Frequently asked questions

Who will move our furniture?

Furniture moving during flooring installation:
Floor installation may seem like a scary process to some homeowners. The idea of strangers moving around furniture seems risky and potentially dangerous. However, with simple methods and strategies, most floor installation providers can move furniture with ease. Our flooring installation in Marin County involves trained professionals who are well aware of the moving techniques they should use.

Moving Glass: Installation experts know that broken glass is hazardous and is terrible to try to clean up. When they move glass objects and furniture with glass parts, they are well aware of the dangers that broken glass may pose to both themselves and to the residents of the home. Installation experts know to carefully wrap glass before moving it and to store it where it cannot fall, shatter, break or crack while installing flooring.

Preparing Light fixtures: Well trained installation experts also know what to watch out for when moving objects around or out of the room. For example, if a light fixture is obtrusive, or jutting out from the wall, it won't catch an installation professional off guard. They know to map out the room before hand and take careful note of the fixtures and trappings that may cause accidents while moving. Carefully planning every move means that the safety of the installation experts, the family, and the furniture is ensured.

Lifting Items around the Home: Again, Installation professionals are well aware of the potential damage that dragging or sliding furniture can cause. They understand that lifting is the best way to relocate even lightweight furniture. When lifting, professionals know to hoist objects from their strongest points, thus greatly minimizing the chances that these objects may break or become damaged. The process of lifting and setting down heavy furniture is not taken trivially, especially since a slight mistake could result in not only the damaging of the customers’ furniture, but of the installation experts as well.

Detaching moveable parts: Some may not think to detach moveable parts from objects and furniture before moving them. With these parts detached, the chances of the breaking, malfunctioning, coming undone, or causing someone to trip or fall is greatly reduced. Hazard risks are minimized by the careful removing of intricate or moveable parts before and not during moving. These parts should be reattached carefully when the installation process is complete.

Though it may still cause a small amount of stress on the part of the homeowner, rest assured that trained floor installation experts are well aware of the importance of safe moving strategies and techniques. Detaching moveable parts, lifting carefully and methodically, avoiding light fixtures and other obtrusions, and carefully securing glass before moving are all ways that our professionals in Marin County, CA ensure the safety of your home, your family, and themselves.

How do I care for my new carpet?

General Flooring Care: Flooring care is an important maintenance procedure for homeowners and businesses alike. Proper flooring maintenance requires knowledge, skill and just plain old hard work. But with the right type of care, all kinds of floors can look their best and remain durable and visually appealing.

Carpet Care: Flooring maintenance for carpets presents its own set of circumstances. Carpets can easily get stained with spills of food, drink and household chemicals. Both adults and children are responsible for these accidents. One of the best ways to prevent stains occurring in the first place is to either purchase stain-resistant carpet or to fully coat the carpet with stain resistant products that can be bought at the local hardware store. READ MORE

Carpets should be cleaned in a series of steps: They should first be throughly vacuumed. Then any larger pieces of dirt or debris that the vacuum didn't pick up should be lifted off the carpet either by hand or with a broom and dust pan. Moreover, carpets can also be professionally steam cleaned for the most lasting results of maintaining its natural beauty and texture. Stains can often be removed with a simple vinegar and ammonia solution diluted with water. But never use chlorine bleach or laundry and dishwashing detergent as that can make the stains worse.

Hardwood, Laminate and Vinyl Flooring Care: For the very best care of your flooring in the Marin County area, it's important to contact the professional flooring experts who have the vast experience and expertise to handle your hardwood, vinyl and laminate floor care needs - Mertel Carpets, Inc. When you want the most qualified flooring technicians inMarin County region, Mertel Carpets can come to your home or place of business for a knowledgeable and professional evaluation of your flooring care needs.

One of the best ways to care for these types of floors is to regularly keep them broom swept clean and to fully mop them with a special floor cleaning solution. They can also be shined and waxed to a high gloss for even more improved protection for these floors.

Flooring Equipment and Products to Keep on Hand: Every homeowner and business should stock certain flooring products such as brand name flooring cleaners, ammonia, vinegar, plus equipment such as a quality push broom, a high efficiency vacuum cleaner, a steam cleaning machine, and a floor buffer or waxer, if they want to maintain their floors in the best condition possible at all times.

What is the lifespan of carpet?

The Longevity of Your Household Carpet: Carpet Lifespan isn't a cut and dry number. There are several factors that can effect how long your carpet lasts, whether it's where you live, who you live with, or what you do in your home. But even carpet under the most trying of conditions can last many years, with the right carpet maintenance.

In the average household of about 2-4 residents, carpet lifespan is usually about 3-5 years. It is by this point that most carpet fibers become old and frayed. Stains will also have sunk in, turning what started out as a pure white carpet into something graying and dull. This is why apartment owners and most homeowners change out their carpets every 3-5 years, due to discomfort and degrading visual quality of the current carpet.

If there are children or pets living in the household with the carpet, this number can go even lower. Children and animals both are known for the stains they cause, and animals especially can fray and tear up the carpet they take residence on with their claws. So if you're living in a home with either children or animals, then proper carpet care is even more essential.

Proper carpet care changes everything though. As mentioned, with proper carpet maintenance, many years can be added to the average carpet lifespan, and some households can even keep their carpet for a decade before replacing their carpet flooring. Vacuuming is a necessity, with low traffic areas like a bathroom or closet needing to be vacuumed every 2-3 days; for the greatest longevity for your carpets, high traffic areas like hallways or living rooms should be vacuumed daily.

For treatment of stains, the rule of thumb is the faster the better. Most carpets nowadays have been treated to resist stains better, and show them more clearly so as to make them easier to spot and clean up. However, even with new stain treatments you have to work fast, because the longer a stain sits, the more permanent damage is caused to your carpet. Dab the stain with a white cloth or towel, and then look up proper treatment for the specific stain -- remember, each are different!

Carpets life can last as little or as long as you want, and as long as you treat your carpet well and keep it clean, it can be there for a long time.