Few rental property owners enjoy the necessary expense of regularly changing their Palm Harbor rental homes’ carpet every few years. Alternatively, you might want to consider getting rid of the carpet in your rental for good. Nowadays, more rental property owners are choosing hard-surface flooring instead of wall-to-wall carpeting for their properties. Here are some reasons why getting rid of carpet makes a lot of sense for Palm Harbor rental property owners and their tenants.
Reason #1: Cleanliness
One of the more challenging aspects of having a carpet in a rental home is keeping it clean. You can have the carpets professionally cleaned between tenants, but the tenant may not want to do it themselves. If your tenants stay for several years, your carpets may also be collecting dirt and grime for years. Smells, usually bad ones, tend to cling to carpet fibers especially if the carpet is not getting regular and proper cleaning. It can also be costly for tenants to hire out carpet cleaning services or they cannot afford to spend the required time to do a thorough cleaning themselves.
Laminate, tile, and other hard flooring surfaces are easy to clean. These types of flooring can be scrubbed clean in a short time and as often as the tenant likes to eliminate any stains or smells. Unlike carpet, hard-surface flooring is also far more sanitary for young children and individuals with respiratory or other health issues.
Reason #2: Flooding
Another reason to give up carpet is to save on the hassle of cleaning up carpets that get soaked due to water leaks and floods. A simple plumbing issue can end up causing major flooding in a rental house, and wet carpets can become a serious problem. Soaked carpets should be pulled up, and the sub-flooring, pad, and carpeting dried out thoroughly to avoid dangerous mold growth. If drying the carpet isn’t possible, it will need to be replaced. Not dealing with a flooding situation promptly and correctly could jeopardize your residents’ health as well as open yourself up to serious liabilities.
Most hard-surface flooring (other than hardwood) is easier to deal with in case of flooding. Properly installed laminate and vinyl are very water-resistant and easily dry out. This means no more costly restoration services or flooring replacement.
Reason #3: Longevity
Carpets usually have a five-year life span before they need to be replaced. Some landlords extend that to seven years only to be met with unpleasant consequences. Residents prefer carpets that are not threadbare or stained and will often leave a rental if the carpet does not meet their standard. The old carpeting is unsightly and dangerous at the same time. As carpet ages, carpet tack emerges from underneath and can cause injury. Cheap carpet lasts only a short time in rental property conditions.
If you value longevity, hard-surface flooring would be your best bet. While a tenant can potentially damage a hard-surface floor, most tile or laminate flooring should be good for at least ten to twenty years and even more. At a very similar cost as carpet, laminate flooring needs way less replacing and can be more superior material for rental properties.
Reason #4: Modern Look
Finally, wall-to-wall carpeting can sometimes make a rental property’s interior look outdated. Most modern homes keep carpet to a minimum, usually just a small one in the bedroom, or none at all. Laminate flooring, instead of carpet, in the main living areas, gives your rental a more modern look. Your tenant will also appreciate that they can add rugs or decor items since they have less to worry about when it comes to cleanliness with hard-surface flooring. Carpets are more easily damaged and tenants can’t change them as well. Modern laminate tile comes in a wide array of sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles that can upgrade the feel of your rental without the price tag of real hardwood.
There are so many benefits of hard-surface flooring, it makes it easy to see why many rental property owners are choosing to get rid of carpet for good! Would you like more information about how to design beautiful, durable rental home interiors that tenants will love while saving you money? Give Real Property Management TradeWinds a call at 727-400-4722. Our team of Palm Harbor property managers works with rental property owners like you to lower your maintenance and repairs costs without making your rental home any less appealing for tenants.
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