Commercial Carpet installed on top of VCT

[WillS]

I had a sales rep from one of the flooring stores we clean ask me this question today..

They installed commercial carpet on top of VCT flooring using double sided taping and the client had it cleaned using a company that uses HWE. The client complained to the HWE company that their carpet was dirty within 2 weeks of cleaning. The HWE company told the client that their carpet is getting dirty quickly because the VCT flooring that the commercial carpet was installed over, wasn't sealed properly. BTW. the HWE company doesn't know how the VCT was cleaned/sealed prior to the carpet being laid down, but this was their answer to her.

I told her I wasn't sure and would ask the question. Is the client's commercial carpet dirtying fast because the VCT wasn't sealed properly or is it because of improper cleaning/residue left over by the HWE cleaner or what? Any ideas??

 

[Nate The Great]

Sounds like there making excuses.... And what's the reasoning they didn't do a proper install? Sounds like the run around IMHO...

 

[steve_64]

It probably stayed wet to long.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Sounds like a bunch of finger pointing going on. And they invited you to join in.

But, I wonder if that would be a good candidate for encap.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Cheap high ph chems that don't rinse easily. It probably looked great when it dried but the residue that wasn't rinsed out attracted the soil.

It's a vicious circle. Owner or facilities manager wants cheap and then is disappointed with what cheap brings him.

It's rarely a method issue or in this case a subflooring issue. More than likely a cheap cleaner using even cheaper products thinking he doing a good job of rinsing with just water.

 

[Mikey P]

Do not touch it Will.


Have them call J2 to do a thorough acid rinsing.

 

[rick imby]

I can not believe that anything from the VCT is moving up to the top of the carpet. The only way to do that is put a lot of water down and let the water/dirt wick up.

 

[JS41035]

What kind of business is it installed in? A restaurant can look very dirty in 2 weeks depending on the traffic and location of carpet. Maybe it way the first time carpet had been installed in that location.
The carpet either wasn't cleaned properly or got dirty again. The idea of something coming up from the VCT is phooey.

 

[ronbeatty]

VCT is a solid material and would not wick up through carpet sealed or unsealed. This is a residue issue plain and simple.

 

[HydroDude]

There is a slight possibility of the finish on the vct wicking, if the preconditioner was a high pH ...

 

[steve_64]

I cleaned a rug on vct and the vct sweat real bad making it harder to dry the rug. With that carpet being taped down with no pad to absorb the moisture I bet there was a drying issue which probably played into the problem.
Id bonnet clean it and dry it fast with fans.

 

[dealtimeman]

Guys for working to occur front the vct up, you would of have to soak the carpet in high oh Prespray Nd then proceed to blowing thru the job leaving it very wet. While this could of happened I don't think it did.

How long ago was carpet put down?

What type of Biz is it?

 

[Jimmy L]

Client = long term
Customer= one time cleaning

 

[WillS]

The business this commercial carpet was installed in is a law office. They installed it less than 6 months ago. They have foot traffic, but nothing like a restaurant I'm sure.

 

[Mikey P]

Black top driveway outside?

 

[steve_64]

It took two weeks for the carpet to dry where it resoiled. Its not a case of wicking it just soured from being wet to long.

 

[ronbeatty]

It took two weeks for the carpet to dry where it resoiled. Its not a case of wicking it just soured from being wet to long.

2 weeks to dry In Las Vegas, NV???, maybe Panama

 

[Desk Jockey]

Id bonnet clean it and dry it fast with fans.

That would probably correct it.

The business this commercial carpet was installed in is a law office. They installed it less than 6 months ago. They have foot traffic, but nothing like a restaurant I'm sure.

Uhhh huh cheap! Let them have what they paid for, I wouldn't get involved.

 

[GeneMiller]

pull the carpet up and clean the vct. problem solved. i hate to say it but some people shouldn't own carpet.