpet to look dull and dingy. Once the fiber loses it’s shine, the damage is done.
According to virtually every new carpet manufacturer’s warranty requirements, homeowners are required to have their carpet professionally cleaned (18 months on average) every 12 to 24 months to maintain their new carpet warranty.
Read your new carpet warranty very carefully to see what carpet care and maintenance is required by the carpet manufacturer. Otherwise, your warranty could be null and void!
The Size of Your Home Matters…
The more people living you have living in your home means more vacuuming may be necessary.
If you have a smaller home, vacuuming is more critical than if you have a larger home.
For example: Five people living in a 5000 square foot home usually requires less vacuuming then does five people living in a 1000 square foot home.
Take my free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to help determine what grade of carpet you need to buy. It’s a simple non-scientific test based on several key factors that I think are very important to consider.
Noisy Neighbors! Can Heavier Carpet or Thicker Padding Help Reduce Noise, Stomping Feet and Bothersome Sounds from Neighbors?
Hi Alan,
I just checked out your website, CarpetProfessor.com, as I want to purchase and install a very durable, soil and stain resistant carpet in my heavy-traffic rental apartment, by end of this month. I also want to reduce the sound coming from my upstairs neighbors.
I own a fairly-new three-floor, two-family home, with the first two floors owner-occupied and the 3rd floor is a rental. The rental has 2 bedrooms, a storage room, living room and dining area, a very long staircase from ground floor to the rental apartment and another staircase inside rental apartment to the terrace.
I believe the two staircases have about 44 steps total. I just remodeled the rental apartment and removed all the old carpet as my last tenants soiled and stained the carpet beyond recognition.
I tried to get expert carpet advice, but my first two tries ended in disaster.
I tried National Floors Direct and found their salesperson a fraud and a scam using high pressure sales tactics.
He was more interested in getting a down payment from me than recommending or advising me on best carpet and padding.
He wanted a $2,000 down payment for a carpet he first priced at $7,500 and then dropped the price to $4,500 if I paid the deposit before he leaves. This was a very bad experience and scary.
Then I tried Empire Today, which sent an inexperienced salesperson to me and that did not go well.
I found the guy only interested in making money and did not care if I made wise and informed choices.
Then I found your website. Your free information about carpet and padding was very valuable to me so I thought I would ask for your help.
I need to install new carpet throughout the entire rental apartment by end of this month.
Best Carpet and Pad Options for Loud Neighbors?
The owner-occupied floors and the rental floor are not sound proof and we are very concerned about loud noise coming from the upstairs tenants’ floor. I originally wanted to install tiles in the tenants’ floor but decided against it because tiles do not reduce the noise or absorb sound.
I know a good quality carpet and padding does help reduce and absorb sound, so I decided I would install carpet in the rental floor and on staircases. However, I am still trying to figure out the best type of noise or sound reducing, durable, soil and stain resistant carpet and padding to purchase. So here are my main questions:
Q. What carpet and padding would you recommend for the rental apartment, bedrooms, living and dining rooms and storage room to reduce the sound from stomping feet and other loud noises coming from the upstairs apartment?
Q. I see where you recommended a commercial-grade carpet for the staircase, but would this help reduce noise or sound better than a residential-grade carpet and pad?
I live in Queens, NY near your recommended Bay Ridge Carpet & Linoleum Carpet Dealer. I plan to check out this company tomorrow or so and I hope they are still trustworthy and honest as you indicate on your website.
Which Carpet and Padding Will Reduce Noise Best?
Alan please reply to my email and questions ASAP. I really need your help and recommendations on best carpet and padding to purchase to meet my needs. I took your Carpet Foot-traffic Test and the results show I have Heavy-Traffic. Thanks, and God Bless, Kim
Reply:
Hi Kim, Your dealings with Empire and National is par for the course. Sorry you had to go through that. It is well known that most nationally advertised retailers use high-pressure sales tactics and their sales reps have limited knowledge about the products they sell. I always recommend buying from a locally owned and family run carpet dealer.
I can’t tell you what grade of carpet you need to to buy, as there are so many options for you to consider. If you allow pets, then you might want to consider installing a lower priced carpet. Pets that have frequent wet accidents can ruin an expensive carpet just a fast as an inexpensive carpet. You already know how much damage some tenants and their pets can do. If your tenants will be staying for many years and have no pets, then a better grade of carpet might be a better option.
Does thick carpet or padding help reduce noise and sound?
I think you should select at least an 8-pound density “Rebond” type padding to help reduce noise from your upstairs tenants.Rebond is the most economical padding and it does a great job of supporting the carpet and has excellent sound deadening properties.
The padding thickness to choose will depend on the type and style of carpet you select. In most cases a 7/16″ padding thickness will be appropriate. Some dealers have higher density pads and increased thicknesses. Too much padding thickness can cause your carpets to develop wrinkles. A half inch thickness is where I would draw the line for a frieze, plush or textured style carpet. Looped Berber styles are not a good choice for rentals because they tend to snag easily.
I do think it would be wise to select a commercial-grade carpet for your stairs and use a synthetic-fiber padding. It is a dense pad and has anti-microbial properties. It will last longer and help quiet the sound of stomping feet. Stairs always take a beating and a commercial grade carpet and pad is more durable and will save you money in the long run.
Loud Neighbors? Will Carpet or Padding Reduce Noise?
Bear in mind that you will still have some noises and sounds from neighbors that you will need to live with and tolerate. Even the thickest carpet and padding can only do so much to reduce the noises and sounds from people living near you.
Yes, Ritchie’s Bay Ridge Carpet is still my #1 carpet choice in Brooklyn and they can help you select a carpet that will serve you best and help reduce the noise from your upstairs neighbors!
