Carpet allergies are a common concern for many New Zealanders. Allergens in the home can include dust mites, pollen, mould, or pet dander – excess skin shed by cats, dogs, birds or any animal with fur or feathers – but may also be present in your choice of carpet.
Today, Calbeni Flooring will look at the best carpet for allergy sufferers, and how you can choose the best carpet to ensure your home stays healthy for everyone.
Is wool carpet good for allergies?
Wool car/services/carpet is often listed as being a poor choice for allergy sufferers, with much of the debate focusing on its composition: wool carpet is designed to absorb moisture in the air, which many point out is a potential breeding ground for harmful mould.
While this is partly accurate, it dismisses the benefits of wool carpet as both a natural dehumidifier, and as a trap for airborne allergens. We’ve discussed the benefits of synthetic carpet versus wool carpet previously, which highlighted the importance of choosing a carpet unique to your health and needs.
The point of difference for wool carpet is that VVOCs (very volatile organic compounds) are commonly absorbed and bound to natural wool fibres, which – with regular cleaning – can keep a space free from common irritants and greatly increase indoor ambient air quality.
Choosing the right carpet for your allergies
Ultimately, choosing the best carpet for allergens in your home will depend on your biology and reaction to irritants. Wool carpet is effective at absorbing moisture and allergens, but requires a dry, healthy space to ensure mould doesn’t form and air quality is kept clean.
Synthetic carpet created from man-made fibres such as polyester or nylon, and works to repel fibres from settling within the carpet. The downside to synthetic carpets is that they are often treated with VOCs to ensure their lasting health – depending on your choice of carpet, VOCs present in its composition may cause their own allergic reaction within your home.
If you’re looking to buy synthetic carpet, choose an option labeled low VOC, which indicates limited use of substances such as formaldehyde and benzene. Where carpets are high VOC, these common carpet treatments convert to gas over time and enter the air, affecting indoor air quality and exacerbating allergies in anyone present.
Calbeni Flooring – providing the best carpet for allergies in Wellington
Calbeni Flooring based in Wellington, New Zealand, and our team are always available to provide expert advice and assistance on our range of NZ-made flooring products, including synthetic and wool carpet, garage carpet, and vinyl flooring.
As trusted flooring experts in the Wellington region, we offer competitive pricing and quality assurance so you can be sure the carpet you choose will be expertly installed and last long into the future. If you’re concerned about the presence of allergens in your home or office, contact one of the team at Calbeni flooring today.