So, you’ve got a new puppy, and they’ve been tearing around the house, mercilessly scratching your wood floors and doing unspeakable things on your carpet. You’ve started to ask yourself, is it time for a flooring replacement?
Well, the answer to that question varies by the type of flooring you have. For example, if you have carpet, you can generally expect it to last anywhere from 5-10 years (depending on how many dogs/babies get into it). On the other hand, if you have wood floors, you can generally expect them to last 7-10 years.
Then, you have to take a realistic look at the condition of your flooring and make an educated guess based on that. So, what tell-tale signs should you look out for to make the best guess possible?
Keep reading to find out.
Signs You Need to Replace Your Carpet
Let’s face it. It’s pretty hard to tell when you need to replace your carpet. It will inevitably pick up some strange scents, and the colour will change slightly over the years, but age shouldn’t be too obvious.
So, unless your carpet experiences significant water damage or staining, how do you know it’s time for a refresh?
Sign #1: Your Carpet Is No Longer Comfortable
Does your carpet feel like a rug on top of a wood floor instead of the luxurious, cushy surface it used to?
That’s a sure sign that your carpet underlay has worn through. It’s time to replace your whole carpet, or it’s time to replace your underlayment so that you can put some life back into your flooring.
Sign #2: Your Carpet Is Going Bald
Your carpet will generally start to go bald in high-traffic areas near doorways or under the legs of desks and chairs that move frequently.
If your carpet has started to go bald, then there’s no good way to recover it. You could try a carpet repair on the affected section, but if that doesn’t work, then it’s time to start saving. One way to make your carpet last is to carpet high-traffic areas separately from the rest of the house.
That way, when the carpet wears down, you can replace the sections that need the work.
Sign #3: Your Allergies Won’t Go Away?
Do you break out in rashes, sneeze frequently, or constantly itch when you’re in your house—even when it’s not allergy season?
You might want to check the age of your carpet.
Your carpet is one of the most porous areas in your house, so it will naturally fill up with allergens and other things throughout its lifespan. This is especially true with pets or children.
If your allergies don’t go away after you deep clean the carpet, then you might want to look into installing new flooring.
Sign #4: Your Carpet Doesn’t Feel Good Anymore
One of the benefits of carpet is the soft, warm feel it has on cold winter mornings.
If your carpet is clumping up or has become too scratchy to be comfortable, then it’s likely time to replace it. After all, what’s the point of having flooring if it doesn’t do the job it was installed to do?
Sign #5: Your Carpet Has Stretched and Come Loose
Older carpets can develop bubbles, stretched sections, and come loose from the walls. It’s possible to repair these defects. However, at some point, repairs will become impossible.
If you’ve already had your carpet repaired several times and your carpet grippers no longer work, then it’s probably time to get it replaced.
Signs You Need To Replace Your Wooden Floors
Next, we’re on to wood floors. Wood floors are generally more durable than carpets, but they show their age much easier. Here are the tell-tale signs that your floor needs replacing.
Sign #1: Visible Damage
You can only sand down your flooring so much before you hit nails and laminate underlay.
So, if your pet or your furniture scratches the floor, then you can probably refinish the floors 2-3 times because the scratches will be relatively shallow. If you burn a hole in the floor in an unfortunate cooking incident, then you probably won’t be able to buff that out.
Look out for stains, gouges, or chips. This kind of damage will also make your floor vulnerable to water damage, so it’s good to replace the damaged boards as sooner rather than later.
Sign #2: Your Floors have Rotted or Warped
Water is the number one foe of wooden floors. If your kid makes a massive spill or if your dishwasher routinely leaks, you can start finding that your wooden flooring has begun to rot or warp from the constant exposure to water.
If you find that your flooring has warped or rotted, then you won’t just have to replace the flooring; you’ll have to replace the underlayment as well.
Sign #3: You’re Finding Persistent Stains
Your floor can stain for several reasons. However, if you find that your floor has a new stain that will resist a scrub or a mop, then that means it’s become a part of the wood.
To remove the stain, you’ll have to replace the floorboards that it stained.
If you notice that the stain has darkened or that that area of the floor feels different (and not in a good way), then that’s a sign the damage is permanent. It’s probably time for a flooring replacement.
Sign #4: Your Floor Won’t Stop Creaking
A creaking floor could mean a couple of things.
First, a creaking floor could mean that your underlayment has deteriorated and is no longer usable.
Second, a creaking floor could mean that the nails holding the flooring down have widened the holes around them, and the floorboards now move when you step on them.
Either way, a floor should only start creaking if it’s ancient and should be replaced anyway.
So, Is Your Home Ready for a Flooring Replacement?
If you read any of this, looked at your floor, and started nodding your head as we listed our reasons, then it’s probably time to replace your flooring!
Where do you get the materials you need to finish your project successfully? Why not here! We sell top-of-the-line underlayment and all flooring accessories for you to use in your next reno.
We look forward to working with you when you’re planning your next flooring replacement.
