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 Guide to Types of Floor Damage & Defects
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Floor damage catalog: here we provide a catalog of types of damage found to flooring in buildings, such as improper installation, buckling, burns, cracks, loose, sloped, squeaky floors, mechanical damage, wear damage, water damage, and special kinds of damage found on wood floors. We describe various causes of floor damage. We describe the wear and damage problems associated with different types of flooring materials such as carpeting, ceramic tile, vinyl or vinyl asbestos tile, resilient or sheet flooring, wood flooring.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Floor Damage, Defects & Finish Problems
The following floor and flooring defect descriptions are adapted and expanded from original citations provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, Home Reference Book, with permission.
Application Errors, Carpeting, Tile, Vinyl Tile, Resilient or Sheet Linoleum or Vinyl or Wood Floors
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 Some ceramic tiles are intended for wall use only. When used on floors, they will wear quickly.
Ceramic tiles and softer clay or terracotta floor tiles are also broken, forming cut and trip hazards such as this floor (photo at left) we photographed in Barcelona, Spain.
The combination of broken cermaic tile risers and stair treads and a dark hallway are an invitation to a slip trip or fall accident in this building.
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Carpet may be loose on stairs, a serious trip and falll hazard, not be laid flat or torn, more trip hazards, or wet, rotted, and moldy, health hazards. See CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS and CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS. Also see CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION for details.
Wood flooring may not be well secured, buckled, rotted, due to improper installation or lack of maintenance, or failure to act immediately following a spill or leak in the building. See FLOOR WOOD, DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS for examples and details.
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 Vinyl and vinyl asbestos tile floors and other resilient flooring such as linoleum or sheet vinyl may form trip hazards at tears and bulges or just plain disintegrate; some products contain asbestos and must be handled appropriately. ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION
Tile and stone flooring may not be set properly or may be installed over inadequately stiff framing (leading to cracking). Grout may be poor quality or an incorrect type.
A stunning snafu in the installation of tile flooring is described at FLOOR RADIANT HEAT Mistakes to Avoid where the builder failed to randomize the tiles, leading to ugly color blotch rectangles, failed to clean grout, leaving hazed ceramic floor tiles, and worst of all, failed to properly install radiant heating, leading |
Buckling Wood or Wood Laminate Flooring
Improper floor installation can conspire with shifts in building moisture (or outright leaks) and temperature to cause severe buckling of wood floors and in some instances laminate flooring products as well.
Also failure to install a properly level and smooth underlayment or subfloor can cause uneven laminate floor surfaces.
See FLOOR WOOD, DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS for details.
For an explanation of wood board cupping and which side of deck, ramp, and exterior stair boards should face "up" see BARK SIDE UP on DECKS & STEPS.
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Burns on Flooring
 Most types of flooring are susceptible to burns, with the exception of stone, terrazzo, ceramic and quarry tile. Common burns on finish flooring that we find include
- Burned resilient flooring under an overheating refrigerator compressor (vacuum the dust off of those coils!)
- Cigarette burns on wood or resilient flooring.
- Fireplace burns from heat or from coals or embers - possibly a fire hazard.
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Cracked or Damaged Floor Tiles
 The most common problem with brittle floor tiles is cracking. This is usually the result of a
floor system that is not stiff enough to support the tile. Tiles can also be cracked by impact damage. Heavy items dropped on the tiles will sometimes crack or break them. Replacing individual tiles is not difficult, although color and grout matching may be a problem.
The sketch at left, showing alternative methods for installing and supporing ceramic tiles on floors is provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates and appears in their Illustrated Home.
A cracked and broken concrete floor may only be a problem if it is not safe to walk across, or if there is moisture coming up through the floor. Since it is not a structural component, replacement of this floor is rarely a priority item.
Loose Flooring & Trip Hazards
Loose or missing sections of flooring should be replaced. These areas may present a trip
hazard. Carpet with ridges and buckles can be pulled tight to lie flat again by a carpet
installer.
Sloped Floors out of Level
A concrete basement or crawl space floor that does not slope down to a floor drain can lead to water accumulation on the floor and resulting damage. Adding more concrete to an existing slab to improve the drainage slope is difficult, since new concrete does not usually bond well to old concrete. A better solution may be to add another floor drain. This is expensive, because it requires breaking up some of the concrete floor. Replacing a deteriorated floor may be more cost effective than trying to repair or re-slope the floor.
