By this time, you have determined the lifestyle of the end user of your product and have adjusted the home environment to this lifestyle (See Part 1 and Part 2).
Two product types that need to be acclimated before installation are those that are hydroscopic (which means they gain and loose moisture) and those that are temperature sensitive. Most hydroscopic products are affected by both issues. Examples of hydroscopic products are hardwood, bamboo, and most laminates.
Manufacturers generally list a range of temperature and relative humidity levels for their products. In most cases, these levels fall within the homeowner’s lifestyle and are possible to obtain. If these levels do not, you may want to select a different product that will fit the homeowner’s lifestyle.
Other items found in most installation instructions will be the recommended number of days to acclimate the product and how to store it during acclimation. For products such as laminate where you cannot easily test the moisture content of the product itself, the timeline will be a good indication of proper acclimation and will keep your warranty in place.
Even if you have done all you can to meet the installation requirements of the product being installed, some products like hardwood and bamboo have a timeline for acclimation, and also talk about moisture content of the product and the sub-floor. For these products, the timeline may be enough in many cases, but not for all. A moisture test is needed of the flooring product and the sub-floor to make sure they are compatible with each other at the time of installation. The installation instructions should give you the acceptable range between the sub-floor and the product, so you know when it’s ready.
The installation instructions will also list how many tests are needed for each 1000 square feet to get an accurate moisture content average. These products’s acclimation is a matter of moisture content and not a matter of time. The instructions may recommend 72 hours; however, it may take a week or more to get the moisture levels between the flooring product and the sub-floor in line with each other for a successful installation.
Other products may only be affected by temperature change. Examples of these are LVT, LVP, WPC, and synthetic backed carpet. New products are introduced to the market all the time. These products are often marketed as moisture proof.
On moisture proof products, follow the recommended timeline listed by the manufacturer and the temperature range listed in the installation instructions. The sensitivity to temperature change varies from product to product in this category. Generally, higher quality products are more stable than the lower quality products, and will perform in a higher range of temperature. The price typically follows the quality of the product.
If you can follow the principles listed in this three part series on acclimation and educate your customer about their responsibilities, you will find the number of claims you receive for cupping, gapping, buckling, and noisy floors dropping substantially. Ironically, these account for the majority of claims on these types of products.
How many claims per year do you think you could eliminate if you sold only products that will work for the homeowner's lifestyle and properly acclimate the flooring before installation?
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