Here on The Tile Shop website, we have a comparison guide for you: Why flooring tile is better than carpeting for your home.
One of the largest contributors to air pollution indoors is carpet. Allergies are one of the most common health problems, and carpets create the perfect breeding environment for allergens such as mildew, molds, and dust mites. These aggravate may types of allergies.
Any home with carpet becomes a troublesome potential allergen trap. Pollutants like dust and pollen love to live in your carpet’s fibers, where they will start to make your allergies act up. Tile does not bind with these pollutants like a carpet does, and therefore is a much better choice to reducing the frequency of your allergy symptoms.
On top of this, the modern carpeting that goes wall-to-wall in our houses today is comprised of dyed synthetic fibers, and is treated with various chemicals including soil repellants, pesticides, and fungicides. These are then bonded onto a synthetic back with a chemical glue. These materials all release into the air hundreds of very VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) while they age through a process known as outgassing. VOC’s can be carcinogens, mutagens, and irritants; not the ideal substances to keep in your home, that’s for sure!
Another reason why carpet is not the best option is its attraction and retainment of everything your family and you bring into the house- lead dust from flaking exterior house paint, bacteria, insects, dirt, garden and lawn chemicals, and many other unhealthy substances. This doesn’t even count all the things coming from inside the house, like dead skin particles, hair, and food crumbs.
It is almost impossible to get an entire wall-to-wall carpet completely and 100% clean. If you’ve ever rented a steam cleaner and repeatedly cleaned the same area and had the experience of getting more dirt each time, then you know what I mean. And cleaning your carpet brings its own problems. Vacuuming your carpet stirs up all that airborn mold spores and dust. Shampooing leaves you with a damp carpet, which encourages the growth of mold. And the shampoo itself could have toxic or irritating chemicals added into the mix.
Keeping your home allergy free and clean is a big challenge for most of us. And cleaning a high-maintenance carpet just adds to the required cleaning time. But what if there was an option that could shorten your cleaning time by possibly half, and reduce your allergens at the same time? Sound a little farfetched? It’s not when you consider tile flooring. These days many homeowners are choosing to install tile floors because they are such an ideal alternative from carpet. Unlike carpet, tile doesn’t attract and hold onto dirt, hair, and all the other nasty things that carpets tend to grab from your family and guests. Your maintenance duties can go from difficult to a breeze with tile, and will also give you peace of mind when you see people walking on your floor with their shoes on. Below we are going to explore some of the many perks that tile floor can offer that carpet cannot, and learn a couple tips about how to install floor tile from The Tile Shop.
Ceramic tile is created by firing natural clay material in a kiln. A ceramic tile that is sealed with a non-leaded glaze will be impervious to bacteria and mold, and is very well tolerated by those with allergies and chemical sensitivity.
Ceramic tiling is attached to the floor by bonding it with a low-toxicity mortar that is thin set. It has the option of being grouted with a home-made and additive-free grout. Use two parts clean, dry sand combined with one part of Portland cement, combine together, add to water and you have a slow moving grout that cures dampness. It’s easy to learn how to install floor tile properly.
Despite the added up front expense of ceramic tile because of the intensive labour installation, these floors are extremely durable and if properly looked after will last you a very long time, saving you money in the future on replacing your floor. You will also save a lot of money on regular carpet maintenance such as steam cleaning and vacuuming. Steam cleaners are expensive to rent and even more pricier to buy, and vacuum cleaners don’t last forever and often have to be replaced every few years. And the carpet itself will only last for so long, requiring replacement of your entire floor covering. Tile floors will last for a very long time, often outliving several carpet replacements, and without looking dingy and worn out in between. When properly maintained, a well-installed tile floor can last indefinitely. Learn how to install floor tile properly, and see your well-invested money last for years and years through your tile floor.
Despite all the many numerous benefits that tile offers, there are a few aspects that can be irritating. Your family members may not like walking on the cold floor surface in their bare feet. This problem can be fixed by installing a heating system for your tile, or by purchasing a few throw rugs to walk on. Tile also has the tendency of making stains more apparent. So when you see a new stain, be sure to clean it right away. However, stains in carpets can be a problem too, so this may not be a deal breaker for everyone. There are many tile-cleaning products available.
So in the end, a tile floor offers many more pros than cons than a carpet does. It makes so much more sense regarding health, finances, and maintenance. So now that you know why tile is better than carpet, go to The Tile Shop to learn how to install tile. And for all your shipping needs, visit the new alternative to uShip .
