Improving Wellbeing
While facility professionals focus on the building’s operational efficiency, they also consider the wellbeing of its students and staff. A well-maintained carpet can contribute many benefits in addition to facilitating a cleaner indoor facility. First, carpet provides an acoustic advantage that can contribute to student learning and listening. Second, carpet cushions footsteps, thus reducing fatigue, but it can also help minimize impacts from slips and falls. Third, in colder climates, carpets may retain warm air longer, potentially providing an added energy benefit.
Maintenance
If carpet is not vacuumed, soil accumulates and can change the perceived carpet color. An effective maintenance program includes soil barriers like walk-off mats, regular vacuuming, removal of stains and spills, and proactive periodic deep cleanings.
Another way to ensure a maintenance program is effective is to specify the right carpet fiber type and shape. Fiber shape can impact how clean the carpet looks and how easy the carpet is to clean. Specifying the durable “Nylon Type 6,6 four-hole hollow filament” fiber shape means there are fewer places for soil to accumulate, helping soil to be released more readily during vacuuming. This combination results in better texture retention, helping carpet to look newer for longer.
In contrast, other fiber shapes tend to accumulate higher levels of soil and require more frequent cleaning. Without the light refraction capability of the four-hole hollow filament, soil may be more visible on the fiber, making traffic patterns appear dirty. Some types of fibers can get crushed, impacting the release of soil; that ultimately has a negative effect on the overall design aesthetics and total cost of ownership.
Sustainable Benefits
Over the years, most of us have experienced the trend toward short-lived disposable products, and this trend is counter to real sustainability. Carpet should be durable, not disposable. With an effective carpet maintenance program and the right carpet fiber, carpet can last longer. Nylon Type 6,6 four-hole hollow filament is designed with the belief the longer the carpet lasts, the more sustainable it is. This longevity drives meaningful sustainability and supports long-term value.
