Carpet Questions and Answers from Doug Berjer of our Sister Company CFR for a Nursing Home Publication: What are some of the trends in carpeting for nursing homes? A trend we are seeing in many facilities including long-term care facilities and related medical locations is the installation of carpet tiles. There are several reasons for this. Compared to other types of carpets, they tend to hold up well to most all foot traffic, are relatively easy to install, come in many more colors and designs than they did a few years ago, and are often manufactured using recycled materials. In addition—probably the high point—if one or more tiles becomes soiled or damaged, new tiles can be installed. However, administrators should know that just because carpet tiles are durable, they still must be properly cared for. They should be vacuumed daily and cleaned every few months with either a “multitask” machine, which can be used on carpets and hard-surface floors, or—for much more thorough cleaning—a portable extractor. What would an administrator expect to spend each year for average maintenance? There are too many variables for me to give a precise answer. However, I can give administrators some suggestions on selecting a carpet cleaning technician. Many are certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), a not-for-profit organization that promotes best practices for carpet and fabric care. It has become so important that some floor covering manufacturers now require that the technicians who clean their carpets be IICRC certified. Ask potential technicians what type of equipment they are using. Some extractors now have a “perfect heat” system. Heat improves the effectiveness of carpet cleaning, and this can be of even greater concern in a long-term healthcare setting. Also regarding equipment, many localities are dealing with water shortages or have become strict on the handling of wastewater from extractors. Machines that recycle cleaning solution use about a tenth the water of traditional machines, which means there is far less wastewater as well. What should he or she know about maintenance of carpet? I can answer that in three words: vacuuming, spotting, extracting. Most soil is dry soil, and the best way to remove dry soil is to vacuum. All areas in a long-term care facility should be vacuumed every day, and high-traffic areas may need to be vacuumed multiple times throughout the day. Spots should be removed as quickly as possible. There are two main reasons for this. First, the longer a spot dwells on carpet fibers, the harder it may be to remove it. Second, spots have a tendency to act as a magnet and collect other soils. In time, the problem area just gets worse. Extracting, or to be more specific, hot water extraction, is a carpet cleaning method that uses equipment that sprays heated water sometimes with added cleaning chemicals, on the carpet while simultaneously vacuuming the sprayed water along with any dislodged and dissolved dirt. Many carpet manufacturers recommend professional hot water extraction as the most effective carpet cleaning method. Is there a standard warranty? Most manufacturers now offer carpet warranties for about ten years. What is the average life span of carpet? This can vary due to many factors, but five to ten years is fairly common. Carpet tiles, as mentioned earlier, may last longer if properly cared for. Do you expect the price (per square yard) to rise in 2014? Now that construction has picked up in many parts of the country and many facilities are retrofitting and remodeling—projects that may have been delayed due to the economy—there is greater demand for carpet. I certainly do not expect the price of carpet to go down, and I would anticipate it will increase a small percentage in 2014. What should one expect to spend for top-of-the-line for price per square foot? Average? Lowest price? Top-of-the-line: $30 per square foot or more Average: $15 Low end: $5 to $10 Doug Berjer has written extensively on cleaning, carpet cleaning, and water conservation issues. He has worked for a large JanSan distributorship in St. Louis, MO as their Equipment Specialist and has also worked as the Operations Manager for a large building service contractor that specialized in servicing shopping malls and anchor store retailers throughout North America. Doug is now brand manager for CFR, Continuous Flow Recycling extractors and Tornado Industries, both based out of West Chicago, IL.
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 18:59:28 +0000
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