My biggest issue with Berber carpets is seam placement. It's certainly possible to get good seams between two "rows", but not all Berber's are made the same, with some berber's requiring a "serpentine" cut seam. The seams across the grain can also be quite noticeable and a prime area of concern for one of the rows pulling out. Plush carpets are easier to seam. (Especially the frieze's.) Your basement layout may not require much seaming, though, making it less of a concern. For my basement, the seam issues have presented a snag in our plans for a Berber. (pun intended) We're now considering tiles or plush.

Thanks, this does work well.

I have a melted spot too. but not that big. I asked a professional carpet cleaner what to do, the only thing he could suggest was cut out the area, then cut an identitically shaped piece from under a piece of furniture, and replace it.

Thank you so much. Floorguy, I pretty much took her with a grain of salt but she was telling me the problems a previous customer had when she tried to do that. But its a great relief to know that was a fluke. I'm so tired of making decisions and then finding out something about it won't work and I have to find alternatives. Let me ask this, would you trust Home Depot guys to do the installation? ($200 for a whole house plus $7.00 per stair.) I figured since they are probably independent contractors with experience, I could trust them. And it IS a rental property. I have another question. I was told the higher the twist number, the better the carpet. They have four Trafficmaster Berbers I was considering: 36 oz., 15.30 twist with 10 yr wear warranty, 20-yr stain and 20-yr color for 1.34 sf plus pad 52 oz, 14.0 twist at 2.04 sf plus pad 36 oz., 9.7 twist at 1.34 sf plus pad with same warranty 32 oz., 18.40 twist at .98 sf plus pad with 10 yr wear warranty, 5 year stain, 5 yr color If the twist number is important, why would one with a higher twist number be so much cheaper than a low twist (or is the warranty the key)? Any advice on that information?