Carpet Problems: Who is at Fault?

By Terry Weinheimer, The Weinheimer Group LLC

Manufacturing

• Latent Problems are those that become apparent only after the floor covering has been installed for a period of time.

• Visual Problems are those that are readily visible and should be seen prior to or at the time of installation.

Consumer

• Normal appearance change for the carpet style, care and usage.
• Improper maintenance.
• Animal Damage
• Abuse

Installation

• Installation error
• Improper installation of carpet or cushion
• Improper installation products
• Not following the proper inspection and claims procedures.

Specification

• Improper selection or specification of carpet and cushion.
• Improper installation products
• Not following the proper inspection and claims procedures.

The Carpet and Rug Institute Carpet Claims Manual, states on page 5, Guideline 4, “No claims will be considered on carpet, which has been installed with visible defects. Dealers are responsible for checking all merchandise for correct style, color, dye lot, and any other visible defects before cutting and installing.”

Some carpet leaves the manufacturer with visual defects that are so blatant that it is obvious that proper inspection procedure was not being followed.

A lot of carpet also leaves the manufacturer with defects that are difficult to see until the carpet is rolled out in lighting conditions different then those of the production line. Visual manufacturing defects belong to the manufacturer prior to installation of the carpet.

When a carpet is installed with a visible defect, the dealer and/or the installer can be held responsible for the repair or replacement of the carpet. Do not make a manufacturer problem yours!

Manufacturers want to know about problems so that a prompt correction can be made at a reasonable cost. When a defective carpet is installed it becomes much more expensive to correct or replace at the later date. The dealer and installer must follow the proper procedure for reporting problems unless they wish to own them as their own.

Dealer and Installer Protection

Dealer and installer protection comes through the careful inspection of the product before it is installed and stopping an installation until the manufacturer is notified when a defect is found. Unfortunately many dealers are placing this responsibility upon the installer alone without properly informing, training and compensating them. Nonetheless, any installer that installs a carpet with visible defects may be inheriting some one else’s problem.

What if the carpet was cut before the problem was found?

Even though the CRI claims manual states that “No claims will be considered on carpet, which has been installed with visible defects.” manufacturers do understand that problems such as sidematch may not show up until after the product is cut. If this occurs the installer must immediately pick up the phone and call the dealer so that the manufacturer can be contacted. This gives the manufacturer the opportunity to furnish a full or partial replacement on a rapid basis and it protects both the installer and the dealer.

What happens if the installer decides on his own to install a defective product?

Too often during inspections the consumer states, “the installer pointed out the problem but went ahead with the job so that a days work would not be lost”. The installer may not have lost that days work, but just might have to work many extra days in the future to pay for the replacement carpet.

What about Correcting the Problem Before Installing?

If the installer can work around the problem area or make a proper correction to the defective area the installation can continue. This keeps the installer from loosing a day’s work and saves the expense of replacement. Many manufacturers will reimburse the installer a reasonable fee for the time they spend correcting a manufacturer defect to save the carpet. To assure payment for the correction it is always a good idea to save the defective area and contact the manufacturer first unless standing arrangements have been worked out in advance.

The Wise Installer and Dealer

Another common statement heard from consumers during an inspection is, “the installer saw a problem and called the dealer and the dealer instructed the installer to go ahead with the installation”. This was a wise installer, by following the proper procedure the problem was transferred to the dealer and if the dealer was wise, authorization to proceed was obtained from the manufacturer, placing the problem where it originally belonged.

You Need to Protect Yourself

The Carpet and Rug Institute, Carpet Claims Manual sets out a policy for handling claims. Carpet manufacturers subscribe to the standards sit fourth in this manual. Every individual involved in the marketing, installing or servicing of carpet should order a copy from CRI if they haven’t already done so. At the same time they need to order copies of the Standards for Installation of “Commercial” and “Residential” floor coverings which are known as CRI 104 and CRI 105. The Carpet and Rug Institute can be contacted in Dalton, Georgia at 706-278-3176.

Manufacturer Inserts

Inserts are placed in rolls of carpet that are intended to warn the dealer and installer. The inserts not only protect the manufacturer but also assist the installer by providing a notice that can be shown to the consumer when a problem is found. These inserts make statements such as:

Specifications are derived from averages resulting from normal manufacturing tolerances in yarn, fiber, temperature, and humidity and may vary within normal industry tolerances. Performance is not affected by such variances. Variance may be up to seven percent, plus or minus. Quality control test to accept or reject goods must be performed prior to cutting and installation.

In future articles we will discuss identification of visual defects and installation problems. We will also suggest ways in which many problems may be corrected to the consumer’s satisfaction.