Carpet is one of the most popular floor coverings in homes and apartments. It's relatively inexpensive and easy to install, it's easy to care for--just run a vacuum over it--and it looks good. However, like everything else, carpet gets damaged or needs repair. It needs a visit from the Fix-It Club.

How Does It Work?

Carpet is a floor covering made of heavy woven or felted fabric. It is stretched over a subfloor and secured at a room's edge using tack strips. Rooms with dimensions greater than 12 feet. typically require a seam to connect two pieces of carpet. Most carpet flooring has a pad underneath to soften the texture and, in some installations, to protect the carpet backing from moisture.

Fabrics used in carpet include wool, nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene olefin, or (more commonly) a blend of two or more materials. In addition, most carpet materials are treated with a stain fighter to reduce absorption by staining fluids. Carpet pad materials include polyurethane foam, bonded polyurethane, rubber, and natural or synthetic fiber. Pads are graded by their density or weight.

What Can Go Wrong?

Because carpets are always underfoot, they are subject to food spills, pet damage, and even burns. In addition, seams between carpet pieces can separate over time and need fixing.

Fix-It Tip

The most important thing you can do to extend the life of your carpet is to vacuum it regularly. Dirt and grit not only look bad, they can wear down the carpet fabric as they are ground in by foot traffic.