I get emails every day from people who want to know what the PAR rating system is and how it works. Sadly, it is a very confusing system that doesn’t really help most consumers make the right carpet choice. Even carpet salespeople are confused about what the PAR numbers mean.
If I were going to design a simple system to rate carpet quality I would call it something more understandable like: The C.A.T. Carpet Rating System. It would help consumers choose the right carpet based on their number of Children, Animals and Teens! These are three real factors that need to be considered when choosing the right carpet for you!
The PAR carpet rating system, created by Shaw Industries, designates a number from one-to-five, rating carpet durability based on a typical “family-of-four” scenario. While I’m sure they go through a lot of trouble and expense to provide this rating system, I personally think it falls short of being a trustworthy gauge for consumers. I believe the system is outdated and uses variables too limited in scope and vision. I think the PAR Rating System is not a trustworthy gauge of “real life” carpet durability, the parameters are too narrow and inconsistent across the board with various styles of carpet. What does this mean? After 30 years in the carpet business I know one thing for sure, there is no such thing as a typical family of four!
Obviously, I do not put much faith in the PAR rating system and do not recommend any consumer rely on the PAR rating system solely to determine which grade of carpet can effectively meet their needs and goals.
My advice: When you decide to buy new carpet, you need to ask yourself some important questions before you should decide on which carpet to buy.
These questions are:
- What is the level-of-foot-traffic in my home?
- How long do I want my carpet to last?
- How much carpet do I need?
- How much does carpet, carpet padding and installation cost?
- What is my budget for this project?
- Which carpet style should I select?
- What carpet pile thickness, density and face-weight should I select?
- What quality or grade of carpet will meet my needs, goals and lifestyle?
- Where can I find the best deal on the right carpet?
These questions are the tip of the iceberg! Do you want to save hundreds on your next carpet purchase?
Let me help you! Visit my FREE Carpet Information Website
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