Often times carpet installers will use what is called a knee kicker to install your carpet. Is that tool enough to keep your carpet nice and tight for the years to come? Is there a difference between this technician favorite and a power stretcher? You will find that using a knee kicker vs a power stretcher can make a significant difference in the life of your carpet. A knee kicker just does not get the carpet tight enough; wrinkles are inevitable; the power stretcher is the way to go.
The Knee Kicker
This mechanism is your carpet installer’s favorite tool. Why is this tool such a favorite among installers? The answer is time. Using a knee kicker allows for a speedy install. You lay the carpet down, apply the device and then bang it with your knee while you tuck the carpet onto tack strips. You can accomplish an install rather quickly using this approach around all the edges of your room. There is one major issue though; the knee kicker just does not get the carpet tight enough.
Flash forward two years after your installation. Due to heavy foot traffic, climate changes, and humidity your carpet shapes and shifts. It is no longer as tight as it was when it was first installed so guess what? You notice a wrinkle in your hallway. Then another wrinkle shows up in the bedroom. Before you know it there are wrinkles everywhere! These wrinkles endanger you and your children with the possibility of tripping over one of these ripples.
The Power Stretcher
So what do you do now? Your carpet is only a few years old and you do not want to pay for another faulty install. The power stretcher is your savior. The difference between using a power stretcher and a knee kicker is like using a torque wrench vs using your hand to tighten a bolt. It stretches your carpet beyond what a knee kicker can; ensuring your carpet will be wrinkle free for years to come. When used properly your carpet should not be affected by humidity, climate changes or foot traffic. You really shouldn’t see any ripples for 5 or more years!
Using a power stretcher does take a measure of skill so I do recommend you hire a professional to take care of those wrinkles for you. Make sure they do in fact use the right devices. One visit from a carpet repair company will have those ripples gone at the fraction of the cost of a fresh install. So when you notice your carpet is a little loose do not fret. Your carpet is a power stretcher away from eliminating all your wrinkle worries.