Since 1992 the Carpet and Rug Institute has pioneered setting limits on carpet’s emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to establish a higher standard for indoor air quality. The Carpet and Rug Institutes explains how this program developed on its blog:

The Green Label program developed out of consumer and governmental concerns about carpet’s effect on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The original standard, developed in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, measured four compounds against an established criterion, as well as total volatile organic compounds, or TVOC.

The CRI is proud to report that as of January 1,2010 all carpet manufacturers have now conformed to these standards and so the Green Label Program has successfully reached its end. Wow, pretty impressive. What now?

Good Bye Green Label, Hello Green Label Plus

The CRI is pressing ahead to establish the highest standard yet for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by reducing even further the VOCs of carpet and adhesives. Green Label has been replaced with the stronger and more comprehensive Green Label Plus standard.

Green Label Plus, Sets Higher Standard for Indoor Air Quality

According to the CRI Green Label Plus Fact Sheet:

Green Label Plus, a voluntary industry testing program for carpet and adhesive products, establishes the highest standard for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) ever set by the carpet industry. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) created Green Label Plus to identify carpets and adhesives that are tested by an independent, certified laboratory and meet stringent criteria for low chemical emissions.

There is a growing demand to make indoor environments as healthy and “green-friendly” as possible. Choosing the right materials is a critical step. To assist in the process, CRI has created the Green Label Plus program.

Green Label ensures customers they are purchasing among the lowest emitting carpet, adhesive and cushion products on the market.

Green Label Plus is designed for architects, builders, specifiers and facility managers who want assurances that carpet and adhesive products meet the most stringent criteria for low chemical emissions.

Searching For Carpeting That Emit Low VOCs For Your Home?

Now it even easier than ever. All carpet currently manufactured by CRI member companies are low-emitting according to the standards of the now defunct Green Label standard. However, if your looking for carpet that meets the very highest IAQ standards then look for the Green Label Plus mark. This newer standard represents the fourth time the carpet industry has voluntarily enhanced the IAQ standard for its products.

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning, your Calgary Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) expert, recommends visiting Kensington Carpet One Floor and Home in Calgary for more information on carpet that meets the Green Label Plus standard.

Thanks to the work of the CRI and their member companies, carpet IS a low-emitting floor covering.

Image Courtesy of Mohawk

A couple of months ago I wrote an article about why Mohawk SmartStrand is Smart Choice.

Today, an exciting development was announced that will have a huge impact on the residential carpet industry and gives Dupont and Mohawk well deserved bragging rights.

In a very rare decision by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (whose role is to protect America’s consumers) Mohawk and DuPont have been successful in changing the classification of PTT fiber (DuPont’s Sorona polymer which is used to make Mohawk SmartStrand) as Triexta instead of Polyester.

This means the FTC believes what DuPont and Mohawk have been saying for the past 41/2 years regarding the superior performance of this product. The FTC confirmed today in a unanimous decision that the performance aspects of PTT fibers is so much superior to PET (traditional polyester) that it deserves an entirely new classification.

Remember, the PET polymer is classified as Polyester. The new PTT polymer (also referred to by the proprietary term 3GT as designated by DuPont) is now classified as Triexta.

Welcome Triexta. Why is this important to you the home owner?

Image Courtesy of Mohawk

You will be hearing a lot about this new fiber in coming months and years and so should you. In fact, this is the biggest big news in the textile industry since 1959 when Nylon was classified as a fiber.

Tom Tape, Mohawk’s Residential Flooring Business President talked about the FTC decision in a 15 minute audio interview with Kemp Harr of the Floor Daily and summarized the following benefits of SmartStrand:

1. Fantastic softness. Mohawk constantly hears stories from retailers such as how a customer after feeling how soft the product sample is, puts it under their arm and carries it around the store!
2. Enhanced durability. It is far superior to Polyesters. In some cases, it is even comparable in performance to higher priced Nylon.
3. Permanent stain resistance. (That is why Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning has recommended it in the past to customers for kids and pets.)
4. Sustainability. 37% of the content of SmartStrand is derived from Corn. (Note: Not all Triexta has this bio component – Only Dupont’s Sorona which is used in Mohawk’s SmartStrand.)

Tom concludes by saying: “We are getting closer to finding the ideal fiber for carpets” and “since SmartStrand has been on the the market for almost 5 years, Mohawk feels it has stood the test of time.”

If you live in Calgary and are looking for new carpet options, Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning invites you to drop by Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home and “feel” the softness for yourself.

Herman Miller Mirra Basic

A common problem with home offices and work spaces is the effect that the casters or wheels from office chairs have on the carpet interface. Can they both get along?

The repetitive rolling motion increases carpet wear over time. The movement can also in some cases cause delaminating of the carpet. Delamination is the separation of the secondary backing from the primary backing of the carpet which results in a bubbled or rippled appearance. This problem is not repairable. Replacement is the only option.

The Plastic Mat Option

Many choose to use a plastic chair pad for their office or home space. This may seem like a realistic solution but it presents its own problems. Plastic desk mats create an electrostatic charge which is transmitted on to the surrounding carpet fibers. This charge attracts and holds dust particles and at times the fine graphite powder that is released from the castors or wheels. This causes over time black lines around the edges of the plastic mat.

Those Ugly Black Lines

These black lines can be minimized by thorough vacuuming. Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends that the mat to be lifted and the carpet carefully vacuumed twice a week. This and yearly carpet cleaning will keep this problem to a minimum.

There are other visual problems that the plastic mat can create over extended periods of time. When the mat removed there will often be a noticeable color and texture change when compared to the surrounding carpet. This effect is permanent due to the wear and fading of the surrounding carpet.

