When you experience a possible warranty issue with your floor covering many retailers and manufactures will arrange for an independent floor covering inspector such as Kevin Weinheimer or Terry Weinheimer of The Weinheimer Group LLC an Oregon based company. When a consumer believes that they have an issue that should be covered by the manufacturer, contractor, dealer, installer or other and they are not getting anywhere with their supplier they may wish to contact The Weinheimer Group or another qualified flooring inspection company directly.

Of course, inspector qualification is important.  You will want to ask about their certification from organizations such as NWFA, CFI, IICRC and FCITS as it relates to the floor covering or flooring product that they will be inspecting.  Certification and good training are not the only assurances you want when looking for a floor covering inspector. You want to know that they are experts in their field for while they may have received top training, they may lack experience.  Therefore experience becomes a very important factor. Is the inspector a member of trade organizations such as WFCA – World Floor Covering Association, CFI – International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association, NWFA – National Wood Flooring Association or NICFI – National Institute of Certified Floorcovering Inspectors. Top inspectors such as those of the Weinheimer Group will almost always belong to these organizations.

You could ask for a sample floor report.  There are different type of flooring inspections such as cork, laminate, VCT, linoleum, vinyl floors, hardwood, bamboo, softwood and specialty floor coverings. Therefore you would request a sample report that deals with the type of floor that you will be needing inspected. By viewing a report you will get an idea if they are reporting facts or are actually reporting useless information which is of no value.

Checking references or past clients would also provide you an insight or understanding on how the floor covering inspectors would operate.  You could also take a look at their resume as this will show their background and qualifications as a floor covering inspector.

Floor covering inspectors use a number of instruments when evaluating a carpet, wood or other floor.  You may wish to ask about the types of tests that the inspector may be making in doing his or her evaluation. An inspector that is not taking advantage of the new technologies and instruments is probably not going to do a thorough inspection.

After considering the qualifications, experiences, and other aspects, the last thing that you would have to consider is the price.  There are flooring inspectors who would actually be offering lower service fees than others.  Usually, the best inspectors are not the least expensive.  If you really want to have the best service, you would usually have to pay a bit more.

While the average fee for a floor covering inspection is usually between $200 to $500, there are times when the service will cost you $1,000 or more depending on factors such as the inspection size, type of floor and the types of testing that will be required.  Keep in mind that the information that the floor covering inspector is providing is usually an inexpensive investment when you are attempting to settle a claim on a product and installation that likely costs many times the cost of an inspection.  Remember that price is soon for gotten but quality still remains!

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection
• A Flooring Inspector Can Protect Your Investment

As a homeowner or property owner you may have a carpet, hardwood, laminate or specialty floor that is not performing properly and you want to know who is responsible for this failure. A home or property owner that commissions an inspection might ask to have everything from the product to the installation thoroughly investigated and tested. If a flooring installation company has commissioned the inspection they may only want to know if the installation was performed to industry standard. A manufacturer might commission the inspector to only test for and investigate concerns as it relates to manufacturing or they may be looking for the cause of a floorings failure be it product, site, installation, specification, maintenance or abuse. A commissioning party may also want to know if the end users expectations are too great for the product and the environment in which it is installed. As one can see, while an inspection may be thorough, the thoroughness may be limited to the concerns that are being addressed.

The knowledge of a retailer, decorator or contractor is often limited to their personal experience and what they hear about a product from the manufacturers sales person or their customers. The knowledge of a flooring installer is usually limited to the installation of the product and their personal experiences. An experienced, expert floor covering inspector such as Kevin Weinheimer and Terry Weinheimer is trained to know the ins and outs of how flooring products are intended to function. These inspectors who are routinely certified by CFI, IICRC, NWFA, NOFMA, FCITS and others regularly attend conferences, updates and training sessions and conventions keeping abreast of how different flooring product should be installed, structural, environmental and maintenance concerns that may affect the performance of a product or installation, and the cause and extent of why flooring systems can fail. This in depth training gives The Weinheimer Group and other qualified inspectors an edge when it comes to solving floor covering problems.

