|
THE CARPET
MANUFACTURER: Not Given
FIBER: Nylon
ID METHOD: Chemical
FIBER COLOR: Multi-Color
CONSTRUCTION: Conventional Tuft
YARN STYLE: Velvet
SQUARE YARDAGE: Not Determined
BACK SYSTEM: Conventional Tuft
PRIMARY BACKING: Polypropylene
SECONDARY BACKING: Polypropylene
INSTALLATION STATISTICS
TYPE LOCATION: Commercial
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Restaurant
DATE INSTALLED: 1995
METHOD: Double Stick
CUSHION: 1/4 Inch Rebond
SUBFLOOR: Wood
AREA INSTALLED: Diningroom
USE & MAINTENANCE STATISTICS AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION
LITERATURE RECEIVED WITH PURCHASE: Not Determined
TEMPERATURE: 72°F - 22.2° C RH 65%
VACUUM TYPE: Upright
VACUUM FREQUENCY: Nightly
ENTRY-MATS: In the Downstairs Lobby
SOIL: Slightly Soiled
HEATING TYPE: Not Determined
COOLING TYPE: Not Determined
CLEANING: Professional
METHOD: Steam Cleaning
TYPE OF CHEMICAL: Not Determined
DATE LAST CLEANED: See Report
TREATMENTS APPLIED: See Report
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
This restaurant is located at sea level on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway close
to the old Getty Museum and north of the City of Santa Monica.
SITE CONDITIONS
This restaurant is a single story wood frame facility, which is approximately 30 or 40
years old. The westside looks over the beach and Pacific Ocean. There is an asphalt
parking lot available for patrons.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION MADE TO THE INSPECTOR
According to the restaurant manager ridges in the carpet started appearing six months
after the carpet was installed. They have gotten worse with time. It was unknown if
repairs have been attempted.
The cleaning has been done by a company called "The Carpet Cleaning." Reportedly
he uses a portable extractor and the carpet is cleaned every other month. According to the
restaurant manager, drying times are normally six hours.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM AREA BY THIS INSPECTOR
Although this is a single story facility, there are three levels separated by steps. The
assistant manager, directed this inspector to the south end of the upper level diningroom.
Next to the bar, there was a high concentration of buckles or ridges in the carpet.
Probing these ridges with an awl indicated that the carpet was delaminated, however, the
cushion was still attached to the subfloor. The heights of the ridges were between one or
two inches and they ran in the length of the carpet.
On the north end of the upper diningroom, there was seam separation with the carpet in
question and with a carpet border. There were also more ridges further to the north end of
this upper level diningroom, but they were not as concentrated as the area next to the
bar. There were no problems noted with the lower diningroom carpet.
ON-LOCATION FIELD TESTING
In the upper level bar area, where the seam was separating, an ultra-violet light was
shone to find if there was evidence that seaming adhesive was applied. Seaming adhesives
keep seams from separating or fraying. Most, but not all, seaming adhesive have a
reflection that is unique to that brand, but no reflection was found in this case.
Numerous moisture tests were performed using a Delmhorst Moisture Sensor that would
indicate the presence of moisture locked-up in different compounds. Moisture readings were
high or off the scale in the ridges indicating that compounds foreign to the construction
of the carpet were holding on to water. Moisture readings in the lower dining area were
slight and indicative of carpet that is near a large body of water.
pH tests using a digital type pH meter and a special low moisture probe found readings of
the affected and unaffected carpet between 6.2 to 6.5. This would indicate that the
compounds foreign to the construction of the carpet holding on to water are food &
beverage related and/or possibly related to an acidic rinsing compound from the cleanings.
Water beaded on the carpet during this test and had to be worked in. This would indicate
that some type of protection was being applied to the carpet, on an ongoing basis.
THE ISSUE
The questions that I have been asked to address are to determine what has caused the
ridges in this carpet and what can be done to correct them.
GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE ISSUE
Ridges can be caused by:
1. Errors in manufacturing
2. Errors in installation
3. From usage & maintenance and/or specification problems.
The guidelines of cleaning carpet are the:
1. S001-1997 CARPET CLEANING STANDARD by the INSTITUTE of INSPECTION CLEANING &
RESTORATION CERTIFICATION.
2. The manufacturer's recommendations
CRI is The Carpet and Rug Institute of Dalton, Georgia. It is a national trade association
representing the carpet and rug industry. Their membership makes-up 95% of all the carpet
made in the United States. Their publications include standards for residential and
commercial installation, areas of responsibility for manufacturers, dealers, and
installers, and a manual for making claims with a carpet producer. The accepted standard
for this installation would be the CRI104-1996 and the manufacturer's specifications,
which were not available.
