Swapping out the carpet in your Carmicheal rental home every few years is important, yet most landlords dislike the task. Why not consider getting rid of the carpet in your rental property for good? Rental property owners are increasingly opting for hard-surface flooring instead of wall-to-wall carpeting. If this idea appears too extreme, think about why completely removing the carpet makes sense for both landlords and tenants.
Carpets may harbor dirt and odor
Keeping carpet clean in a rental home is one of the more challenging aspects. Even if you have the carpets professionally cleaned between tenants, they might not keep them up during their occupancy. If tenants stay for years, the carpets may accumulate significant dirt and grime over time.
Carpet fibers are notorious for holding onto unpleasant odors, especially when not cleaned frequently and thoroughly. Even when tenants clean the carpet, they probably want to avoid the expense of hiring someone or the time to do it themselves.
Conversely, hard-surface flooring like laminate or tile is easy to maintain. These types of flooring can be cleaned to shine in minutes and as often as tenants want, ensuring no unpleasant stains or odors. Unlike carpet, hard-surface flooring is much more hygienic for young children and people with respiratory or health issues.
Avoid soaked carpets in case of a flood
Another reason to abandon carpets is the hassle of cleaning them after water leaks and floods. Even a small plumbing issue can lead to severe flooding in a rental, and wet carpets can become a big problem.
Wet carpets must be pulled up, and the subflooring, pad, and carpet should be dried immediately and thoroughly to prevent mold. If the carpet cannot be dried, it has to be replaced. If you don’t address a flooding situation promptly and correctly, you risk your residents’ health and severe liability.
Most hard-surface flooring (excluding natural hardwood) is much easier to handle in a flood situation. If properly installed, most types of laminate and vinyl are highly water-resistant and can be dried efficiently. This means expensive restoration services or flooring replacement won’t be needed, just some focused clean-up.
Hardwood floors have a longer lifespan
It’s widely understood that carpets must be replaced every five years. Some landlords try to stretch this to seven years or longer—generally to their disadvantage. Most tenants are not fond of living with old, worn, or stained carpets. If the carpet isn’t regularly replaced, they might consider leaving.
Old carpeting looks bad and can be dangerous. As carpet gets older, tacks can pop up and injure people walking on them. Cheap carpet, especially, doesn’t last more than a few years in rental conditions.
Hard-surface flooring, on the other hand, is much more durable. While tenants can damage hard-surface floors, most tile or laminate flooring can last at least ten to twenty years. Laminate flooring costs about the same as carpet but doesn’t require frequent replacement, making it a better choice for rentals.
Ditch the outdated look of carpets
In the end, wall-to-wall carpeting can make a rental property look outdated. Newer homes often limit carpet to bedrooms or avoid it entirely.
To modernize your rental, think about installing attractive laminate or tile flooring in the main living areas instead of carpet. Unlike carpet, which tenants cannot change, hard-surface flooring enables them to add rugs or décor items to customize the space without sacrificing cleanliness or durability.
Modern laminate tile comes in many sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles that can enhance your rental without the cost and hassle of natural hardwood.
Learn about the benefits of hard-surface flooring for rental properties. Contact Real Property Management Folsom Lake at 916-850-2844 or online for tips on creating cost-effective, appealing interiors that tenants will love. Our property managers in Carmicheal are skilled in reducing maintenance costs while maintaining tenant appeal.
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