Additional Information

• A Flooring Inspector Can Protect Your Investment

Generally the flooring inspection process includes the visual examination of the floor covering along with specialized onsite testing. Depending upon the type of floor and the concern the inspection may also include the inspection of the sub floor and other structural components and crawl space or testing of a concrete slab.

When a floor covering or its installation is not performing as it should, knowledgeable inspectors such as Terry Weinheimer and Kevin Weinheimer of The Weinheimer Group LLC are able to determine why. Is the failure manufacturing, site related, installation related or other cause? By pinpointing the cause the property owner will know if their expectations are perhaps too great for the type of product and use, the failure is due to something that they have done, or if the manufacturer, installer or dealer should be held responsible.

In preparing for an inspection it is wise to gather information in advance that pertains to the floor covering in question. This includes product and installation invoices, cleaning records and receipts, warranty information and any materials that were left over from the job should the inspector need these for additional testing. It is understandable that some of this may not be available to you but the more of it you have will usually save research time for the inspector and money for you.

When you have your flooring or floor covering inspected by a certified inspector such as The Weinheimer Group the written report for that inspection is only provided to the commissioning party.  If you are the person to order and pay for the inspection the floor inspection report will only be submitted and discussed with you without your authorization to discuss it with others. At times your dealer or manufacturer may use a nonbiased certified independent inspection company such as the Weinheimer Group. In that situation the inspector will only be able to provide the floor report and discuss the findings with the party that commissioned the inspection.

When you have your flooring inspected point out your concerns to the inspector and allow the inspector to take their time in inspecting the floor covering, as well as avoid asking too many questions regarding the floor while in the process of the examination.

Do not argue with the inspector about comments or remarks you only get to overhear, or the apparent results of the inspection, take note that they have been tasked to help you identify problems that may need your immediate attention and thus save you the trouble of complaints that may arise later on.

Especially with wood and laminate floors other areas of the home should be made accessible including access to the basement and crawl space.

As much as possible, make sure to be aware of the things to consider to prepare for your flooring inspection to make it a pleasant and professional experience.

The bottom line for this floor inspection process is primarily to focus on not just consumer protection, but for the investment of the client as well, since investing in a homes floor is a big investment.

So try to think of it this way, floor covering inspectors are not there to terrorize, but a flooring inspector can be a good investment protector.

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection

Commercial Carpet Installation Standards

STANDARD For INSTALLATION SPECIFICATION of COMMERCIAL CARPET CRI 104 – 2002

The CRI Carpet Installation Standard

CRI’s 104 and 105 carpet installation standards have long been the industry’s criteria for carpet installation. However, as of October 1, 2009, the Carpet and Rug Institute will offer a new, combined standard for carpet installation in both residential and commercial settings. The combined standard, which replaces CRI’s 104 and 105 installation standards, is an industry minimum installation standard, providing installers, retailers, specification writers, and building owners with principles and workmanship standards for residential installation, in addition to a detailed outline of proper procedures and terminology used in commercial specification writing, planning, layout and installation. The CRI Carpet Installation Standard also includes guidelines for floor preparation and installation in special areas, diagrams, and charts.

The CRI Installation Standard represents over 25 years of information-gathering and installation expertise compiled by the members of CRI’s Installation Issues Management Team, which comprises manufacturers, professional installers, and other interested parties.

CRI Carpet Installation Standard 2009, (PDF 773 KB) Need help with PDF?
Online version:  free download; 36 pages, 8 ½ ” x 11″

Karastan Contract, Durkan Commercial, Mohawk Commercial, and Bigelow Commercial. Glue-Down Installation – Patterned Carpet

ClaytonMiller Direct Glue Down Installation Procedures for Patterned Carpet

Durkin Commercial RECOMMENDED INSTALLATION PROCEDURES DIRECT GLUE DOWN-PATTERNED CARPET

J & J Carpet Installation Handbook

Shaw Hospitality Group / Shaw Contract Installation of Commercial Broadloom Products

Masland Carpet PATTERNED CARPET TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 101

Beaulieu Residential Estimating Pattern Matches

If you are a carpet manufacturer or association and would like your link added contact us.

