|
|
Yellowing from Defective Stain-resistThis report was commissioned by the dealer and approximately two weeks after the carpet was installed, the claimant used a product called ‘CARPET FRESH’ that left a red stain.THE CARPETFIBER PROTECTANTS Scotchgard® FIBER/ ID METHOD: Nylon - Continuous Filament-Chemical COLOR: White CONSTRUCTION: Tufted Cut Loop STYLE: Cut Pile Berber BACK SYSTEM: Conventional Tufted PRIMARY BACKING: Polypropylene SECONDARY BACKING: Polypropylene THE INSTALLATION TYPE OF SITE: Residential METHOD: Stretch-In CUSHION: 7/16 Inch Rebond SUBFLOOR: Concrete AREA INSTALLED: Living-Room, Dining-Room, Hall-way, Three Bedrooms USE & MAINTENANCE INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION LITERATURE RECEIVED WITH PURCHASE: Not Determined TEMPERATURE: 71°F - 21.6° C RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 41% ADULTS: 2 CHILDREN: 2 PETS: 1 TYPE OF PET(s): Dog DO THEY SMOKE? No SPOTTING AGENTS: ReSolve® & Woolite VACUUM TYPE: Upright FREQUENCY: Two Or Three Times A Week ENTRY MATS: Yes CONDITION of THE CARPET: Very Good SOIL: None Noticeable HEATING TYPE: Central Force Air Gas COOLING TYPE: None CLEANING: Professional METHOD: Truckmount Steam TYPE OF CHEMICAL: Stain Resist Type TREATMENTS APPLIED: None REASON FOR COMMISSION The carpet has reportedly yellowed. THE REPORT Geographical Background Information This free standing house was located in a residential neighborhood in the southern part of coastal Orange county. The condition and maintenance of the neighborhood were very good. The house was meticulously kept. BACKGROUND INFORMATION MADE TO THE INSPECTOR Approximately two weeks after the carpet was installed, the claimant used a product called ‘CARPET FRESH’. This left a red stain that did not respond to home spotting remedies. Other staining problems occurred with the carpet and were not easily remedied. The carpet failed to meet the expectations of the claimant. Approximately one year after the installation the carpet began to turn yellow. The dealer was made aware of this condition and professional cleaning was recommended. No improvement were made and an inspection was commissioned by the manufacturer. The inspector’s report concluded that the yellowing condition was due to urine. The commissioner of this report believed that urine was not the problem and thus commissioned this inspector. DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM AREA The yellowing was located in isolated areas.
The spot where the CARPET FRESH had been used was located in the hallway. It was approximately four inches in diameter and did not have a well-defined hue. ON-LOCATION FIELD TESTING An inspection lamp was shone on the all of the yellow spots. Their appearance did not change. An ultra-violet light was shone throughout the installation. This tool draws a yellow reflection from most urine stains and a blue or lavender reflection from detergents with optical brightening agents. The result of this test revealed that the yellow stain under the rug in the dining room reflected yellow, while the other yellow spots did not. Numerous moisture tests were performed using a Delmhorst Moisture Sensor. This test would indicate the presence of moisture in the area that was being tested. It is possible for water to be locked-up in salts compounds from residue from urine and other compounds long after the affected area has dried. Any recent/ previous over-wetting of the carpet could also be found in the latex backing of a carpet with this device. The results of these tests revealed slight readings from under the rug in the dining-room. No other readings were found. A tannin spotter from The Ramsey Chemical line was applied to the affected area. This product is a professional, acidic, spotting agent and with a ready to use pH of less than one. Its primary use is for removing coffee, teas and urine stains. All of the yellow stains disappeared after applying the tannin spot except for the one under the rug in the dining room which turned brown. Numerous pH tests were taken using a pHep + Pen by Hanna®. 