IICRC
Flooring Inspection: WHAT IS THE DEEP DIVE?
T he ‘Deep Dive’ is a term coined by a colleague who is an IICRC-certified inspector and instructor. It’s used when the issue is more than meets the eye! Further research is needed, such as what the site conditions were at the time of floor preparation and installation, product information, whether any maintenance was performed, what products were used, product specifications versus the customers’ perceived use, and overall visual appearance. Each job is different. For example, a carpet with a hospitality installation of an 80/20 wool nylon blend was inspected when the fiber was gone, and only the weave was showing. What ate the fiber? Was it a spot-cleaning agent? Was it under a food table with hot food and Sterno fluid spilled? Another example was at an assisted living facility looking at the level between carpet and resilient flooring. Did the height difference meet the AA requirements? How was the floor prepped, and what was the self-leveling agent used? Research was needed before starting, including concrete slab moisture testing and acceptable moisture remediation products that chemically bond to the self-leveling compound. Would crack chasing (and what width) and filling be needed to fix the issue? How would you test for self-leveling bond to epoxy product for a hollow condition? These are just a few examples of a deep-dive protocol for finding the cause of the flooring failure.
Bob Blochinger Inspection Division Chair Robert is a 45-year veteran of the flooring industry. Approved Instructor IICRC. Current member of NAFCT, NFCAP, IICRC BoD and Inspection Division Chair. Editor & Publisher of The Flooring Inspector magazine, (NICFI). Editor & Publisher of the current IICRC Inspector Review.
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