INDUSTRY STANDARDS & DEFINITIONS
Concerning carpet drying, the S001 said this about steam cleaning:
7.11 Drying (ref. Section E, 5, p. 12) - Complete drying will be
accomplished within 24 hours (depending on soiling conditions and ambient humidity). When
multiple-pass cleaning is required on heavily soiled carpet, and especially when
postcleaning additives are applied to carpet following hot water extraction cleaning,
longer unassisted drying times (12 to 24 hours) may be anticipated, Therefore, technicians
must consider procedures to expedite drying and, thus, to avoid problems associated with
overwetting. Overwetting or prolonged drying may result from operator error.
Delamination is defined in the Flooring Covering Dictionary as "The separation of
layers on laminate through failure within the adhesive or at the bond between adhesive and
laminate."
THE INSPECTOR'S ANALYSIS
The number one cause of delamination in new carpet is manufacturing either from a sparse
application of the bonding adhesive and/or where clays and fillers are excessive. Most
manufacturing related delamination is noted at the time of the installation, however,
excessive clays and/or fillers can retain moisture-causing delamination after prolonged
wetness. In this case, if the carpet backing contains excessive clays and/or fillers, it
would be difficult to prove at this point and to hold the manufacturer responsible.
However, on future carpets it is strongly recommended that backing of conventional tufted
carpets be inspected for tattle-tail signs of excessive clay & fillers such as
stiffness and excessive powder residue that can break free from the backing. If such
conditions are found, then immediate testing should be done before the installation to
avoid similar problems.
The double stick method of installation has become very popular in the past few years, but
it has not gone without problems. Numerous conditions can lead to its failure. In this
case, installation errors that would lead to buckling or ridges were not found or
suspected. In addition, it is note worthy that the cushion is still attached to the
subfloor. Additional information about the installation cannot be known without destroying
the carpet.
However, it is the inspector's opinion that the double stick method is and/or can be
sensitive to excessive moisture, thus this would be a specification problem. The high
Delmhorst Moisture Sensor readings clearly indicate the reason for delamination and the
delamination that has led to the ridges. In this case, too much water is coming from too
many sources.
· There is the ocean, which adds a small amount of moisture that is not indicative of
carpet further inland. Most carpets can handle this moisture if there are no other factors
adding moisture. Delmhorst Moisture Sensor readings in the lower diningroom indicate that
this carpet could have survived ocean moisture if other sources of water were not present.
· There is the Rebond, double-stick pad and/or cushion which absorbs moisture and holds
onto it. A synthetic cushion would not hold onto moisture as well. In addition, some hard
rubber cushions used in double stick installation would have worked better.
· The steam cleaning method is the wettest of all cleaning methods and there is generally
a vast difference in the amount of water that can be removed with a truckmounted steam
cleaning machines compared to a portable steam extractor. The truckmount is generally far
superior. To determine how much of the moisture is from the cleaning verses beverage
accidents could and/or would depend upon the detergent used in the extraction process.
When there are no variations in acidic pH readings and only a slight amount of soil found,
evidence would indicate that the cleaner's extraction solution is acidic. It is a common
practice of the industry to use acidic extraction solution when applying protectants. If
protectants are being applied as suspected, then additional water is being added after the
cleaning. Hence, it would be highly unlikely that drying times are the six hours reported.
· The concentration of ridges near the bar strongly supports beverage accident being the
strongest source for moisture causing delamination. Whereas beverage accidents are the
common experience of most bars and restaurants, this installation is not forgiving of this
type of problem.
Thus, the carpet in question is not salvageable. A new stretch in installation of a
synthetic tufted carpet using a synthetic fiber pad with galvanized staples would not
allow the carpet to trap moisture.
· Staples as opposed to glue are recommended, because staples allow the carpet to breathe
easier.
· Galvanized staples are recommended because they are less likely to rust in the very
present ocean moisture.
The seam separation near the bar area would appear to be the only noticeable installation
error. It is likely due to an inappropriate use or lack of seaming adhesive based upon the
ultraviolet test.
CONCLUSION
Based upon background information, observations, and field-testing done at the time of the
inspection, it is the inspector's professional opinion that the ridges in the carpet in
question are due to delamination from excessive moisture. Replacement is advised.
|