Air quality is affected greatly — as well as your health — by the chemicals released by carpet and pad. This product is one of the most common offenders of air quality due to the large amount of chemicals in the product and the large square footage used in a common home.

For air quality sake we encourage our customers not to use carpet through out a home to help reduce the health threats. The bedroom is the room we spend the most time in and if at all possible, don’t use carpet there. The chemicals and dust mites can wreck a good night’s sleep and your health real fast.

When you do need to use carpet in the bedroom, there are some basic guidelines to follow — especially if you have respiratory issues. Before you pick a system, you should plan on having the materials delivered a week or two ahead of installation. Put it in the garage and allow it to breath. The rug and carpet institute suggest 72 hrs before installation. This is to allow the release of the high levels of chemicals. The pad is always better when you can use a solid pad such as a waffle pad or solid foam. The rebond pads need to aired out longer because the heavier their weight, the more chemically treated they are to obtain the stiffness.

If you have a latex allergy be aware that the glue used in a typical carpet is latex based and will release latex dust into the air. As we see more latex allergies, the carpet backing adhesive is becoming more of a suspect. Dark colors will off gas more than neutral or lighter colors. Wool carpets are treated with a fungicide or pesticide to stop insect damage. Recycled carpets are a cleaner choice.

After installation keep windows open and a bath fan running to exhaust the odors. Ask you carpet supplier before you buy what their policy is for carpet health issues. Some will remove the product others won’t. Most mills will if the complaint is received with in 30 days. It usually takes 30 days for you to notice the health problems. The carpet smell is a health problem that must be vented. The summer is the best time to install carpet to allow maximum venting.