Carpet Problems

Floor Detective® Claims and Conditions Guide

Summary

Carpet problems may involve appearance changes, texture distortion, fiber behavior, installation-related conditions, or environmental and maintenance influences. Common conditions include buckling, seam conditions such as seam peaking and seam not sealed, and appearance variations such as shading and texture variation. Traffic-related conditions such as appearance retention and environmental factors such as insect presence may also influence performance and appearance. Carpet systems consist of fibers, backing systems, and cushion support, and performance depends on how these components interact under use conditions. Evaluation requires consideration of pattern, distribution, severity, and service history rather than appearance alone.

What You Need to Know

• Carpet problems may involve appearance, texture, fiber, seam, or backing-related conditions
• Similar visual conditions may have different underlying causes
• Some issues are appearance-related only, while others may affect performance
• Traffic, maintenance, moisture, and installation influence outcomes
• Proper evaluation requires pattern and distribution analysis

Appearance and Manufacturing Conditions

• Appearance Retention
• Shading
• Shadows
• Texture Variation
• Side Match
• Skew
• Shift Marks
• Stop Marks
• Shearing Defect

Fiber and Texture Conditions

• Crushing
• Matting
• Pilling
• Bearding
• Tip Bloom
• Shedding
• Scroop
• Roll Crush
• Stairs Performance

Mechanical Damage Conditions

• Snags
• Top Cuts
• Unraveling / Runs

Seam and Installation Conditions

• Buckling / Wrinkling
• Seam Dark / Light Line
• Seam Overlap
• Seam Peaking
• Seam Not Sealed
• Seam Sealer Residue
• Tension Lines

Soiling, Cleaning, and Maintenance Conditions

• Soiling
• Recurring Spots
• Spin Finish Residue

Traffic and Use Conditions

• Traffic Lane Gray
• Appearance Retention

Backing and Structural Conditions

• Backing Wrinkles / Distortion
• Telegraphing

Fiber and Material Properties

• Wool Carpet Properties

Contributors

Independent peer review (non-authoring) — this page only
Floor Detective® Peer Review Team

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Last revised: 04/27/2026

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