One day your carpet looks fine but then days later there are a couple big and really noticeable wrinkles. Not only are the wrinkles unsightly but they are a tripping hazard and if not corrected will quickly begin to show wear and tear. You paid top dollar for your carpet and the rest of the carpet still looks fantastic, so what happened and how can you fix it? 

What caused my carpet to wrinkle, ripple, buckle and pucker? 

One of the most common causes of carpet problems is humidity. Too much moisture in the air can penetrate the carpet causing wrinkling and buckling. This is often a problem in parts of the country that have well-defined seasons with drastic temperature changes. 

Perhaps the pad under the carpet is incompatible with the type of carpet selected. It could be the wrong density or thickness which in turn may cause the carpet to buckle. Also, if the carpet itself has not been installed correctly, over time it can loosen, creating ripples and wrinkles. If the carpet had been stored in a location with a different ambient temperature than the installation location, and the carpet is not allowed to acclimate, the same problems may occur. 

When moving heavy furniture, dragging the pieces rather than lifting them, tugs on the carpet and can ultimately stretch it out. 

De-lamination is another fairly common cause of carpet problems. A piece of carpet has a primary backing that the carpet fibers are fastened onto. There is also a secondary backing that works to support the primary backing. When the latex adhesive used to keep the primary and secondary backings together begins to deteriorate due to wet carpet, excessive pet urine, harsh cleaning chemicals, and in some cases, overuse from heavy foot traffic, de-lamination occurs. If you start to notice wrinkles and bunching and if re-stretching doesn’t solve the problem, then you’ll know for sure it’s de-lamination. 

Can these problems be corrected?  

Basically there is only one solution to correcting wrinkles, ripples, buckling and puckers. The carpet will be re-stretched and it needs to be done as soon as possible to avoid permanent creasing. Carpet creases occur when the wrinkle or ripple become so prominent there is a sharp fold at the peak. If this happens chances are pretty good the crease will never completely come out and the carpet, even if laid flat, will still have a ridged, buckled look. 

While there are many articles online touting DIY carpet stretching, this is definitely not a job for an amateur. First, a power stretcher rather than a knee kicker stretcher will need to be used. These are expensive, a good power stretcher will run you between $500-$700, and it does require some expertise to operate. Plus, there may be other concerns that only a professional carpet installer can identify and correct.

So why not save yourself the time, money and aggravation and just go ahead and give Adam and Samantha, the owners of Professional Carpet Repair and Restoration a call today at 864-569-9366 or email us at contact@procarpetrepairs.com. In business since 2008, we specialize in carpet cleaning, dyeing, repairing, pet damage and upholstery cleaning and as always, we provide complementary consultations. Got carpet: then you need the carpet PRO’s on speed dial!