Maintenance  Investing Underfoot —Long Lasting Carpets, Obviously, floors make up a great deal of your building's interior, and in most buildings, carpet covers a lot of the floor. Carpet costs can vary considerably, based on care after purchase, but just as important, based on care (and wisdom) before purchase. Consider these factors when it's time to replace the carpet. Consider the total life/cycle cost. That's the cost of the carpet and it's upkeep, divided over the number of years you expect to use it. "Number of years" is important, and can vary according to business. While the average business might expect 8-10 years, a school or non-profit organization might want 20 years, while a fine hotel or trendy shop might expect to "face lift" with new carpet every 4 or 5 years. Though harder to pin down, consider the effect of acoustics, energy savings (through potential insulating effect) and the cost of disposal and downtime for replacement. Consider the environment. Traffic patterns — heavy or light? Close to external doors (which will track in outside dirt and moisture). Wheeled equipment or chairs. Does the nature of your environment suggest that food or beverages may be spilled? All that should give you an idea of whether your emphasis is on sturdiness, stain resistance, aesthetic appeal, or whatever. Apply that to the guts of the carpet itself. Taken in order of construction, consider the material. Wool looks the best and costs the most. It also wears out the fastest. Nylon resists crushing and abrasion. Olefin isn't as crush-resistant as nylon but resists staining better. Now, consider the dyeing technique. "Solution dyeing" means the fiber is saturated while still molten. It's the most colorfast and durable (and also 'green,' since there is very little waste). You can get cheaper though, but the difference is generally minimal. Unless you're really planning on short-term use, make an easy call on dyeing technique and go for the best. Pile — Loop or cut? Cut looks better. Loop last longer. Traffic considerations are big here — as they are in. Density A higher density (or volume) carpet holds up a lot better to heavy traffic. As you'd expect, it costs more. Since parts of your floor may have more traffic than others, you can be smart on density — many manufacturers off the SAME PATTERN in different densities, so you can put your money where it counts. What You Don't See Counts Backing. If crushing is important, backing makes the difference, since it's how the carpet transfers weight, like the shocks in your car. Good backing also needs to be able to stand up under chemical treatments and spills, while being resistant to moisture and odors. Sadly, you may not have much choice of backing, but by asking the right questions, you might pick one manufacturer over another. You can also probably choose whether or not to have the carpet glued directly to the floor or placed on cushion. Cushion adds cost but provides many benefits, from energy and acoustic savings to increased life and appeal. Keeping It Maintenance is a key point, Most manufacturers provide guidelines to what kind and how much maintenance is needed. Regular vacuuming is critical, whether the carpet "looks dirty" or not. Unvacuumed particles will lead to ground in stains. Dumping It Almost a BILLION square yards of 'disposed' carpeting hits our landfills each year. Thankfully, many manufacturers are taking back old carpet for reuse, while many businesses are considering resale or donation of usable carpet to others. Overflowing landfills is one thing carpets can't cover up. Look for a home for your ex-carpet, and consider recycling or dumping fees in your cost analysis. Consider Your Carpets Like An Investment, Not An Expense You'll come out better in the long run.