If you have decided it is time to update your flooring, whether that be with some type of hardwood or carpeting, you will want to be ready on the day of the install. At a high level, these are the following steps to prepare your home for your new floors:
- Remove all breakable items, like vases, lamps, collectibles, and heirlooms
- Detach and store wiring from home entertainment centers (TVs, VCR/DVD players), stereos, computers, or other electronic equipment
- Clear desktops, tabletops, bookshelves, tops of dressers, and closet floors
- Remove all sheets, blankets and bedspreads from beds
- Place dogs, cats, or other pets in a bedroom before the installers arrive
- Keep children away from the installation area and away from any equipment that the installers will use
Be Present
Plan to be home the day of installation and available to answer any questions the installers may have. Your New York Carpets & Flooring representative will try as best as possible to schedule an installation time that’s convenient for you.
Moving Furniture
The installers are professionals and will take the utmost care for your home during the installation process. If there are heavy furniture items that you’ve been unable to move, the installers will move it either out of the room entirely or to another section of the floor that they will install with the new flooring later. For some items, like pianos, you may wish to have a third-party company move them prior to the installation. If you have a free-standing bookcase, please remove the books or any breakable items showcased in it. China hutches should also have their breakable items removed and stored.
Electronic Equipment
Unplug and store any unnecessary electronics (TVs, DVD/Blu-ray players and computers) before the installers arrive.
There Will Be Noise
For removing existing hardwood or laminate flooring, there’s really no getting around the fact that the process is going to be loud. If you work at home, you may want to work in another room in the house during installation or retreat to the backyard patio or deck.
Keep Your Kids and Pets Safe
All that noise can be very disturbing to pets and to be fair to the installation crew, it’s best not to have pets in the house while they’re trying to do their work. So, if you have cats or dogs, please place them in a closed bedroom (or dogs in a backyard).
Children need to understand, for their own safety, that the installation crew will occasionally be using tools that can make the work area hazardous. So, it’s always best for everyone if kids are playing or occupied in another part of the house.
Carpeting Installation
Our carpet installers will use nails, staples, and other sharp tools. During the installation process, baseboards can get nicked and walls may get scuffed. Even though the installation crew will do its very best not to let this happen, these may be visible after the installation is complete.
After Carpeting Installation
Loose Fibers
Loose fibers are bound to appear from time to time after your new carpet has been installed. Simply vacuum them up. Other small tufts of carpet fiber, referred to as “sprouts” can also appear. They can be easily and carefully trimmed with a small pair of scissors.
The Doors
Sometimes when new, thicker carpeting is installed, interior doors may not swing as freely as they once had. Depending on the installation, doors may be removed and then rehung by the installers after the new carpet is in place. If you find that the doors don’t swing as freely as they once did, you may need to contract a carpenter to shave them down or otherwise adjust them.
Installation Walk Through
It’s critical that you walk through the job with the installation crew before the completion and sign-off of the work. Take note of anything you see or anything you may have questions about, including maintenance and care of the flooring. We want you to be absolutely happy with your new flooring, so it’s important to raise any questions that we can answer at that time.
Airing Your House Out
Depending on the carpeting and some of the adhesives used, you may wish to open your windows, use fans, or run your air conditioner for a few hours to minimize or remove the odors in the air.
If you have more questions feel free to speak with any New York Carpets & Flooring representative, or stop by the New York Carpets & Flooring showroom in Anaheim.