Carpet

Carpet conditions may involve appearance changes, texture distortion, seam irregularities, backing-related conditions, installation concerns, maintenance influences, or normal use-related fiber behavior. Common conditions include buckling, seam peaking, shading, traffic lane gray, crushing, matting, unraveling, delamination, recurring spots, and mechanical damage such as top cuts or snags. Carpet performance is influenced by fiber type, construction, backing systems, cushion support, installation methods, traffic conditions, maintenance practices, and environmental exposure.

Certified Floor Covering Inspectors evaluate carpet conditions through field observations, testing where appropriate, and correlation of pattern, distribution, severity, and service history. Most inspections focus on identifying conditions that may influence appearance, performance, durability, or installation compatibility rather than isolated appearance alone.