Guest Blog by Kristen Pender
While helping out in the Portland Tradesmen office and in constantly surveying my favorite design blogs, I come across some pretty amazing innovations in the home remodeling world. Today I’ll try my hand at blogging with an entry about an impressive, eco friendly and stylish floor covering option.
Like many people considering floor covering, I was surprised to learn how toxic new carpeting can really be. It’s one of the leading indoor pollutants contributing to air quality in the home. This is in part due to the way carpets are topically treated for durability, but even bigger culprits are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are emitted as gasses and contribute to a host of symptoms including allergic reactions, rashes, difficulty in breathing, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, etc. Contractors and their clients who choose to renovate with efficiency in mind are well served by keeping in step with information about sustainable products like carpeting options, because as homes become better insulated, they also become sealed more tightly, making air quality a top priority.
Choosing a clean and green carpet/rug doesn’t limit home owners to beige and dull, quite the contrary. One of my favorite resources (and I’m not getting paid to write this) is FLOR carpet tiles and these are the reasons why:
- Most FLOR styles meet or exceed the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus standards for low VOCs. All styles except for “working class”, “house pet” and “straight and narrow” meet the green label.
- Most FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content and are recyclable. Specifications are listed for each style, citing the recycled content. If and when you are ready to switch out your FLOR carpet, you can call them and arrange recycling.
- There are hundreds of patterns and colors to choose from, ranging from super budget friendly to plush and luxurious. Overall FlOR is affordable.
- Because they are carpet tiles, FLOR Customers can arrange them any way they want, filling an entire room or mixing and matching for an area rug.
- Easy to install and clean. The best part of maintaining a FLOR carpet tile is that if you do stain it beyond repair, you can simple swap out the soiled tile for a fresh one. So kid friendly!
- Check them out on the web at http://www.flor.com/ I ordered several samples through their site before deciding on our new kitchen area rug.
