Moisture testing
Testing for moisture will improve the life of your flooring
Moisture testing for flooring is an important part of the installation process. By testing the moisture content of the subfloor, you can ensure that the flooring is installed on a stable surface and will not be damaged by moisture.
It is important to test the moisture content of the subfloor before installing any type of flooring. If the subfloor is too wet, the flooring will be damaged and may need to be replaced. By testing the moisture content of the subfloor, you can ensure that the flooring will last for years to come.
There are a few different ways to test for moisture in flooring. One common method is to use a moisture meter. A moisture meter is a device that measures the amount of moisture in a material. To use a moisture meter, simply place the probes of the meter on the subfloor and read the results. At ProFloors we often start with a moisture meter.
The calcium chloride moisture test is a non-destructive test used to measure the moisture content of concrete and is more precise than the moisture meter. The test is based on calcium chloride absorbing moisture from the air. The amount of moisture absorbed by the calcium chloride is proportional to the amount of moisture present in the air.
The test is performed by placing a small dish of calcium chloride on a clean section of concrete. The dish is then covered with a plastic dome and left for three days. The test is then removed and weighed. The weight of the calcium chloride is measured before and after the test. The difference in weight is then used to calculate the moisture content of the concrete.
Due to its more precise nature, it can help in the decision of which moisture barrier to use. Moisture barriers differ by makeup and how much moisture they can withstand. An accurate test will assure the correct barrier selection.
Here are the benefits of moisture testing for flooring:
- It can help to prevent damage to the flooring.
- It can help to ensure that the flooring is installed on a stable surface.
- It can help to extend the lifespan of the flooring.
You’ve probably heard a lot about good bacteria in your gut that helps to digest your food. Then there are the helpful bacteria that are produced in fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, even beer. If you are doing laundry, then you’ve heard of enzymatic cleaners that help to break down organic stains from blood, grass, and wine. Bacteria and enzymes work together. But how does that relate to treating pet urine? When we use a pet enzymatic cleaner, we are using a liquid that contains large amounts of bacteria. When the bacteria are put into an environment where they sense food they begin to react. In this case, the pet urine is the food. The bacteria can’t process the contamination (urine) into food by themselves, so they produce the enzymes to break the urine down into a form that the bacteria can metabolize. Once this process is complete the bacteria reproduces and in turn creates more enzymes to break down even more of the urine to consume. This cycle continues until either there is no contamination left or the environment becomes inhospitable to the bacteria. The process can take quite some time. After all, bacteria are microscopic eaters. Even though we spray the cleaner and allow some time for it to dry, the bacteria will continue to work until they’ve consumed all the contamination possible. Don’t worry, though. We always do a complete carpet and pad replacement over the sprayed subfloor. While the treatment might still be working underneath the carpet, you can rest assured that you have fresh, uncontaminated pad and carpet! Using enzymes to treat pet urine is completely safe and natural. It’s Mother Nature at work! Spec sheet
ENZYME TREATMENT For lighter cases we use a pet enzymatic cleaner, a liquid that contains large amounts of beneficial bacteria. When the bacteria are put into an environment where they sense food (pet urine) they begin to react. The bacteria can’t process the contamination (urine) into food by themselves, so they produce the enzymes to break the urine down into a form that the bacteria can metabolize. Once this process is complete the bacteria reproduces and in turn creates more enzymes to break down even more of the urine to consume. This cycle continues until there is no contamination left. This could take several hours, but flooring can be replaced with the enzyme continuing to work underneath. KILZ PRIMER Kilz is a sealant. Priming the affected surface helps block and seal the odors, preventing them from seeping out. Additionally, the odor-sealing properties in primer help provide a barrier so odor molecules can't penetrate. Kilz is a great solution for medium to severe odors, including those from pets. PLEASE NOTE : We use Kilz to seal your floor and prevent odors on the FLOOR . Odors can also be held in the walls, ceiling, and duct work, which will require you to take other measures to remove. NO MATTER YOUR CHOICE... Pets use urine as territorial marking and will continue to mark as long as they can smell the urine. Therefore, it is important that all flooring and tack strips be replaced. We highly suggest replacing base boards/trim as well.
You have probably heard the horror stories of bed bugs found in hotel rooms around the country. Less often we hear stories about how bed bugs have infiltrated a home or an apartment and how much damage and expense they cause. Bed bugs are tiny, parasitic insects that feed on blood from warm blooded animals, including humans. They are called bed bugs because they are often found within the seams of mattresses and come out during the night to bite and feed on the sleeper. They don’t stay in mattresses, though. They will spread and hide throughout all fabric surfaces in a room, including carpets, drapes, and upholstery. What makes matters worse is that they hitchhike and are then easily transported from one location to another. A person who stays at a bed bug infested location can inadvertently transport some of them home with him/her. The bed bugs will quickly multiply and then the home is infested. To ensure complete removal and destruction of a bed bug infestation often means having to dispose of all belongings. If you keep a chair or dresser for sentimental reasons and it has bed bugs in it, you could start the infestation process all over again unless the item has been properly treated with a pesticide. It is in the best interest of apartment complexes to have the unit treated by an exterminator. ProFloors is happy to help you after the extermination is finished. We will come in and demo all carpet and pad and install fresh new product.
