A bedroom is a space where people spend many hours each day, and for those who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other breathing disorders, hardwood flooring is a better option than carpet.
For most people, the bedroom is a cozy sanctuary from the bustle and activity of the rest of the home. The softness, quiet, and warmth of carpet often make it the best flooring option for this private oasis.
Carpet In The City
Chiaramonte says that some buyers still prefer soft flooring for bedrooms. However, they usually avoid carpeting the entire room. “It's far easier to redo or change the feeling in a room by purchasing a new rug!
Hardwood floors are one of the best flooring options for homeowners looking to increase the resale value of their home, with hardwood typically yielding around a 75% return on investment.
Quality, well-maintained carpet can last about 10 to 15 years, but typically needs to be replaced if it becomes worn out or stained. Conversely, hardwood flooring can withstand significantly more wear, tear and spills without needing to be replaced. Good quality hardwood floors can last a lifetime when well maintained.
When it comes down to finding the best flooring to increase home value, it all boils down to your market. Hardwood will likely give you the highest return, but laminate and luxury vinyl plank flooring also offer plenty of perks to buyers.
"Having brand new, fresh carpet increases the value of the home because it is the main focal point of the room (along with the paint) that buyers see when they tour a property," explains Samuel.
Dawn Wilson, Keller Williams: “Most buyers prefer hardwood. For selling purposes, it is better to have hardwood. If there is not hardwood in the home already, and it is cost prohibitive to put hardwood in, then in most cases, new carpet should be put in prior to resale. Buyers like tile flooring in the bathrooms.
Hardwood is known for being much cleaner than carpet as it doesn't collect all of the dust and dirt beneath the surface. Despite best efforts, carpeting is never perfectly clean. Well maintained hardwood flooring can last decades!
The best rooms to carpet are bedrooms and playrooms. Family rooms, hallways and stairways can also benefit from carpeting but these high traffic areas will suffer more wear on the carpet over time. As a rule, entry rooms and rooms most likely to see high traffic or lots of messes should not be carpeted.
Unless you're living in a newer home or one that's been recently remodeled, there's a good chance your bedroom is carpeted. Carpet is soft and warm underfoot, and for many years it was the most popular bedroom flooring option around.
Carpeting is a poor choice in any room that frequently sees water, food remnants, or dirt. These elements will quickly damage carpet. These rooms include but are not limited to, kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, mudrooms, and laundry rooms. Kitchens are a poor choice to install carpeting because of food, dirt, and water.
Carpet fibers often become matted and frayed within just 3-5 years. A carpet can only be expected to last 5-15 years from installation, so if your carpet it starting to look a little beat-up then it's probably time to replace it. Areas that see the most wear and tear are usually the hallways, stairs, and living areas.
How can carpet impact health? Carpets may trap pollutants like dust mites, pet dander, cockroach allergens, particle pollution, lead, mold spores, pesticides, dirt and dust. Toxic gases in the air can stick to small particles that settle into carpets.
As CNN reported, hardwood floors can also increase home value by 3-5%. This makes them a very attractive prospect for anyone looking to sell their house in the near future. However, even if you don't plan on moving any time soon, hardwood floors may still be a good investment.
The Bottom Line: Flooring and Home Value
While it's hard to say exactly what flooring (other than hardwood) will add the most value to a home, it's clear that buyers prefer hard surfaces over carpeting.
There is absolutely no need to change flooring from room to room. We often work with homeowners who feel the urge to pick a different flooring for every room of their home, but there is absolutely no need to do this. Your home will look best if you create one consistent look that travels from room to room.
Though hardwood is incredibly popular, carpeting is making a comeback, in part due to the innovative new options on the market. Carpet is a great choice for bedrooms, dens, or basements where hardwood can feel too cold and sterile, or any room where there is a risk of water damage.
Today, carpet is often seen as outdated, dingy, and even unsanitary, trapping pests, dust, and moisture deep below the surface.
You should upgrade your carpet if you don't want to replace it every few years. Higher quality carpet lasts longer, at roughly ten years, than cheaper options, lasting roughly five years, and will save you time and money in the future.
HomeAdvisor.com notes that new carpet in general tends not to affect resale value either way (compared to hardwood, for which 54% of buyers in one study were willing to pay $2,080 more). But stained or outdated carpeting doesn't do you any favors.
Solid hardwood or tile flooring can also work since the materials are well suited to almost any room. According to real estate agents, hardwood is the best flooring option to sell a house fast and also at top dollar.
In high-traffic areas it can show wear and tear, and laminate can't be sanded or refinished for an updated appearance. Because of its lower price point, laminate also won't do much for your home's resale value.
Mold will often grow under the carpet or within the carpet padding, making it difficult to diagnose. If there was a recent spill or flooding, then there is a high risk of mold growth. Mold can also grow in homes and rooms that experience high humidity.
In general, carpet that is more than 20 years old should be replaced. Dust, dirt and debris build up in the fibers and underneath the carpet, even if it is maintained regularly. This can lead to allergy problems and odors. By the time a carpet reaches 30 years old, it usually is worn and stained.