How Long Will My Carpet Underlay Last

Discover all the facts about your carpet underlay’s life expectancy and how to get more years from it.

Carpet underlay can last up to 25 years. Properly maintaining your carpet underlay can ensure that it reaches this distinguished mark or beyond.

Find out all the tips and tricks you need to keep your carpet underlay in top shape!

How Long Does Carpet Underlay Last?

When buying carpet underlay, most customers are told that it has a life expectancy of up to 25 years at most. This is a decent period of time. But this is the best-case scenario. When the foot traffic is heavy on that particular carpet or the underlay is neglected, then the lifespan is often significantly reduced. At the end of the day, it is extremely difficult to say how long your particular carpet underlay will last. However, proper care can ensure that it works for many years.

Find the best carpet cleaners on the market today. We reviewed them for performance and quality.

What Is Carpet Underlay?

Carpet underlay is a cushioning material that is placed underneath the carpet. The underlay is directly in contact with the floor, which protects the carpet. Overall, underlay is known to extend the lifespan of a carpet by 30 percent.

Durability Also Depends On Quality

This counts for most products, whether it is a car or carpet underlay. If it’s made from high-quality materials, the product will endure for longer.

Cheap carpet underlays are often made with low-quality materials. Such underlays cannot compete with better-constructed padding, no matter how well you take care of it. A poor-quality product cannot weather foot traffic like it is supposed to. Expecting 25 years of service from a cheap carpet underlay is a little unrealistic.

Are you new to carpet underlay and not sure how to install it? No problem! Find out more about how to lay carpet underlay successfully.

Durability Is Also Affected By Activity

Speaking of foot traffic, there is a direct link between this and how long carpet underlay lasts. In a room where nobody ever goes - or rarely goes - the carpet underlay might even live beyond the expected 25 years. On the other hand, carpet underlay that is near the front door or in a busy family room, wear and tear will show up sooner.

How Do I Know My Carpet Underlay Is Deteriorating?

Alright, now you know the main factors that can either extend or shorten the lifespan of your carpet underlay. But it is just as important to notice when underlay starts to go south. The main way that you will know that there is something wrong is that it feels different.

Carpet underlay that is in good condition feels soft, even, and supportive. It just feels right. But when you walk over an area where the underlay is wearing out, something will feel off. There might be spots that feel flat, the softness is gone or worse; you can feel the hard floor underneath. There might even be lumps and visible marks of damage.

Do not hesitate to remove and replace the carpet underlay. When left like this, it could cause more damage to the carpet.

Before you go shopping for new carpet underlay, it might be a good idea to see what is available. Find out more about the different types of carpet underlay .

How Do I Keep My Carpet Underlay In Good Condition?

The good news is that carpet underlay does not need constant supervision. However, it does have two major enemies - moisture and foot traffic.

A carpet underlay in humid areas absorbs the moisture and with time, it will begin to give off a foul smell (you know the type, that horrible damp and musty odour that almost makes it hard to breathe). When this happens, things have already gone too far. The humidity has introduced mould or mildew and there might even be rotting going on.

The best thing to do is to avoid this from happening in the first place. If you live in a humid area, invest in a dehumidifier to keep your underlay safe. Stay on top of other moisture too like spills. When you or a family member spills a drink, clean it up as soon as possible. This will reduce the chances of dampness and mould getting a foothold deep inside the underlay.

If you want a carpet underlay that is less trouble or you want to install underlay near a humid area (like a bathroom or shower), take heart. These days there is waterproof carpet underlay that you can use instead.

Vacuuming is another way to keep your carpet underlay in great shape. It cleans the carpet as well as the underlay. If your vacuum cleaner has a nozzle that extracts spills and moisture, use it to keep the underlay dry.

Finally, make sure that you install the correct type of underlay for each room. ​In places where there is too much foot traffic, place a carpet underlay that is stronger and thicker. Thinner padding is fine for areas that don’t get trampled as much!

A Quick Summary On How Long Does Carpet Underlay Last

• Carpet underlay is a protective barrier between the floor and a carpet.
• Under optimal conditions, the underlay can last up to 25 years.
• It’s very hard to give an exact estimate for your underlay’s lifespan but you can do several things to make sure that it lasts for many years.
• Choose underlay that is made with high-quality materials. They last longer.
• Install thicker underlay where there is more foot traffic.
• Reduce humidity and other forms of moisture to avoid mould, mildew, and rotting from ruining the underlay.
• Vacuuming also keeps carpet underlay in good shape.
• There is waterproof carpet underlay available for humid homes and rooms.