Mold resistant carpeting is most often used in areas of your home that are prone to wetness, such as the basement.
Basements have concrete flooring that draws moisture in and keeps it there. Ultimately, this provides an ideal environment for mold to thrive.
Black mold is especially a health concern for people who have weak immune systems and are vulnerable to allergies. Good mold and mildew resistant carpets will keep harmful mold at bay.
Traditional carpets, unfortunately, are not appropriate for a basement finishing project. Water leaks into basement walls and comes through leaking pipes.
Water vapors in basement floors will also find its way into carpets. It will release musty smells and cause mold to flourish. Your carpets will eventually need to be ripped out and replaced, and this ends up costing you more money.
Ultimately, when looking to finish a basement, invest in mold-resistant carpets as it will make your investment go a long way.
Types of Mold Resistant Carpets
Acrylic
Acrylic is basically a plastic fiber. The good news is that it is naturally resistant to chemicals, stains, and mold. It also resists fading in the sun and has a tendency to dry quickly.
The carpet is basically an alternative to wool at a much lower price. It is also much easier to clean than natural fiber; however, the acrylic does wear, and the carpet pile flattens in a short amount of time.
It is commonly used in carpeting since the fibers are not as strong.
Nylon
It is a fiber made of polyamide polymer, and it is resilient in high traffic areas of the home. It’s also naturally resistant to soil stains and mildew.
Most of these carpets are treated with chemicals, so they are stain-resistant, and that helps prevent stains as well as mold.
It is much costlier than other types of carpeting; however, it lasts longer and has more resilience than other types of comments.
Olefin
This type of carpet is made from polypropylene. It is a product of gasoline refining and can resist many chemicals and stains, as well as mold.
The carpet attracts oil and becomes dirty rather quickly. It also has a low melting point and flattens after a short period of time.
It is not recommended in garages or anywhere near fireplaces. In fact, you should avoid use in any area with high temperatures. It’s mainly used outdoors.
Polyester
This is another plastic fiber. Most polyester carpets are made from recycled plastic bottles and are considered environmentally friendly.
The fibers are unfortunately not resistant to tread and flatten out fast. It’s also chemical and mold resistant. This carpet type is one of the strongest types of fibers.
Polyester also attracts oil. New polyester technology has a soft and plush like feel. It’s also cheaper than most other types and offers the same stain and mold resistant properties.
Best use cases for mold resistant carpet
Mold-resistant carpet is designed for areas in the home that have a tendency to get wet. Places like your basement are, in fact, the ideal place to install a mold-resistant carpet.
Your basement tends to allow moisture in through leaking pipes and water vapors, and ultimately if you have carpets inside your basement, it will hold the moisture there. Ultimately, this then becomes the ultimate breeding ground for mold.
If you must install carpets in your basement, ensure that you are using mold-resistant fibers. One of the best types of mold-resistant carpet is made from Olefin face fiber.
This type of carpet is extremely chemical resistant, and you can also clean it with any type of cleaning solution, including bleach.
How does mold resistant carpet prevent mold from growing
When it comes to selecting the right type of carpet for your home, there are many factors to consider. Perhaps the most important factor is exactly where in the home you plan on using the carpet.
Although having the best quality of a carpet is imperative irrespective of where in the home you’re using it, certain areas will require more care than others.
The basement is one of those areas. This is simply because basements are prone to moisture and water retention, and ultimately, this can lead to a massive mold or mildew problem in your basement.
So for that sake, you need to ensure that if your carpeting inside the basement or garage is mold and mildew resistant.
In order to find mold and mildew carpets, you need to find carpet fibers that provide no food sources for the mold. Nylon is probably one of the best choices when it comes to mold-resistant carpets.
It is resilient, and irrespective of how long it is crushed or distorted, it ultimately regains its original shape. It also has good elasticity, which also allows it to keep its shape even in high or heavy traffic areas of the home.
Is mold resistant carpet toxic?
Irrespective of what type of carpet you choose for your home, the reality is that all carpets have their fair share of VOC emissions.
Ultimately most carpets contain VOC emissions at either high or low levels, and newly installed carpets will accumulate allergens in the house.
Very few homeowners stop to question exactly what is in the carpets that they walk on each and every day. In years gone by, carpets used to be made from wool fibers; however, today’s rugs and carpets are made from various synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, and polyester.
During the final stages of manufacturing, these carpets also receive a heavy coating of latex, which ultimately improves the carpets’ resilience.
The good news is that carpets made from the following or above-mentioned fibers is extremely resistant to mold and mildew.
The bad news is that most carpets, even, new ones contain human carcinogens such as acetone and formaldehyde. If you’ve ever had new carpets installed, you will note the “new carpet smell,” and it is far more welcoming and comfortable than the musty smell of old and dirty carpets.
However, what you didn’t know is that the smell is produced by 4-Phenyl Cyclohexane. Ultimately this is a gas created from chemical reactions between the butadiene and styrene, which is probably used in the backing of your new carpet.
Several other chemicals are added to new carpets such as stain protectors, flame retardants, and moth protectors. Mop proofing carpets involves using pesticides and high amounts of naphthalene.
This ingredient is known to have caused toxic reactions in toddlers and newborn babies. Ultimately the carpet is a byproduct of coal tar that may also have a negative impact on the human nervous system.
How to choose the right/best mold resistant carpet
Although not everyone is fond of carpeting their floors, it is a great finishing option for any room of the home. Carpets somehow give the home a cozier and warmer feeling.
Lots of people often wonder what type of carpets they should use in the basement, and if certain types of carpeting are better than others.
However, one of the most common concerns when carpeting the basement is, of course, the high moisture levels that are found in this area as compared to any other room inside the home.
Some people have successfully installed carpets in the basement without having any issues of mold and mildew irrespective of living in a four-season climate. So what exactly is the key to choosing the best carpet for your basement?
Synthetic fibers are probably the best type of carpets for your basement because they are breathable. And if they are breathable, they won’t retain moisture the way that natural fibers do.
Basements have a tendency to be damp naturally because they are underground. Therefore the material covering your floors needs to be able to withstand high moisture levels.
Synthetic fibers are a great choice because they release the moisture and avoid the risk of mold and mildew build-up.
The majority of synthetic carpets contain synthetic backing material as well, which allows your carpet to breathe, therefore preventing the growth of mold and mildew.
Conclusion
Ultimately, irrespective of what type of carpeting you choose for your basement, you should know that they need to be finished and 100% dry before laying down your carpets.
They should also be insulated and protected from pipe leaks. Ultimately, if you have never installed mold and mildew carpets inside your home, you can then rest assured, having peace of mind.
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