Although proper maintenance can dramatically extend the life of your carpet, every carpet that sees regular use will need to be replaced sooner or later. Some of the signs can be obvious, but there are others that may be more subtle.

How Often Should Carpet Be Replaced?

Carpet can last anywhere from five to 15 years, depending on the carpet type, carpet cushion, carpet fibers, and how much foot traffic it endures. Even in barely-used rooms, high-quality carpets will start showing signs of age after 10 years as the padding deteriorates, the threads wear, and the shades shift. To determine when you should replace your own carpet, consider the following top six signs that reveal irreversible wear and tear:

Telltale Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Carpet

1. Stains in Carpet

Stains caused by pet urine, feces, vomit, mold, and mildew are usually easy to clean if you act fast. But these biological substances eventually will absorb into the carpet padding, leading to mold and mildew buildup under the carpet. If the biological stains are in several places, consider replacing the carpet to avoid health hazards with mold. Leffel says they sometimes get creative with replacing small pieces of stained carpet by removing carpet from a rarely used closet.

2. Water Damage 

Water damage in any part of your home is dangerous, but if your carpet has been wet for longer than 72 hours, you should consider replacing it. Mold can grow exponentially during this time, so cleaning the carpet and getting mold growth under control will be much harder. In these instances, laying new carpet is often the safest and easiest solution.

3. Wear and Tear on Carpet

Has your carpet seen better days? Are you putting rugs all over it to cover rips and tears, or rearranging furniture to cover defects? Are your kids scared to lay on it? Matted carpet, tears, and significant wear on the main walkways are major signs your carpet is on its deathbed.

Polyester carpet fibers have a reputation for matting and losing their form. Once it falls down and loses its tuft, it doesn’t return to normal, even with professional cleaning. Nylon carpeting, however, is typically more resilient than polyester and responds well to carpet cleaning, even when matted down.

You might be able to fix small tears and rips yourself, or you can hire a carpet professional to make the repair. However, large rips and tears tend to signal the carpet needs to be replaced, especially if the tears are present on stairs or major walkways.

4. Stinky Carpet

If you own a pet or haven't cleaned in a while, you may notice a lingering smell on your carpet, but the odor should be gone or noticeably diminished after a proper cleaning. If it doesn't, this means that the odor has penetrated deep into the carpet fibers, the carpet pad, or the subfloor, and it may even indicate mold and mildew growth.

In cases like these, it's often more cost-effective to replace the entire carpet completely to fully eliminate the odor or odors.

5. Condition of Carpet Padding

Carpet padding is like the pillow under the case; the carpet is nothing but a layer of fabric without the padding. It helps support the carpet, working as a foundation and making it comfortable to walk and lay on. It buffers sounds and keeps a room quieter and even improves insulation.

However, carpet padding also absorbs many spills, and cleaning the carpet doesn’t necessarily clean the padding. Signs of old padding include unevenness, wrinkles, and a crinkling sound when someone walks over it.

6. Increased Allergy Symptoms

Often, older carpets catch and retain more allergens and particulate matter, which may cause your allergies to act up. If you notice an increase in allergies, one source may be your older carpet.

7. Age of Carpet

Are you still using the 1970s shag carpet that came with your house? Have you had it cleaned several times? Believe it or not, carpet doesn’t last forever, even with good care. Most manufacturers say carpet should last for 10 years with proper care.

After 10 years, signs of wear show on the major walkways and the carpet fibers start losing their texture and tuft. If you find yourself cleaning the carpet over and over and not getting the results you want, it might be time to lay the carpet to rest. Signs of old carpet include:

• Color loss
• Fading
• Matting
• Ripples
• Wrinkles
• Lack of padding support

Source: Angi