I just moved into our new house 2 weeks ago. Before we moved in we got the carpets cleaned. It is shag carpeting almost spanning the entire inside of the house. When we moved in, it looked like the carpets weren't even clean... that's how bad they were. You could tell where the furniture used to be and it smelled for the first couple days as it was drying.
Anyway, I thought it was just a cold... but now I'm wondering if I'm really allergic to the carpets. I've had a really bad cough, constant sneezing, itchy eyes, etc since we moved in.
Anyone have any experience with this or any tips on what to do from here? We were planning on getting rid of the carpets by November (because that's when we will financially be able to do it)... but I don't know if I can last that long!
Thanks!
Most carpet companies have interest free for 12 months. Since you will have the $ by November I would go ahead and take care of the problem now. That just sounds miserable.
I would rather walk on plywood than be allergic to old nasty carpet. I have horrible allergies and that would be miserable. Is it possible that you have hardwood flooring under any of them.
That's the first thing we did when we moved in - pulled out the carpets. We walked on crappy floors till we could get them done.
ETA - - Do not help pull out the carpet. You could be sick for days. Don't even go in for a few hours after. Have someone vacuum really well after it's pulled out.
rip out those carpets & live with the subfloors!
have all ductwork cleaned.
launder all window treatments.
& scrub down all of the walls & other washable surfaces.
Oh, & change the furnace filter! (I'm assuming you're running the A/C.)
if the carpeting was in that bad of shape, got to wonder what were in the air vents. We had some troubles with our new, old house when we first moved in. Even some friends had complained of having allergies every time they visited. I finally had the ducts cleaned and its much better. As well as changing the filter monthly on the intake for AC/Furnace
I've heard some scary things about what they find under old carpeting...it can be pretty nasty. Some things no amount of cleaning will remove.
You might have to find a way to do it sooner than November.
Yes, it's probably the carpeting. November isn't far away. I'd just put it on a credit card and pay it off in November. That way you can have the flooring taken care of before you've completely unpacked too. If you can swing it, try laminate or hardwood.
By the way, I get horrible asthma whenever we get new carpet installed. This is due to the fumes from the new carpet. (And maybe from the dust from ripping out the old carpet.) Better to have the flooring replaced while the weather is nice so you can open the windows to air out the house. Good luck to you!
I agree ... It's likely the carpeting. Get rid of it sooner than later.
My MIL has shag that she can't get clean, because they don't really make a vacuum anymore that CAN get down to the lowest levels (unless you buy an outrageously expensive one). I swear her allergies are worse because of the carpet. When we visited, I wouldn't let LO be on the floor (he was only a few months old), because it just flat out wasn't clean. She knows it's a problem. She's moving closer to us soon, so she'll have better carpet and I think she'll see some of her symptoms go away (or a least lessen).
New carpet ... Soon ... It will help. Best wishes.
Yep. Been there, done that! DH is super allergic to cats - for some reason it is our luck that every house we have moved into has had cats in it at some point... our last rental was the worst - and it's not like we could have ripped our the carpet or painted the walls, since we didn't own it.
Here is what we did: we cleaned the carpets twice, washed down the walls and ceilings, vacuum every day, change the filters for your heater (and AC if you have one). After about a month of constant cleaning we were all good.
We also just ripped out the carpets in our new home, YUCK - so gross, I will never consider putting carpet anywhere again. It's all hard floors for me from now on.
Good luck.
Worst case scenario it could be mold. Do you have pet allergies? Did the previous owners have pets? If so, it can take up to 6-12 months to get pet dander out of the house and cleaning the carpets doesn't necessarily solve the problem because it clings to the walls, etc., especially if the pets were cats. You could try washing the walls, but it sounds like maybe the carpets need to go sooner than November.
ew, i'd rip those old shags out right away and replace them. i know it's a big $ commitment, but crappy old shag carpeting is just ick anyway, and if it's making you sick?
get rid of it today.
khairete
S.
It could be anything but if you are miserable and its definitely the carpets then you need to get those out now. Don't do it yourself though because you'll have an even worse reaction. Don't be anywhere around either when he carpets start coming up. Check the furnace filters too to make sure they are clean. A lot of places do at least a 6 month same as cash. If you don't think you can pay it off in 6 months just be like, I don't think I can swing 6 months same as cash and they might up it to be 12 months same as cash. I did that at Big Bobs carpet. I don't think the bill comes for a month so I say do it now.
Just wanted to let you know that if you install carpet, the best carpet is DuPont smart strand if you think you will have asthma or allergies due to your new carpet. It is virtually voc free and does not need to off gas.
In my new house we replaced the carpet, had air ducts cleaned, every inch of the house wiped down because of my allergies and I still have some issues.
