Wear Resistance Warranties
Every carpet should come with some form of wear resistance warranty so the small print is particularly important when it comes to general carpet warranties like these. Wear warranties guarantee the product against wear and tear and typically come with a range of exclusions in terms of use (e.g. domestic vs commercial) Wear warranties can also vary dramatically in terms of warranty duration which can be a fairly reliable indicator of carpet quality & resilience.
Product & warranty criteria to be aware of:
- Duration (e.g. 5 years, 15 years…)
- Usage exclusions (e.g. domestic owner occupier only)
- Commercial wear warranties
Stain & Soil Resistance Warranties
Stain and soil warranties will be important for most people, but in particular for families with kids, households with pets, landlords renting out investment properties and home entertainers. Staining and soiling can age your carpet prematurely, making it look old, shabby & dirty well before its expiry date. It’s important to think about your circumstances and consider products with excellent stain and soil protection properties if you’re looking for carpet that will stand the test of time under busy household conditions.
The first thing to understand when it comes to stain & soil resistance is the difference between staining and soiling.
Staining is typically the result of a substance coming into contact with your carpet and transferring its colour (and odour). For example, spilling a glass of red wine or coffee will leave a red or brown stain if it isn’t cleaned properly.
On the other hand, soiling is more likely to be a result of residue transferred to carpet fibers, for example, from treatment products not cleaned properly from carpet fibres or from the oils in our skin. This residue in turn acts as a magnet to dirt, which then appears on the carpet in the form of a stain.
Manufacturers sometimes separate staining and soiling in their warranties, offering different lengths of warranty for each so it’s important to read the warranty fine print carefully so you know what your covered for and for how long.
Staining and soiling warranties will often involve a list of exclusions or circumstances that aren’t covered by the warranty, for example, types of substances that aren’t covered if spilled on carpet (such as bleach) however, with advances in manufacturing and fibre technology, some carpets are now being offered with “no exclusion” warranties.
Product & warranty criteria to be aware of:
- Staining vs soiling warranty duration
- Stain protection treatments (how long they last)
- Cleaning – e.g. will substances come off just with water or will they require chemical cleaning
- Warranty exclusions (e.g. urine if you have pets)
- Any special cleaning required to maintain the warranty
Fade Resistance Warranties
It’s common for carpet to fade over time due to exposure to direct sunlight or pollutants. A number of carpets are now backed by warranties to protect against carpet colour fading, which is especially important in the Australian climate. Some carpets such as Desire, offer UV resistance, which means you can let the sun in without worrying about premature fading, especially when it comes to darker toned carpets. Some carpets also provide particularly advanced colourfastness such as Ecoplus which is manufactured using deep-dye technology to heat-infuse colour into every fibre, which means it’s designed to withstand the harshest UV and ozone conditions.
Product & warranty criteria to be aware of:
- Duration of the warranty
- Any exclusions in terms of carpet use
- Any terms and conditions around light exposure
Odour Resistance Warranties
Odour resistance warranties are especially relevant for homeowners who have pets or for investment properties where tenants are likely to keep pets, however, it can also be an important factor in owner-occupied or investment units where cooking odours in smaller spaces that don’t have as much ventilation can really permeate carpet. Carpet One’s Desire Carpet Collection comes with an exclusive Active8 Treatment that neutralises household and pet odours.
Product & warranty criteria to be aware of:
- Duration of the warranty
- Type & quality of the odour resistance treatment
- Any special cleaning (or other) requirements to maintain the warranty
Pet Guarantees
Some carpets now even come with a specific pet guarantees to protect against the wear, tear, soiling and odour associated with having pets. The Ecoplus carpet collection for example offers lifetime pet guarantee for owner-occupier domestic use.
Product & warranty criteria to be aware of:
- Duration of warranty
- Usage requirements (e.g. owner-occupier)
- Types of wear and tear covered by the warranty
- Any special cleaning or care requirements to maintain the warranty.
Considering new flooring options for your home, office or rental property? Contact your local Carpet One store to get expert flooring advice tailored to your needs.
