Concrete Vapor Emissions and pH

Frequently dealers, contractors, installers and others are under the mistaken belief that moisture & pH testing are not required or even necessary for a flooring or floor covering installation. This will often prove to be a costly and sometime fatal error not only damaging resilient floor covering, laminate flooring, and hardwood or bamboo floor but also glue down or double stick carpet installed on a concrete substrate.

You installed the job and it looked absolutely beautiful. You were paid in full and the consumer sent you a letter complimenting you on the great job. A few months later you receive a call that the hardwood is buckled or the carpet is full of wrinkles. You contact an independent floorcovering inspector who finds that the floor has failed due to a concrete moisture or alkalinity situation. Suddenly you as the contractor, dealer or installer are getting the blame for this installation failure and the consumer wants a full replacement. “This is not our problem,” you say, “we didn’t poor the slab and that’s where the moisture and/or alkali are located.”

Perhaps the floor covering and/or adhesive manufacturer are receiving the blame because their products failed to hold up to the moisture or alkalinity. You soon find out though that the manufacturer has an out, for the concrete did not meet their requirements. Is the hardwood buckling or the carpet coming up your fault or that of someone else? Hopefully you won’t have to find out whose responsibility it is, but if you do, lets pray that you made the required test before the installation and maintained the records.

In many cases the court will decide that a failed installation is the fault of the contractor, dealer or installer, so always protect yourself by testing the concrete before beginning the installation.

Remember that bigger bucks are made by preventing problems instead of by making them!