Olefin Fades
Written for a carpet mill and shows a fading defect.
PROBLEM REPORTED: Fading
PROBLEM FOUND: Fading
WAS A DIAGRAM MADE?: No
SAMPLES FROM INSPECTION: None Taken
PERSONS PRESENT: Inspector & Claimant
THE CARPET
FIBER HUE: Rose
CONSTRUCTION: Tufted Cut Pile
YARN STYLE: Saxony Plush
SQUARE YARDAGE: 38
BACK SYSTEM: Conventional Tufted
PRIMARY BACKING: Polypropylene
SECONDARY BACKING: Action Back
LOCATION TYPE: Residential
DATE INSTALLED: 4/20/94
METHOD: Stretch-In
CUSHION: 1/2 Inch Rebond 7 Lb./Cu. Ft.
SUBFLOOR: Concrete
AREA INSTALLED: Living-Room
USE & MAINTENANCE INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION
LITERATURE RECEIVED WITH PURCHASE: Yes
TEMPERATURE: 75°F - 23.8° C RH 60%
ADULTS: 1 - CHILDREN: 0 - PET(S): 3 - Dogs
DO THEY SMOKE? No
SPOTTING AGENTS: Clorox Type Bleach
VACUUM/FREQUENCY: Hoover Upright Every Day
ENTRY-MATS? Yes
SOIL: See Report
HEATING TYPE: Forced Air Gas
COOLING TYPE: None
CLEANING: Professional
METHOD: Truckmount Steam
TYPE OF CHEMICAL: Unknown
DATE LAST CLEANED: Once
TREATMENTS APPLIED: None Reported
INCEPTORS' INSTRUCTIONS
Determine the cause for the fading and see if the contrast falls beyond a 'one' on the
AATCC GRAY SCALE.
THE REPORT
Site Conditions and Geographical Information
This is a free standing, owner-occupied house located in a residential neighborhood on the
western edge of the Los Angeles Basin within sight of the Pacific Ocean.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION MADE TO THE INSPECTOR
The carpet was selected for its fade resistance and its ease in care with respect to
animal accidents. Problems with animal urine were addressed with bleach with no ill
effects. Professional cleaning by Acme Carpet Cleaning also did not bring satisfactory
results, but approximately two years after the carpet was installed, color loss was noted
next to the sliding-glass-door.
According to the carpet mill a faded warranty from the fiber maker is applicable if the
amount of loss is greater than 'one' unit on the AATCC GRAY SCALE.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM AREA BY THIS INSPECTOR
Color loss was noted in an area between the vertical blinds and the glass of the
sliding-glass-door that faced the southwest side of the house. The yarn there and
throughout the installation was not crushed, there was no substantial loss of twist or
anything else unusual about the affected or non-affected area. Color loss was noted from
the tips of the yarn to the base.
ON-LOCATION FIELD TESTING
An inspection lamp was used for closer evaluation. It was noted that the faded area
appeared lighter than the rest of the carpet and had a gray or translucent hue.
An ultraviolet light was used to draw a reflection from substances with optical
brightening agents. Yellow reflection will come from most urine stains; a blue or lavender
reflection from detergents. The result of this test revealed that there were no
reflections.
Numerous moisture tests were performed using a Delmhorst Moisture Sensor. This test would
indicate the presence of moisture locked-up in salt compounds from urine and excessive
detergent residues. The results of these tests showed moisture in some of the spots that
were not in the faded area.
Numerous pH tests were taken using a digital type pH meter and a special low moisture
probe that made direct contact with the face yarns. This device is accurate to ± 0.1 and
was calibrated with a laboratory testing solution immediately before these tests were
made. All tests were made using distilled water with a pH of 7.0. The test results were
between 9.1 and 9.4 in the non-affected areas of the carpet and 8.1 to 9.4 in the faded
area.
A bleach test was performed using a test kit from COLOR MATCH SYSTEMS and revealed that
there were no bleaching agents in the area next to the sliding-glass-door.
A comparison on shade differences was conducted using a gray scale from the American
Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists so as to evaluate changes in color. If the
contrast between hues is less than or equal to "4" on this scale, then it
generally does not fit into the standards of an acceptable mill defect on this kind of
problem. The result of tests were better than a "2" on this scale.
An AATCC 16E COLORFASTNESS TO LIGHT (XENON ARC) was performed at Professional Testing
Laboratories Inc. In Dalton Georgia. The results of this test after 40 hours was a rating
of 4.5, slight change.
THE ISSUE
The question that I have been asked to address is: what has caused the carpet to fade?
GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE ISSUE
Fading problems can occur when:
1. oxide of nitrogen and sulfur in the air common to the Southern California atmosphere,
high efficient force air heating systems and other gas appliances react with carpet dye
2. bleaches, oxidizing agents or other chemical residues have been applied to the face
yarn
3. sun light or in particular ultraviolet rays from the sun affect the dye
INDUSTRY STANDARDS & DEFINITIONS
According to the FLOOR COVERING DICTIONARY it says this about Color Loss:
FADING - Loss of color. Caused by actinic radiation such as sunlight or artificial light,
atmospheric gases including ozone, nitric oxide, and hydrogen sulphide, cleaning and
bleaching chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, and other household and industrial
products, chlorine chemicals or swimming pools, and other factors. Commercial
installations in areas where such exposures occur require extreme care in selection of
colorfast carpet. All carpet will fade under certain conditions. The greatest sun fade
potential is a Southwest exposure while the least is a Northwest or North exposure.
Unprotected carpet, those in front of windows without drapes, in a Southwest exposure can
show very noticeable color loss after as little as 6 months. Examples: A brown carpet will
fade to light green in ,areas where it receives direct sunlight because the color
component most severely affected is red. A green carpet will fade to yellow because color
component most affected by the direct sunlight is blue.
THE INSPECTOR'S ANALYSIS
This is a truly amazing fading situation that defies the realm of what is normally
possible. Fading that occurs between the curtains and sliding-glass-door on the southwest
side of the house is beyond a reasonable doubt related to sun fading. This carpet would be
within acceptable limits of fading for nylon warranties based upon the laboratory testing,
but not for the warranty given. The observations and tests clearly show that fading has
occurred well beyond what would be expected as reasonable and a '2' on the gray scale is
well beyond the contrast limits allowed by the fiber maker's warranty.
CONCLUSION
Fading is due to sunlight and the fiber producer's warranty should be applied for
replacement, based upon the field testing done.