The various carpet materials differ in their ability to resist stains and wear. And the higher a carpet's pile, the more difficult it is to get all the dirt out when vacuuming. Some materials, such as wool and acrylic, also abrade more easily through use so that the yarn does not hold its integrity. Finally, some carpet materials fade more easily than others when exposed to sunlight.

Depending on stains and wear, carpet may need to be replaced every five to ten years or so--obviously, carpet in less-traveled or less heavily used rooms will show less wear than carpet that is on a direct path from the living room to the kitchen, say.

There is little to be done to repair carpet short of replacing it. Patches look tacky. However, if the seams come up because they weren't glued down properly, or if the tacking strips come loose from the edges, these problems can be easily remedied.

A bit of advice: As a group, carpet installers are more willing than other contractors to take on small jobs and handle minor repairs. They are relatively affordable and are equipped with all the necessary tools and skills, so it usually doesn't pay to do carpet repair work yourself.

More about carpeting problems and repairs:

• Green Carpet Cleaning
• Candle Wax in Carpet
• Carpet Cleaning
• Dented Carpet
• Faded Carpet
• How to Repair Carpet Snags
• Pet Odors in Carpet
• Rippled Carpet
• Split Seams or Tears in Carpet
• Stained Carpet
• Static Electricity in Carpet
• Tufts in Carpet