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection

Hardwood floors are a fantastic choice for many homes and businesses. They have a classic look about them. They also last for a long time as long as they are properly cared for by the owners.

There are many factors that can cause your floors to look dull and scratched. Dirt is only one part of it. Improper cleaning, as well as improper storage, causes damage even when the floor finish is done superbly.

Before anything else, the owner should have careful thought on which type of hardwood is to be installed. The floor, similar to wall, gets much attention inside the house because it covers a wide space. The color of the hardwood should match the colors of the furniture and the walls. Otherwise, your house would look like a maze. You have two choices of colors in wood flooring: light and dark. Take note that dark colors are mainly used to project an air of formality inside a room. The dark color also matches with furniture that is somewhat tradition in design and style. If you are using modern and casual furniture, you might opt to choose a lighter shade. But, no matter what color you choose, color expresses the character of the room.

To properly maintain hardwood it must be cleaned at regular intervals. Here are a few simple tips that will help you keep that floor looking new:

• Sweep and vacuum regularly to maintain the floor’s cleanliness.
• When cleaning use minimal amounts of water to protect the finish from moisture.
• Do not wet mop. While many of today’s finishes can be damp mopped (thoroughly wrung out mop). Understand that damp mopping is no more than a very thin film or mist of moisture.
  
• Periodically clean your wood floor using a product recommended by the company that manufactured your wood floor and/or a wood flooring professional. These professional products are specially formulated for wood floors and quick drying.
• Floor protectors should be installed on furniture legs to avoid scratching the floor.
• In order to avoid discoloration of the floor, always move rugs to areas frequently exposed to light.
• If your shoes are in need of repair, avoid using them in the house.
• To keep floors clean, you could place mats at the entrance of your home.
• If you have pets at home, make sure that their toenails do not scratch the surface of the floors. You can do this by trimming or clipping their toenails regularly.
• Lastly, always remember to use only products that are specifically designed for cleaning hardwood floors.

Additional Information

• A Flooring Inspector Can Protect Your Investment
• The Thoroughness of a Flooring Inspection
• Wood Floor Inspections

An ongoing controversy is engineered flooring versus solid wood flooring. With both there are benefits and disadvantages, likes and dislikes.  Once you start researching and looking at these floors you will find many beautiful engineered and solid floors and from the surface you will not know which is which. Here are a few tips for you that may help you decide which one of these fine floors is best for you. Bamboo flooring is also an engineered product so the information discussed here will also pertain to it.

Where Can Solid Wood and Engineered Products Be Installed?

Solid wood and solid bamboo flooring can be installed on grade and above grade, but not below grade. Solid wood performs best in a moisture-controlled environment.

Engineered wood and engineered bamboo flooring is more dimensionally stable so they can be installed in areas where moisture prevents the installation of solid wood. Engineered wood flooring can be used on grade, above grade and below grade.

How Solid Wood and Engineered Products are installed

Solid wood strip or plank is nailed or stapled down only, and usually requires a wood subfloor. Solid wood parquet can be glued to several different subfloor materials.

Engineered floor products are designed for different needs and method of installation. Nail-down or staple-down usually require a wood subfloor. Glue down and floating floors can be installed over many different subfloors. The tongue and groove of most floating floors are glued together, but the floor is not anchored to the subfloor.  In regard to allowable subfloors and installation methods, each manufacturer has its own requirements.  Installation requirements will vary for different products from the same manufacturer.  The dealer and consumer need to be aware of these requirements prior to purchase.

How Solid and Engineered Products React to Heat and Moisture

Solid wood planks will always shrink when the air is too dry and expand in the presence of moisture. Expansion and contraction is primarily in width with minimal change in length.

With properly engineered wood and bamboo planks contraction and expansion are controlled through cross-ply construction (placing each layer of ply in the opposite direction). Once the plies are laminated they counteract each other which helps to prevent both expansion and shrinkage.

