Lines from Star Roller
This report was written for the mill. The dealer demanded a re-visit with the mill representative.
THE CARPETFIBER/ ID METHOD: Nylon-Chemical
FIBER HUE: White
CONSTRUCTION: Tufted Cut Pile
YARN STYLE: Saxony Plush
BACK SYSTEM: Conventional Tuft
PRIMARY BACKING: Polypropylene
SECONDARY BACKING: Polypropylene
THE INSTALLATION
LOCATION TYPE: Residential
DATE INSTALLED: 12/97
METHOD: Stretch-In
CUSHION: 1/2 Inch Rebond
SUBFLOOR: Concrete on the first level, Wood Planks on the second level
AREA INSTALLED: Down-Stairs Maids Bedroom, Stairs, Hallway, & 4 Bedrooms
USE & MAINTENANCE INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION
LITERATURE RECEIVED WITH PURCHASE: Not Yet
TEMPERATURE: 68.7°F - 20.3° C RH 49%
ADULTS: 0 - CHILDREN: 0 - PET(S): 0
DO THEY SMOKE? No
SPOTTING AGENTS: Not Applicable
VACUUM/FREQUENCY: None Yet
ENTRY-MATS? Yes
SOIL: Not Applicable
HEATING TYPE: Central Force Air Gas
COOLING TYPE: Central - Electric
CLEANING: New Carpet, Never Been Cleaned
REASON FOR COMMISSION
The carpet has reportedly developed lines.
THE REPORT
Site Conditions and Geographical Information
The carpet was in the claimant’s free standing, two story, 4000 square feet house, located in the Hollywood Hills overlooking the Los Angeles Basin. This house was not yet occupied because there were still finishing touches on the construction that had to been done.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION MADE TO THE INSPECTOR
The carpet was installed as part of the building of this new house. Lines were noticed immediately after the installation. They became more noticeable after vacuuming, but other than that had not changed in appearance. No repairs that been attempted other than vacuuming to fix the problem.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM AREA BY THIS INSPECTOR
A thick, six inch high wooden-base board surrounded the perimeter of most rooms and was elevated off the sub-floor with the carpet tucked between this molding and the subfloor. Tackless strip was set approximately a half inch in front of the baseboard and was lower than the cushion.
The yarn in this carpet was plush and dense and the lines were in the form of depressions in a zipper pattern approximately six inches from the baseboard, (refer to picture one). Brushing the lines did not make them disappear.
The carpet was pulled back in a back-corner bedroom where a seam was located six inches from the back wall but no unusual distortions were noted in the secondary backing. There were also no holes made by the tackless-strip-nails, (refer to picture four).
In this same corner, three bumps that had dark hues were noted in one corner of the room. These bumps had a solvent smell and the carpet appeared to be delaminated, (refer to picture three).
ON-LOCATION FIELD TESTING
A Pile Direction Test was done using a piece of paper and a pencil. The lines were not related to pile direction problems.
Moisture tests were performed using a Delmhorst Moisture Sensor was performed in the bumps located in the corner bedroom, but no moisture was found.
A portable steam generator was used to try to correct the lines and great improvement was made, (refer to picture number two).
THE ISSUE
The question that I have been asked to address is: what has caused the carpet to develop lines?
GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE ISSUE
Lines Can Be Caused From
1. manufacturer’s defects
2. elongated soil patterns remaining in the carpet following cleaning
3. lines or ridges of uneven floor finish in rows
4. installation errors
INDUSTRY STANDARDS & DEFINITIONS
The standards for installation residential carpet are called the CRI105 and are published by The Carpet and Rug Institute of Dalton, Georgia and the following is their definition of Baseboards.
Baseboard, n. - A board skirting the lower edge of a wall, covering the joint of the wall and the adjoining floor.
THE INSPECTOR'S ANALYSIS
Lines created in manufacturing do not change from the length to the width or conform to the perimeters of the walls nor are these lines indicative of patterns made from cleaning or uneven flooring. However the plushness of the yarn lends itself to depression and/or lines being formed. In this case, the lines are indicative of a pattern made with a carpet tractor. Carpet tractors are normally used to press the secondary into the hot glue of seaming tape when seams are being made. Therefore some explanation is necessary in order to explain why this tool or something similar to it would have created these lines.
Normally a baseboard is set flush to the floor, (ref. Molding definition CRI105) and when it is not, a decision has to be made whether to trim the carpet at the edge of the baseboard or go underneath the baseboard, (note the gap under the baseboard in picture four). When it is run underneath the baseboard there could be potential problem in trimming and power stretching. Without power stretching to flatten the carpet, buckles could form and the tractor would be necessary to flatten out the ridges.
The three bubbles in the corner bedroom were the likely result of a spotting attempt with paint thinner or mineral spirits. In this scenario the solvent could have gotten into the backing, thus melting the latex, and creating delamination. The solvent odor and lack of moisture readings would support this scenario.
CONCLUSION
The lines in the carpet in question were a product of depressions created during installation and are correctable. No defects in manufacturing were noted.