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Design trends are constantly changing, but there is one trend that will probably stick around for multifamily units - Carpet in Bedrooms Only. This option often means that flooring will need to be changed less often between tenants since more of the wear and tear will take place in the rest of the unit on the hard surfaces. For the last couple of decades people have been gravitating to “open concept” floorplans. In terms of flooring, the trend is for more hard surface and less carpet, leading to the popular choice of “Carpet in Bedrooms Only”. There are several reasons for this popular choice: Cleaning : Carpet collects more dirt and pet hair. It also requires frequent shampooing, which means buying a Bissell or hiring a carpet cleaning service on a regular basis. Hard surface flooring is easier to clean. It is a lot easier to wipe up dust or mop up spills, especially under large pieces of furniture. Lifespan : Carpet needs frequent replacing. The lifespan of carpet can range anywhere from 5-10 years depending on such factors as location, number of occupants, pets, stains, etc. Hard surface flooring can last as long as 5 years to lifetime, depending on type. On the low end would be sheet vinyl, which can get torn or lift. Meanwhile, a high end hardwood installation could last the lifetime of a home. Currently the most popular hard surface flooring is Luxury Vinyl Planks. Their lifespan can range from 10 to 30 years, depending on the product’s specifications and how well they are cared for. We recently did a home estimate and measure for an elderly couple with a large home. The entire home was done in 20 year-old carpet except for the “wet” areas: kitchen, baths, and laundry. The owner's dog had recently died and they had waited to replace the carpet until after its passing. It came out in discussion that they were also thinking of selling so they could move closer to their grandchildren. We could definitely sell an entire house of carpet to them, but we took the time to explain options to them. If they were serious about selling, their home would have improved resale value if they switched to hard surface throughout and install carpet only in the bedrooms. We provided options on how that could be financed without even a down payment. Yes, making such a big switch can be pricey, but when you look at expenses for yearly carpet cleaning and replacing every few years, you could end up saving money in the long run.
If you pay any attention to the numerous home renovation shows on television, then you know that almost always the flooring is going to be Luxury Vinyl Planks or Tiles. But what is it and why is it so popular? Most of the time you will see the abbreviations of LVP and LVT. The LV stands for ‘Luxury Vinyl’. The P stands for ‘plank’, meaning the surface print will look like wood. The T stands for ‘tile’, meaning they will have a tile or stone appearance. There is a wide range of LVT/LVP products available, from inexpensive to high end. Some of the factors that influence pricing include: Glue down vs floating/click planks Thickness/layers Waterproof vs water resistant Sound proofing You will be surprised how realistic LVT/LVP products look, even the thin, glue-down versions. For residential installations, the majority are the floating, click planks which have more layers and are usually waterproof. (Note that for homes that need wheelchair access, glue-down is preferred.) Looks and feel very real – It’s incredible how real LVT/LVP looks, especially wood patterned planks. Many people mistake it for hardwood or laminate. There is often a textural element, making them feel more like a real wood floor. Waterproof – A majority of LVT/LVP products are marked as waterproof, making them an exceptional choice for wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries. Keep in mind that “waterproof” covers such things as spills or a rare overflow, but will not cover an all-out flooding situation. Installs on top of virtually any surface - LVT/LVP can go on top of concrete, plywood and tile. It can also go on top of a radiant heat system. This will be determined by the condition of the flooring it will cover. In some cases, demolition of the old flooring may still be required. Factors for demo would be the condition of the flooring, whether it is level and/or smooth, and if there is a height difference up to other installed flooring, such as carpet. Saves you money – Generally, LVT/LVP are less expensive vs hardwood or tile. And, should a plank need to be repaired/replaced, it is easier to remove and fix. Better insulation and soundproofing - Because of the thicker, layered construction of the floating LVT/LVP, it often has built-in insulation and soundproofing layers. Easy to clean - There are specific LVT/LVP cleaners available, such as Bona’s Hard Surface Floor Cleaner. You can also easily clean with just a steam mop and a spritz of mild detergent. Versatile selection – There is no limit to LVT/LVP choices. There are now thousands of choices that include pattern (wood species, tile or stone looks), colors, shapes, and plank lengths and widths. In summary, Luxury Vinyl Planks or Tiles are popular choices when taking into consideration price, quality, and versatility.