How to Keep Your Carpet From Squeaking

Carpets squeak when you walk over them because the wood floor underneath has loose floorboards that have buckled and warped over time. When this happens, the floorboards are no longer tight and they rub up against each other when you step on them. Address the issue by working to prevent the squeaking from developing in the first place. Do this with a squeak removal kit designed for use through a carpet. These kits will include a platform and joist-securing screws.

Dehumidifier
Humidifier
Hammer
Squeak removal kit

Instructions

- 1
  Employ a humidifier and dehumidifier to adjust the humidity in your home. You home should be between 30 and 40 percent relative humidity in the winter and 60 to 80 percent in the summer. This will prevent the subfloor from absorbing too much moisture and buckling.
- 2
  Find the joists in a room, using a hammer. Gently tap the floor with the hammer until you hear a dull thud indicating that a joist is there. Securing the subfloor slats along the joist will eliminate any movement and eventual squeaking.
- 3
  Drill a joist-securing screw into the joists when you notice the subfloor slats are loose. You'll notice loose slats when you feel them moving under the carpet. You may also begin to hear them squeak slightly. Drill the screw through the squeak removal platform and into the floor through the carpet. The platform will prevent the screw from going all the way into the carpet and it will secure the slats to the joist so they don’t squeak.
- 4
  Snap the top of the screw off by pulling it off with the claw end of a hammer. This will hide the screw so you can neither see nor feel it through the carpet.
- 5
  Continue securing loose areas of the floor through the carpet to tighten the slats to the joist and to ensure squeaks don’t develop.

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