What’s a carpet pad and does your business need it? If you’ve never heard about the existence of carpet pads in the past, you’re not alone! These, however, can be quite practical. The right pad makes your carpet a lot softer and also increases its lifespan.

​Now that we’ve told you about the existence of carpet pads and the fact there are numerous varieties, it’s time to take a look at the essentials. Determining whether to get a carpet pad for the office is far from a challenging task, as long as you take some time to assess the pros and the cons of the purchase.

The carpet pad is a piece of supportive material that’s usually positioned underneath a carpet designed for home or commercial use. This material is soft, which means it can be cut according to your preferences. A carpet pad can be positioned underneath any type of carpet variety, regardless of the surface area or the shape.

Chances are that when renovating and furnishing the office, you were told that a carpet pad isn’t a necessity. This is far from the truth and people are quickly understanding the range of benefits.

​The primary purpose of the padding is to absorb the shock of impact that the carpet would otherwise be subjected to. This is how the selection of the right padding can increase the lifespan of the carpet significantly.

Making the surface underneath your feet softer is an added benefit of using carpet padding rather than the primary one. The same applies to the noise absorption properties of the pads. This is why they’re often chosen for retail stores and high traffic areas.

​Because many people believe that the creation of a softer surface is the primary goal of carpet padding, they commit a number of mistakes when choosing a cushion. Choosing a pad that is too soft will make it bottom out due to a lot of traffic. As a result, it will not provide the necessary support to the carpet.

The other common mistake is buying a very thick carpet pad. Once again – this mistake will keep the pad from doing its main job, which is protecting the carpet against wear and tear. Choosing the most appropriate variety will be essential for enjoying all of the benefits and enjoying commercial carpets for a much longer period of time.

Now, let’s move on to a slightly more complicated territory – the diversified world of protective carpet pads.

​The market has several main varieties to offer, each one with its specific characteristics:

• Rubber pads (waffle): this is used to be the most popular carpet pad variety. Today, it’s lost some of the appeal due to more innovative options. The rubber that this pad variety is made of happens to be too soft to offer proper support, especially in the case of commercial carpets.
• Urethane foam: one of the most inexpensive and lightweight carpet pad options. The urethane foam pad is not suitable for high traffic areas because it will be flattened quickly. Urethane foam is best suited to residential use.
• Bonded urethane: also known as rebond, this is one of the most popular and practical padding products for commercial venues and offices. It’s made from the same high density urethane used in automobile and furniture manufacturing. The densities vary and you can choose one or the other on the basis of traffic or the heaviness of the carpet. For light traffic areas, the rebond cushion should have a weight of five pounds per cubic foot and a thickness of 3/8 inch. For heavy traffic, the weight increases to 6.5 pounds per cubic foot while the thickness remains unchanged. 
• Wool and synthetic fiber pads: as the name suggests, these are made of either natural or synthetic fibers. The pads are mostly used with commercial carpets in high traffic areas because they provide excellent support, they are breathable and mold-resistant.
• Specialty pads: these are supposed to address a particular problem. There are moisture barrier products, air filtering pads and odor absorbing pads. Some experts find the qualities of these questionable and advise against the purchase of specialty pads.

If you have expensive carpets in your office or your retail store, you may want to invest a bit more in the purchase of a quality pad. The investment will pay off in a longer lifespan and reduced maintenance expenditure.

As already mentioned, to enjoy the benefits, you have to choose the right cushion variety. Most consultants will help you go through the products, understand the differences and choose the right variety. An appropriate weight and thickness is very important, especially for high traffic areas.

​Keep a few things in mind when making a purchase. High density padding is usually best for places that see a lot of traffic. The higher the density, however, the higher the price of the pad is going to be. A more expensive, high density pad will remain in a good condition for approximately 10 years. Needless to say, this is the variety that will simplify office or store maintenance and keep the carpets from premature wear.

Have you gotten your business ready for winter? If you’re scratching your head at this point and wondering what winterizing your business is all about, chances are that you’re not prepared for the cold months.

A couple of adjustments and preparations will create the perfect atmosphere during the winter, boosting productivity and making employees feel really cozy in their workplace. Most of these changes are relatively easy to implement, if you’re aware of the main challenges stemming from the cold weather.

Winter storms, heavy rainfall (and snowfall), strong winds and other extreme weather conditions could cause damage to your facilities. This is why you need to get the right insurance or renew an expiring policy before the start of winter.

There are various types of insurance that business owners should consider, some of them being more important than others. Property insurance will provide coverage in the case of building damage. In addition, some of these policies will also cover losses stemming from damaged equipment and inventory.
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Commercial auto insurance is another good idea because the harsh weather conditions and the riskier driving during the winter may also lead to some serious problems. It’s better to get a bit more insurance than what you think you need in order to 100 percent safe.

The substances used to treat streets and sidewalks against ice (salt being one of the most common picks) can easily be brought inside the office. Though these substances and chemicals aren’t damaging to asphalt and concrete, they can have a serious negative impact on the beautiful floors in your office.

On top of salt, shoes will be bringing moisture and dirt inside. These can damage hardwood floors and turn the carpets into the ideal breeding grounds for bacteria or mold.

Welcome mats are probably one of the simplest and most effective options for protecting the floors. Increasing the number of times that the floors are vacuum cleaned and mopped during the week will also be quite effective. You need the right cleaning company and you should also reach an agreement about increasing the frequency of doing floor maintenance.

Make sure that the building is in a good condition before winter starts. Making repairs when the weather is cold and wet will be a big challenge. One of the most important things to do is identify leaks. These can remain undetected for a long period of time, leading to the waste of large amounts of water. In addition, the leaking water could freeze during the winter, making the issue even more problematic.

Another good suggestion is to check on insulation and caulking. If everything is in perfect condition, you’ll get to keep the office properly heated while reducing the environmental impact of the process.

The AC units should also be examined, especially if you’re going to use those for heating purposes. Get the filters thoroughly cleaned or changed, if necessary. Taking these measures in advance will help you enjoy a warm and comfortable office throughout the winter.

To reduce the risk of getting snow and ice inside the office, you may want to think about their proper removal from the external premises like the company’s parking lot.
There are treatment options that will prevent ice from forming bonds with the ground. Use such opportunities before December and get the area surrounding your office treated. One of the simplest things you can do is either salt down the area or use a bit of sand.

Whichever option you choose, getting rid of snow and ice will be essential for ensuring your corporate operations. This is particularly true for corporate premises that welcome customers or are used for business meetings.

Power shortages are common in the winter, especially if you live in a place where storms are a common occurrence.
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A backup generator gives you peace of mind and enables you to continue working for a few additional hours in the case of electricity being shut off. The market has many options to offer and choosing a generator will depend entirely on your budget and individual preferences.

In essence, you should prepare for the worst. Even if winter isn’t as harsh in the city where you work, there could still be a few emergencies during the cold months. Prepare the office building and buy the necessary equipment to guarantee productivity regardless of the weather. Such equipment will definitely come in handy one day and the purchase should never be considered a waste of money.

By Cliff Derksen
Owner of First Impressions Janitorial