January 28, 2011—A recent study conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction has found that most facility managers select carpeting over hard-surface flooring for practical reasons that include noise control, aesthetics, and slip resistance, though they do have concerns about carpet longevity.
The survey found that most managers want carpets to last for at least 11 years. They also want it to be stain and soil resistant and easy to maintain.
However, it appears many managers are less than satisfied with their carpet’s life span. In the survey, those who wanted the carpet to last longer represented 62 percent of K-12 school facilities, 61 percent of health care facilities, 55 percent of higher education facilities and 47 percent of corporate facilities.
Moreover, on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the most dissatisfied), managers rated their satisfaction as a 1, 2, or 3 if their carpets lasted only six to nine years. If the carpet lasted 10 or more years, the numbers jumped to 4 or 5.
But according to Mark Baxter, engineer, product manager for U.S. Products, a manufacturer of hot-water carpet extractors, there may be something else at play behind these revealing numbers.
“Some of this dissatisfaction could be due to lack of proper carpet cleaning and maintenance, which was not addressed in the survey,” he said.
“In K-12 facilities, for instance, carpets may need hot-water extraction two to four times per year,” said Baxter. “There usually is a very close connection between more frequent [carpet] cleanings with hot-water extraction and overall satisfaction. It can make a big difference.”
McGraw-Hill Construction conducted an anonymous nationwide survey of facility managers of K-12, higher education, health care, and corporate facilities. Managers from 38 states were contacted; 84 percent of those managers had between five and ten years of experience, while the rest had at least five years.
The study was commissioned by INVISTA, a synthetic fiber manufacturer. For more information visit INVISTA.