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 as follows: Dining room: affected areas 7.2 6.9 7.1 Ave. 7.07 non-affected areas 7.4 7.4 7.4 Ave. 7.4 Bedroom: affected areas 7.4 7.4 7.4 Ave. 7.4 non-affected areas 7.4 7.4 7.4 Ave. 7.4 Office: affected areas 7.9 7.9 Ave. 7.9 non-affected areas 7.4 7.4 Ave. 7.4 The pH of any of the above substances if present at the time of testing would be affected by any other substance with a pH and also by dilution with the distilled-water. Two DuPont® Stain Resist Tests were performed to determine the amount of possible stain resistance on the face yarn. The first samples were taken from a remnant used in the master bedroom that had been cleaned. The results of this test revealed a strong lack of stain resistance. The second test was done on a remnant that had not been used or cleaned. The result also revealed a strong lack of stain resistance. THE ISSUE OF THIS REPORT The question is have been asked to address is: what has caused the carpet to yellow? GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE ISSUE Yellowing occurs when: 1. there is a loss of color from some type of bleaching agent 2. certain types of light reflection come in contact with the carpet 3. Butylated Hydroxy Toluene known as BHT, mixes with olefin and/or sulfonated phenol or acid dye blockers 4. excessive alkalinity remains in contact with the acid dye blockers 5. acid dye blocker have been affected by ultra violet light 6. oxides of sulfur or nitrogen are excessively strong in the atmosphere 7. a foreign substance has been spilled on the carpet that contains a pigment such as in the case of pet urine stains 8. stain resist materials are defective INDUSTRY STANDARDS, PRACTICES & DEFINITIONS The Standard for Carpet Cleaning S001-1994 is published by the INSTITUTE OF INSPECTIONS, CLEANING and RESTORATION CERTIFICATION at the recommendation of the FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. These service standards are for professional cleaning and are recognized by nearly all carpet mills and carpet cleaning associations. According to the S001-1994 CARPET CLEANING STANDARDS, in the glossary of terms it says the following: yellowing - A carpet condition that result from one of several possible sources, to include: dye loss, fume fading, general soiling, oil tracking, oxidation, stain-resist degradation, etc. On September 29, 1988 the American Association of Textile Chemist and Colorists, at their International Conference were entertained by a technical paper dealing with the yellowing of stain resist fibers and the possible causes. Members of the research team for this paper included learned individuals from Certified Testing Laboratories, Dooley Chemical Company, Shaw Industries, Monsanto, Sandoz Chemical, DuPont, and 3-M Company. The findings of this report were vague, inconclusive, and theoretical at best with regard to the cause of yellowing. THE INSPECTOR'S ANALYSIS Bleach and light reflections are not likely candidates for the yellowing based upon the fact that the yellowing was darker than the surrounding carpet and was visible with an inspection lamp. BHT has not been used in any carpeting material in recent years. If it were a factor here, then the yellowing would have been all over and would have other telltale signs. It would be a stretch to say that ultra-violet light or atmospheric gases made some of the stains. It absolutely would not explain the yellowing underneath the carpet in the dining-room and child’s bedroom. A foreign substance could explain the stain under the dining-room rug based upon its reflection in ultra-violet light, moisture reading, and lower pHs. To say that the stain is urine when it is missing a urine smell is a stretch. It definitely does not explain the other problems in the carpet. It still is a mystery on how the urine was able to get under the rug without adversely affecting the rug. There is only one clear unifying factor in all of the yellowing and that is the lack of stain resistance. The lack of stain resistance should be the focal issue of any discussion on this carpet. It explains why the claimant’s expectations were not met on removing spots in the past and why the carpet had so many diverse problems in the past. Whereas stain resist degradation is given as a reason for yellowing based upon the two stain resist tests on carpet laid and cleaned and remnants that had not been cleaned, this inspector believes that the original treatment of stain resist was defective. CONCLUSION The yellowing in the carpet in question is due to defects in the stain resistance based upon the pair of stain resistance tests and the various problems that occurred in this carpet. |