They Really Can’t Get Along

In summary, using an office chair on traditional carpeting with an underpad is going to cause some damage over time. The two just can’t seem to get along! Your best option is to choose either a commercial glue down carpet, or hard surface flooring for your office space. With the help of a great designer or sales consultant this can actually create a more attractive work space for your home environment.

If you live in Calgary, talk to one of the knowledgeable consultants at Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home for some practical and beautiful options for your home. If you have any specific questions on this topic, feel free to contact me at Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning. You may also want to read about soil filtration lines, another frequent problem that occurs in homes.

Teragren Signature Naturals

Bamboo is extremely strong, long-lasting and just plain exotic. Not only gorgeous to look at, it’s also one of the most green and environmentally friendly flooring products on the market today. If that isn’t enough, it also compares favorably to hardwood flooring in price.

Bamboo – the renewable resource

Because it is a natural, renewable resource, bamboo flooring is considered by many to be the logical flooring choice of the future. Categorized as a grass and not a tree, bamboo just might be the world’s most sustainable resource. It is the fastest growing grass and can you can actually watch it grow. Bamboo reaches maturity quickly and is ready for harvesting in about 4 t0 5 years. Bamboo does not need to be replanted after harvesting because its vast root system continually sprouts new shoots. Bamboo accomplishes all of this on it’s own, without the need for machinery, pesticides and fertilizers. Bamboo is also used to control soil erosion and control rain run off. It’s hard to think of anything negative things to say about this remarkable resource.

Processing bamboo for flooring

Though there are over a thousand different kinds of bamboo, not all are suitable for use in flooring. The Moso variety is a common choice for flooring. Once the Moso poles reach about a year in age (40–50 ft high), their main growth stops and they begin to mature. In years two and three, the bamboo hardens. Then, at year 4 to 5 the bamboo is ready to be harvested.

After harvesting, it is boiled in a processing solution to remove any sugars. The bamboo strips are then kiln dried to a specified moisture content,and then glued with low emission glues. After hardening it is ready to be sliced into planks and milled like hardwood flooring. Natural bamboo has a natural blond colour which brings out the bamboo’s beautiful light tones and colour variations. The darker toned carbonized bamboo is achieved by pressure cooking the bamboo which highlights the warm honey-like tones.  The benefit of course is that unlike a wood stain, the colour is present throughout  the entire bamboo plank.

Installing bamboo flooring

Bamboo flooring is installed just like hardwood tongue-and-groove flooring, either glued together or nailed down. It typically comes in 3-foot or 6-foot lengths.

Teragren Synergy Java

It is also available with or without the distinctive bamboo nodes visible in the grain. There are many options available depending on the manufacturer.

Most wood products are compared with oak and maple in terms of stability and durability. Northern red oak is usually the standard against which other hardwood floors are measured for stability. Stability refers to the natural contraction and expansion of a wood in different climates over time. Bamboo is 50% more stable than red oak.

Maintaining your new bamboo floor

Maintaining your new bamboo floor is easy. Keep bamboo free of dirt and dust by using a broom, dry mop or a soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Use minimal water when cleaning and never use abrasive cleaners. Always follow the directions from the manufacturer of your bamboo flooring. Most non-abrasive hardwood cleaners are suitable for your bamboo floors, but again it always good to check with where your purchased the flooring.

Residential: Private residence, hallway. Flooring: Signature Colors Charcoal. ©2009 Teragren. All rights reserved.

Where to purchase bamboo flooring in Calgary

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home in Calgary for their beutiful selection of quality bamboo flooring by Teragren.

Not all bamboo flooring is alike. Unlike many bamboo suppliers, Teragren develops and manufactures all their own bamboo products. They directly control manufacturing—and product quality—from one source from harvest to distribution, guaranteed since 1994.

As posted on their website the Teragren difference includes:

• 11 manufacturing and quality-control checkpoints
• Advanced, state-of-the-art equipment that fortifies durability
• ISO 9001:2000 and 14001 certified factories
• Ability to install our flooring over radiant heat

For those concerned about Volatile Organic Gases (VOCs), please read about manufacturing adhesives on Teagren’s Website regarding different forms of formaldehyde found in adhesives and the  widely accepted benchmark  LEED® Green Building Rating System™ IEQ Credit 4.4: Low-Emitting Materials.

So when shopping for bamboo flooring in Calgary, Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends you visit Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home and let one of their knowledgable consultants guide you through the various options for your home.

Image Courtesy of Lees

With Ultra25 4x protection, the long lasting liquid repellency of Ultra25 will repel most liquids, including juice, coffee and other spills, four times longer than other carpets with traditional stain protection, making clean up quick and easy.

The advertising promises:

“Protection like you’ve never seen before.  Completely protects the carpet fibers from top to bottom, optimizing the life of your carpet and enhancing the ease of maintenance.  Because beauty is never just skin deep!”

Does it live up to it’s promises? The answer is in the warranty:

Titanium Warranty: 25 Year Wear, 120 Days Replacement, 25 Years No Exclusions StainResistance, 15 Years Texture Retention and Installation for the Life of the carpet. The exclusive “NO EXCLUSIONS Ultra25 Stain Warranty” covers stains other carpet warranties don’t: pet stains, grease, mustard, coffee, cola and many other different stains.  See warranty information for complete details.

This is the best warranty in the business. When a warranty does not exclude pet stains and mustard (two culprits of permanent staining), you know it’s good!

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home in Calgary for relax, it’s Lees.