Carpet manufacturers provide many different types of warranties, some murkier than others. When you purchase carpet, pay close attention to warranty exclusions.

Stains

Uh-oh… what’s that on your carpet? Carpet warranty exclusions cover a wide variety of problems, but stains are probably the most prevalent complaint. Shaw’s Limited Lifetime Stain Warranty excludes thirteen different substances commonly found in a household environment, whereas Carpet One’s Lees Ultra 25 Stain Warranty “covers all types of stains… even those that other carpet warranties don’t, including pet stains, grease, mustard, coffee, cola, even bleach.”

Where is your carpet?

The location of your carpet can void your warranty. For instance, Kraus’s Residential Wear Warranty doesn’t cover carpet installed on stairs.

What did you put on your carpet?

Your choice of carpet care products can be a real problem when it comes to soil resistance warranties such as Kraus’s Soil Resistance Warranty, which becomes void if you use soil retardants, stain repellents, anti-static treatments, or deodorizers.

What’s under your carpet?

For some warranties, what’s under your carpet may void your warranty, like Mohawk’s General Warranty, which has very specific cushion requirements: a minimum density of five pounds per cubic foot, with a thickness not less than 3/8 inch and not more than 1/2 inch.

Carpet care and maintenance requirements

Although carpet stain warranties vary from one manufacturer or brand to another, they all have one thing in common: You must remove spots immediately and have your carpets deep cleaned at least every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded dirt and grime.

The bottom line…

Although the carpet warranty should not be the sole factor in your purchase decision, it is an incredibly important one. In order to avoid a rejected warranty claim, it is your responsibility to find out which warranty applies to your specific carpet type, to obtain a copy of the warranty, ask questions to ensure you understand your warranty, follow the cleaning and care guidelines provided by the manufacturer, and save your receipts.

This is one of a series of articles written and published  on behalf of Stone and Tile PRO Partners.