Fluffing or Shedding – Many recently fitted carpets may exhibit a phenomenon known as ‘fluffing’ or ‘shedding’ where small balls of fluff left in the carpet after manufacture remain on the surface of the carpet, or might be found in your vacuum cleaner. Gentle vacuuming will usually remove most of this excess and normal shedding is not a cause for concern, but should be investigated if excessive or if it is still occurring many months after fitting.

Pile Reversal - Pile Reversal is a change in the pile direction that can occasionally appear in a carpet or rug and can make areas of the carpet look lighter or darker when viewed from different directions. This pile distortion can appear more obvious on plush solid coloured carpet than on patterned or textured coverings, and can occur in carpets made from all pile fibres. Pile reversal is not normally considered a carpet ‘fault’, as it has no specific cause or cure.

Matting - Carpet matting is caused by the untwisting of the carpet fibre and intermingling of the yarn tips. It is often the result of heavy foot traffic causing excessive wear, but should always be investigated as it can also be caused by wrongly specified carpet underlays or by the failure of the underlay. Whilst manufacturers definitions of matting will vary, it is a phenomenon which should be investigated at an early stage to prevent further deterioration.

Draught Marking and Filtration Soiling – Commonly seen as soiling and dark marks along the edges of a room, though also often under doors and near air vents. This is caused by airflow over the carpet causing airborne dirt particles to settle on the surface. Whilst this may be caused by an in-balance in the ventilation system, it can also be attributed in some instances to incorrect or careless fitting where adequate care to seal the skirting surrounding the carpet has not been taken.

Colour Fading and matching – Wool carpets will fade over time when exposed to ultra violet light (daylight), but this may be accelerated if the carpet is constantly subjected to strong sunlight. It is important to distinguish between normal colour fading and inconsistencies in carpet manufacture. Modern carpets are produced to increasingly high standards, though there will occasionally be a slight variation in colour from batch to batch. It is also worth noting that the way in which your carpet is fitted is crucially important. Even carpets from the same batch should have their pile traveling in the same direction to ensure consistency of shade.