Squeaky Noisy Floors
Squeaky wood floors are a nuisance, not a structural problem. A floor usually squeaks when walked on because the flooring finish or subfloor is not tightly secured. The subfloor may not be well-secured to the joists, or the finished flooring material (e.g. hardwood) may not be tightly fastened to the subfloor.
Flooring that is not tightly secured sits just above the support in some spots. When someone steps on the flooring in this area, it is pushed down onto its support. When the foot is taken off the floor, it springs back up. The squeaking is usually the result of the nails sliding in and out of the nail holes, or adjacent wood surfaces rubbing.
Mechanical Damage & Wear on Floor Finishes
 When softwoods such as pine,
fir or cedar are used as finish
floorings, they can be damaged by high heeled shoes, for
example. Furniture marking and denting is another common problem with softwood and resilient floors.
Softer materials, such as resilient flooring and carpet, will eventually wear out in high traffic areas. Sharp objects and furniture dropped or dragged across flooring may also damage the surface.
At FLOOR WOOD, DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS we discuss mechanical damage to flooring.
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Water Damage or Stains on Floors
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 Common sources of water
Damage/ damage include leaks from
roofs, windows, doors and skylights, plumbing leaks
(especially toilets and showers), leaks from hot water heating systems, and condensation. Aquariums, room humidifiers or dehumidifiers, over-watering of plants, melting snow and ice from boots, etc. can all cause water damage.
Wood-based floors may discolor, cup, buckle, warp or rot as a result of exposure to water. Carpet may develop mold. Flooring may be stained by water, food spills, improper cleaning, dirt, sunlight, or other factors.
See STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS and see STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE as well as these specific articles: Black stains from animals
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WOOD FLOOR DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS
Details about types of damage to wood flooring are provided at FLOOR WOOD, DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS.
Readers should also see FLOOR TILE HISTORY & INGREDIENTS and see FLOOR, CONCRETE SLAB CHOICES, and SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR for examples of discussion of energy-efficient floor designs and passive solar floor systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to diagnose wood floor damage causes & how to fix problems with wood floor gaps, stains, warping, cupping, split boards, loose boards
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Questions & answers or comments about the causes & effects of flooring that is damaged or unsafe due to installation errors, poor maintenance, or other events. .
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- Pergo AB, division of Perstorp AB, is a Swedish manufacturer or modern laminate flooring products. Information about the U.S. company can be found at http://www.pergo.com where we obtained historical data used in our discussion of the age of flooring materials in buildings.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
"Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "
- Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
- Lighting, proper use of: proper aiming of a good flashlight can disclose hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on walls.
- Pergo AB, division of Perstorp AB, is a Swedish manufacturer or modern laminate flooring products. Information about the U.S. company can be found at http://www.pergo.com where we obtained historical data used in our discussion of the age of flooring materials in buildings.
- Plank House Construction: weblog from plankhouse.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/plank-house-construction/ and where plank houses were built by native Americans, see
Large 1:6 Scale Plank House Construction / P8094228,
Photographer: Mike Meuser
06/12/2007 documented at yurokplankhouse.com where scale model Museum quality Yurok Plank Houses are being sold to raise money for the Blue Creek - Ah Pah Traditional Yurok Village project.
- Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Second Edition, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen,A. S. Hyde, Jon R. Abele, ISBN-13: 978-1-933264-01-1 or
ISBN 10: 1-933264-01-2,
available from the publisher, Lawyers ^ Judges Publishing Company,Inc., www.lawyersandjudges.com sales@lawyersandjudges.com and also from the InspectAPedia Bookstore (Amazon.com)
- The Stairway Manufacturers' Association, (877) 500-5759, provides a pictorial guide to the stair and railing portion of the International Residential Code. [copy on file as http://www.stairways.org/pdf/2006%20Stair%20IRC%20SCREEN.pdf ] -
- Lighting, proper use of: proper aiming of a good flashlight can disclose hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on walls.
- Manufactured & Modular Homes: Modular Building Systems Association, MBSA, modularhousing.com, is a trade association promoting and providing links to contact modular builders in North America. Also see the Manufactured Home Owners Association, MHOAA, at www.mhoaa.us. The Manufactured Home Owners Association of America is a National Organization dedicated to the protection of the rights of all people living in Manufactured Housing in the United States.
- What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture, Rev., John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers, Wiley; Rev Sub edition (October 6, 2003), ISBN-10: 0471250368, ISBN-13: 978-0471250364
- ...
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