Here is a look at the most common types of warranties offered on carpet, their meanings, and their relevance to your purchasing decision. Not all carpets carry a texture retention warranty, so be sure to read the warranty information carefully. This warranty will tell you a lot about what you can expect in terms of the performance of the carpet—a 20-year texture retention warranty indicates that the manufacturer has a lot of confidence in the product and it will likely be very resilient; the lack of any texture retention warranty is a pretty sure bet that you would be looking to replace this carpet within five years. Staining occurs as a result of something that has come into contact with your carpet and transferred its color. For example, spilling a cup of coffee on your carpet will leave a brown stain (until it is cleaned up). Soiling occurs as a result of residue left on the fibers of the carpet, and this attracts dirt. Residue can be left behind by spot treatment products that were not fully cleaned or can even be due to oil from your skin transferring to the carpet (usually from the soles of bare feet). The residue 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 warranty coverage, offering different lengths of warranty for each. Be sure to read the warranty information closely. In almost all stain and soil warranties, there is a list of exclusions—substances that, if spilled on the carpet, are not covered under warranty. Commonly, these exclusions include mustard, herbal tea, and non-food substances such as bleach and urine. However, some carpets are now being offered with “no exclusions” warranties, meaning that anything that comes into contact with the carpet is covered under warranty (such as Kraus Perpetual carpets). Be sure to find out whether the carpet you are looking at carries exclusions or not.
Special Note Regarding Stairs
One very important detail in the fine print of many carpet warranties is that carpet that has been installed on stairs is not covered under warranty. Despite the fact that stairs exist in a large number of households, it is considered “abnormal wear and tear” to the carpet when it is subjected to traffic on stairs. Stairs are usually the highest-traffic area of the home, and the impact of your footsteps on the carpet is greater on the stairs than on a flat surface due to the effects of gravity. That’s because as you’re walking down the stairs, your full body weight is landing on the stair below. More and more carpet collections are now covering stairs in their warranties, as technology improves the resilience and manufacturers realize the importance of having warranty protection. The Mohawk SmartStrand collection is an example of such a carpet. Additionally, carpeting that has been installed in the kitchen or the bathroom is excluded from manufacturers’ warranties due to the exposure to high levels of moisture. Some manufacturers now do cover stairs in their warranties. If you are concerned about a lack of warranty on your stair carpet, talk to your salesperson about recommending a carpet that includes stairs in its warranty. Regardless of which carpet you are looking at, be sure to read the warranty information carefully. If you are not completely clear on what it means, ask your salesperson.