Additional Information

• A Flooring Inspector Can Protect Your Investment
• Caring For Your Hardwood Floor
• The Thoroughness of a Flooring Inspection

No manufacturer guarantees a pattern match so a claim may be declined unless severe and the manufacture instructed the installer or dealer to go ahead and they would stand behind it. While some seams are correctable by a knowledgeable installer not all seams are.

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection

As a dealer or sales person you likely sell a lot of carpet that you never see installed.  It is not a bad idea to call on a consumer following an installation to make sure that everything is to their satisfaction.  Making the call can lead to extra sales for additional floor covering, draperies or some other product you sell.  When you make the call, I would not advise you to point out visual problems that they have not complained of.  Visual problems do not affect carpet performance.  Visual problems are often a characteristic and what is a problem to one is not to the other.  You may see a sidematch variation and once you point it out that is all they see.  Sidematch variations are common, visit model homes, particularly those that have large rooms and pay close attention to the seam areas.  You will probably be surprised at the number of installations that have the appearance of a sidematch variation.

The Blame Game

When a sidematch difference is observed, the end user, installer and dealer may all have different ideas as to why it is there.  In fact a perceived difference may have multiple contributing causes.

• The pile may have been reversed during manufacturing or installation.

• More light or shadow is being cast on one side of the seam.

• The seam may be excessively peaked.

• Multiple dye lots may have been used.

• The carpets texture may differ from one part of the roll to another.

• The pile may have a side-to-side or end-to-end color variation.

• The pile may be crushed on one side of the seam.

• The consumer’s expectations may be too great.

Sidematch is a controversial claim.  All the consumer sees is a defective product or installation.  The cause of these variations can be difficult to identify.  Both money and reputation are at stake so care must be taken in determining the cause.

Who’s Fault is it?

A sidematch appearance difference that takes place within the roll is often not detectable until the carpet has been cut and placed side by side and therefore it is routinely not found until the time of installation.

• Seam peaking occurs during installation due to the flexing of the thermal plastic tape. Seam peaking is installation characteristic it is not an installation defect unless it is excessive and caused by improper installation.

• When a carpet is stretched properly tight the peak may be higher.

• When a seam runs across a major light source the peak will be more visible.

• When a seam runs into a major light source the peak will be less visible.

• When a room is large and sparsely furnished the peak may be more visible.

• Pile Reversal occasionally occurs during manufacturing.

If the pile reverses midway along the panel and has been there since installation, this will normally be a manufacturer related pile reversal.

Sometimes you find that in the lengthwise direction the sweep is the same and in the widthwise direction it reverses.  This condition is unusual and is easiest to identify when all of the arrows on both sides of both panels run in the same direction but you find a side-to-side sweep that is different.

• Pile reversal more commonly occurs during installation. Pile direction testing and printing on the back of the carpet can usually determine when it occurred

• Lighting is a site-related condition that plays a big roll when it comes to seam visibility. Some rooms have low windows, others high, wall to wall, or floor to ceiling. Some structures are designed with most of the artificial light at one end or one side of the room. Light may be overhead in one area and tabletop lighting in another. Some layouts are such that the seams cannot be ran into the major light source to reduce seam visibility. Under many of these lighting conditions no matter what you do a sidematch difference is going to be seen.

• Proper planning for installation can play a big part in seam visibility. Taking fill pieces from the same side of the roll and in sequence to its joining panel will reduce variations.

• When multiple rolls of carpet are cut in dyelot series sidematch problems are usually reduced.

• Hue or shade difference within the roll can occur during manufacturing. Many manufacturers as measured by the AATCC Gray Scale consider a 3.5 to 5 percent variation normal. When a carpet is manufactured with nylon pile a shade or hue sidematch condition can often be corrected by a dye process called feather blending. This process is permanent and does not affect the performance of a carpet.

