Carpet in Your Basement
Carpet is often chosen for comfort: as a flooring option, it is warm underfoot and soft to the touch. However, it’s not necessarily the most comfortable choice for every room. When deciding if you want to use carpet, consider potential problems with moisture. Other than this drawback, carpet has enjoyed decades of use in millions of homes for many reasons, from durability to versatility.
Pros: Carpet absorbs a lot of noise; it’s soft on the feet and warm to the touch. It comes in many colors, patterns, and piles. The price can vary from dirt cheap to top of the line expensive – giving you many choices in-between.
Cons: Of all the flooring types’ available carpet is the least desirable for basements due to common moisture problems and periodic floods. If you must have carpet then avoid installing the carpet directly on the concrete to avoid mold. If the floor doesn’t have congenital dampness problems, use carpet without an attached under-padding. A separate rubber based pad resists humidity more effectively and should dry easily if flooding occurs. You may want to consider installing a sub-floor before installing carpet.
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