Carpet removal is not an easy task—despite what some people might say. It's a project that requires specific tools, and you'll need the right advice if you want to properly remove and dispose of everything without any headaches. In this blog, we teach you how to remove your home's carpet. We also fill you in on the best ways to safely and efficiently get your old unwanted carpet out of your house and off of your property.
A Noteworthy Take on How To Safely Remove Carpet
In general, taking carpeting out seems easy enough, but it does require the right tools and safety gear—even in carpet removal, there are certain things you need to wear to avoid injuring yourself. Starting off, here's a rundown of the proper tools you need and the steps to safely remove flooring.
Grab Your Tools
You need tools for everything you tackle, including safety gear like a face mask, goggles, and gloves. Regarding work tools, you'll need a trusty vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, broom and dustpan, utility knife, and pliers.
Among other things, here's what else you'll want to have in hand:
- Trash bags
- Screwdriver
- Pry bar
- Hammer
Prepare the Space
While sorting the tools, ensure that the house is ready. Preparing every room doesn't just mean marking the areas where the tack strips are; all furniture must be taken out and placed elsewhere for the time being. Don't vacuum the carpet since it's getting removed.
Loosen the Tack Strips
Now, you can start the process. With your tools, go ahead and start at the marked tack strips. All that's needed right now is loosening the strips. First, you're going to go to a corner and pull a strip up with pliers. Sometimes, the carpet comes up right away, but keep pulling if it doesn't.
If you still struggle to pull the rug up, use the utility knife to cut a 6-inch square out. Take the piece out and rip up the flooring with your hands. After that, move on to cutting the carpet into pieces.
Chop the Carpet Up
The next thing to do is chop the carpet up. After rolling the carpet up at least 3 feet, you'll cut in from the fold—a practice that allows more gradual cuts to appear. Go ahead and duct tape each cut piece to hold it in place.
Remove the Inner Pad
Cutting the carpet into strips allows for better access to the inner pad—the pad protects your floors from liquids, cracks, and holes. The cushion you pull up is layered in smaller pieces, resulting in more inspecting before pulling the carpet entirely out.
Before removing the pad, check that the floors are hardwood or concrete. The padding's most likely glued down if it's a concrete floor. So, use a scraper on concrete since residue is likely leftover. If it's hardwood, it's probably stapled.
Tack Strip Removal Is Optional
You don't need to remove the tack strip. On the other hand, you should move forward with eliminating tack strips if they're rusted or if you're replacing the carpet with something new.
Different Disposal Methods To Try
Try these things out first before tossing rolls of carpet onto the curb. Instead, if you bought your carpet at retail, your shop may have a removal and disposal service. Read on to find out more.
Did You Buy Retail? They Might Help!
Always contact the retailer you purchased your carpet from to determine if they offer a removal service. This service is something they may mention at the time of purchasing your rugs—although it's never a bad idea to call and get a reminder of what they offer.
Many customers may have a warranty that doesn't cover removal, so stores will have menus showing their removal types, such as partial and total, along with different prices. You also must factor in travel costs if you live further away.
Have a Contractor Remove Your Carpet
If you lack the proper tools to remove the carpet yourself, a contractor can come in and help with the process. Also called carpenters, these specialized contractors can remove carpeting from any home. It's important to discuss pricing, as many charge by the square footage.
Let a Waste Management Company Take Care of It
If you find yourself with too much to give away, you may want to try other disposal avenues, such as a waste management company. Many waste companies can drop off a dumpster to you to throw all carpeting inside and pick it up afterward.
After the waste disposal company picks it up, it goes to a recycling facility, is sorted, and then bought back by manufacturers that will reuse the material for other things. If this sounds appealing to you, rent a dumpster. The best size is a 40-cubic-yard dumpster, which holds more rolls than different waste bin sizes.
Carpet Disposal Tips You Need To Know
While learning how to remove carpeting and dispose of it correctly, it's essential to have tips to make the removal easier. To start on the right foot, you want to cut the carpet in length and not width and tie them right away, so they're not getting in the way of cutting other strips.
Cut in Length, Not Width
As mentioned above, avoid cutting in width, as it can make it difficult to carry, and rolling it creates awkward folds. So, cut in lengths of three to four feet before bundling rolls up and tying them down.
Ensure the Rugs are Tied and Bundled
After cutting down the strips, you're going to tie them down—but instead of rope, use duct tape. Duct tape has a stronger hold than rope, and it's easier to remove and reapply if you mess up.
Keep the Carpet Disposal Under Control
If you have more than one room to go through, you will have heaps of carpet. If you don't rent a dumpster, it's best to limit your disposal, as it can overwhelm garbage removal operations, and they could fine you later. So, renting a dumpster can help you throw out your entire home's carpeting.
It's essential to hire a company that knows the best methods to toss out things like flooring. Even if it's not tiling, carpets have a right to be recycled. Vine Disposal does its part in offering Atlanta homeowners bins to control their waste intake. Contact us for carpet removal, and we'll be happy to work with you and find the right dumpster for your flooring removal.