CRI 105 – 2002 states on page 14, Section 5.1, Seams “Seams shall be kept to a minimum and positioned as recommended when possible. •Seams run the length of the area. • Main traffic runs parallel to, rather than across, the seam. • Natural light does not strike across the seam. •Seams are away from areas subject to pivoting traffic. •Seams are not perpendicular to doorway openings”

The Weinheimer Group corrects many side match variations by use of a feather blending process. This process saves the expense and inconvenience of replacement. Most manufacturers retain the right to correct a carpet by feather blending. This correction will last as long as the original manufacturing dye process and does not effect the warranty. Contact us for further information.

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection
• Carpet Side Match Color Variations Cause and Correction

You will sometimes hear people refer to their vinyl flooring as linoleum. It is true that these two products are used in much the same way and to the unfamiliar may look the same. Regardless of how they may look, they are not the same product. In basic terms sheet vinyl is vinyl composition resilient product while linoleum is a natural product that is composed of linseed oil, cork and resins applied to a burlap, felt or canvas back.

Resilient flooring is a versatile floor that can be installed in any room of a house and is used for many commercial type installations.  With resilient you have a huge variety of colors and patterns to select from.  Some floors have a high-gloss that gives more of a wet look and others have a satin type finish.  With some floors especially tile, you can custom design a particular look.

Resilient flooring is also available at many price points.  It has been the author’s experience that the quality of the resilient can change considerably between the lower and upper price ranges.

While linoleum is generally more expensive than linoleum, for those that want earth friendly product linoleum is often a good choice. The products used in linoleum are primarily renewable resources.

Additional Information

• Vinyl Flooring and Linoleum Inspections

Carpet and vinyl composition tile-VCT are the products most frequently specified for the larger areas of many commercial installations. In the overall design of a project consideration should also be given to hardwood, bamboo, ceramic tile, stone, cork, linoleum, sheet vinyl and specialty products.  Regardless of the product selected, a poor choice will frequently result in a maintenance headache or premature failure.

In the floor covering industry a term that is commonly heard is “ugly out”.  As an example, most carpet fibers will withstand loss of pile from abrasion.  Loss of pile thickness from abrasion is the common industry definition of wear. An improper selection of fiber, color or construction often results in loss of appearance due to packing, crushing, soiling and matting or “ugly out”.  Most manufacturers warranties cover abrasive wear but they rarely cover appearance change.

Defining Expectations

• A product that will perform beautifully in a guest room may quickly “ugly out” in the lobby, corridor or on stairs.
• In an office the carpet that will perform magnificently in an executive office may quickly “ugly out” in the heavier trafficked offices.
• For an installation that receives rolling traffic from heavy equipment or is frequently subjected to wheel chairs and walkers carpet may not be the best selection. If carpet is used the style of carpet, cushion and method of installation are all important considerations.
• The soil hiding characteristics of a floor covering being installed in a restaurant will be different than those of a product installed in a hotel lobby of guest room.

To prevent “ugly out” many careful considerations must be given to the selection of the floor covering.  In far too many buildings products have been selected because someone liked the color or style.  Color and style alone are emotional considerations.  In a formal living room or master bedroom emotion may be fine. For high traffic areas a bit of logic needs to be programmed into the selection.

In a commercial installation durability, soil hiding characteristics and ease of maintenance are prime considerations. The traffic volume will be highest at entrances, elevator lobbies and corridors, as people must travel through these areas to get to the offices and conference rooms. The areas most prone to wear and soiling will be the traffic patterns near doorways.  In offices the open areas between furnishings will receive the bulk of the traffic, beverage drips and spills. A few of the questions that you must know the answer to for optimal performance are:

• What is the traffic pattern?
• What is the expected volume of traffic?
• Is traffic distributed evenly or is there a lot of cross traffic over the same areas.
• Is food or beverage served in the area?
• How clean are the walking surfaces of adjoining areas?
• Is a paved parking lot just outside of the entrance or is the floor covering to be installed at some distance or on a different level of the building?

Once you have logically defined the environment and expectations you have reached a point to where you can select a product that will not “ugly out”.

Additional Information

• Carpet and Flooring Onsite Testing & Inspection
• Commercial Carpet Industry Installation Standards