We all have carpeting in our car, and most of us aren’t too pleased with it. If you think about it, the auto carpet that comes standard with a vehicle doesn’t seem all that useful. Our car flooring is first covered with a factory mat, and what good is a carpet that needs to be covered with another carpet? Then we get told to cover those mats with special auto mats that are “all weather” if we really want protection from our shoes and the elements. That’s why it might be worth your while to invest in some custom replacement carpet with Essex mass backing for your ride. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Essex Mass Backing?
Essex mass backing is a special type of material that bonds to the custom molded carpet you’re getting for your car. The backing is made of a vinyl acetate that makes the carpet heavier.
Why Does This Help?
Putting some thick Essex mass backing over your existing carpets makes the whole vehicle quieter. It also provides greater heat insulation, which means less gas expenditure on air conditioning. Finally, it makes it a lot easier and simpler to install your new car carpets, and, once you do, they’ll look a lot better and feel more luxurious.
But Why Replace the Carpets at All?
You might wonder whether it’s worth it to replace your car’s carpeting in the first place, but it turns out there are a lot of good reasons to consider it. Here are just a few:
- You spend a lot of time in your car; and it’s dirty. The average national commute is 26 minutes a day, and the worst commutes average out to more like 45 minutes. Americans in general report spending an average of 87 minutes every day in their cars, and it turns out there’s a ton of bacteria in there (and especially in the carpets). Cars consistently test out as far dirtier than the average home, with 17,000 more bacteria according to a GAP Enviromicrobial Services study. You might think this dirt is limited to the places where kids are spilling drinks and dirty shoes are rubbing around, but actually an Aston University study found that the place you’re putting your groceries—your trunk—is normally home to about 850 bacteria.
- Your old carpet is plain and boring. Not only is your existing carpet probably getting pretty dirty, but if it’s a factory install it’s probably just plain boring. With a custom carpet job you can get an embroidered floor mat, a fleece trunk mat, carpeting custom cut in any color and style that pleases you, and extra protection going forward from shoes and spills.
- You want to protect your family. Studies show that the environment inside our cars is between two and 10 times more heavily polluted than even the breezes drifting over the highways. Surveys, including one by The Dohring Co, have found that 95% of people are worried about the pollutant levels inside their rides. You can tear our the nasty cheap stuff the factory installed in your car and replace it with eco-friendly materials that ensure you and your family are safe.
How Do I Keep New Carpet Clean?
Once you’ve invested in quality carpet with stain-resistance and durability, you still want to do what you can to keep it in good shape. It’s never a bad idea to simply ban eating and drinking in the car. Keep water in the trunk, though, for rinsing off shoes that get noticeable grime on them after an outing. Don’t follow diesel cars and trucks whenever possible, because the air in carpool lanes (where trucks and buses are forbidden) is between 30% and 50% cleaner than that in other lanes.
Your carpet is protecting you and your family in important ways. Make sure you’ve got the best custom carpet with stain resistance, back it with some thick Essex mass backing to insulate you and protect you from sound, and then get back on the road with confidence.
