If you’ve had carpet down in your home or business for years, eventually everyone sees a carpet wrinkle, buckle, ripple or wave? If the wrinkle is left alone, it can eventually turn into a safety hazard to trip and fall over, and the wrinkle can get worse, so action is needed?
What is a Carpet Wrinkle?
Carpet wrinkles, buckles, ripples, or waves are because your carpet was not stretched in tight enough to prevent wrinkles from forming over time. All carpet installed over padding must be stretched in tightly from one wall to another using a mechanical tool called a “Power Stretcher” this tool is uses leverage instead of knee force.
It should be a major cause for alarm when a wrinkle develops on your carpet. If you do not address it quickly, the wrinkle could end up ruining your carpet permanently so it will need to be replaced. Look at the warranty. If your carpet is still covered, then a solution could be to contact the carpet retailer where you bought the carpet. They will possibly be able to re-stretch your carpet at no cost to you.
However, if your new carpet warranty has expired or if your carpet installation warranty has expired, you might have to hire an independent carpet installer to come to your home and re-stretch your carpet for a nominal fee.
Top Nine Reasons You Have Carpet Wrinkles
Here are the top nine reasons why carpets develop wrinkles.
- Improper Carpet Installation
Any new carpet can quickly develop wrinkles if the carpet was not stretched in properly during installation. There are specific guidelines put out by the Carpet and Rug Institute which provide installers, retailers, specification writers, and building owners with detailed principles and guidelines for carpet installation. Carpet installations guarantees are typically one-year, and possibly two-years. Certain carpet retailers provide a lifetime carpet installation warranty. Lifetime here means the typical life-span of the carpet, not your lifetime. Proper carpet installation requires proper stretching equipment, and tack-less strips are installed.
If your carpet comes loose from the tackless strips, then your carpet will no longer be stretched tight so the wrinkles will develop.
- Wrong Padding Installed
The homeowner typically selects the padding and picks a lower grade padding to save money. Unfortunately, the wrong carpet and low-quality padding can cause wrinkling.
- New Home Construction – Common Builder Problems
New home builders can cut corners to save time and money. In the building community, they have a hard time finding and keeping experienced subs like carpet installers. That’s how you can end up with wrinkles in your carpet. Most carpets that are builder-grade last from 3 to 5 years.
- Rolling or pushing heavy objects across the carpet.
Children’s toys, wheelchairs, handcarts, and scooters can easily cause your carpet to stretch out and form wrinkles. Most residential carpet installed over standard padding is not made to handle office chairs, motorized carts, walkers, or wheelchairs. Almost anything with wheels on it can cause significant carpet damage over time. Pianos are among the top reason for causing wrinkles in carpets.
- Moisture and humidity can quickly cause your carpets to wrinkle.
Areas of the U.S. that have excessive moisture and humidity can cause problems with the pad and carpet and wrinkles. Basements are an obvious location for causing carpets to wrinkle and cause other serious issues like mold and mildew.
- Spills and Urine Accidents – Active Children, Teens or Pets
Kids, teens, and pets can test any carpeting. If you have active kids, teens or pets, or if your pets have occasional accidents, then you will likely develop wrinkles in your carpet.
- Carpet Cleaning Issues
Hiring an inexperienced carpet cleaning business can be part of the wrinkling problems. Too much water or not extracting enough hot steam cleaning solution will create an over-wet carpet which can cause carpet wrinkles.
- Carpet Manufacturing Defect
Occasionally you will see a defect in the carpeting. If you have a new carpet, check the warranty and call the manufacturer.
- Improper carpet care and/or maintenance
Read your carpet manufacturer’s cleaning guidelines and follow them step by step to keep the warranty intact. Most warranties require you to professionally clean your carpets during a certain period of time. Keep a record with the receipts to show to the manufacturer if you need to use your warranty.
Give Auburn Carpet Specialists a call at 770-867-7541 for a free inspection and estimate to clean your carpeting.
Auburn Carpet Specialists are the area’s premier carpet cleaning service company, family-owned and operated, that has earned a solid reputation for premium quality service and customer satisfaction. With more than 20 years of experience, we can truly call ourselves ‘Auburn Carpet Specialists’. We are located in Auburn, Georgia. Contact us today for a FREE Inspection and Estimate or call at 770-867-7541.
