In a local newspaper insert, there appeared a Q&A column by an expert on home improvement and repairs. The title was, “Ripples in carpet may mean installers didn’t stretch it correctly.”

This question came in from a reader. “We turn our thermostat down to 61 degrees from November to May, while we winter in the South. This year we found a small area of our carpet in a high traffic lane with ripples in an area which covers no more than two feet. The rest of it is ok. Can we get rid of the ripples, maybe by running a hair dryer over the carpet? This past winter was a mild one and maybe this could have caused the problem.”

The columnist called a local dealer who provided his thoughts on the problem and his response was that the mild weather and temperature of the house had nothing to do with the ripples. He said carpet is inert (with no power to move) and that temperature usually does not affect it. This is incorrect. Carpet is not inert, it possesses a great deal of force to move, expand and contract both in changes in temperature and humidity. He stated broadloom can ripple if stretched too much and that heavy padding can cause it to ripple or if the carpet is subjected to wheels from rolling traffic. He also stated some tufted carpet can dry out and delaminate. This is true.

More information is needed to answer this question correctly such as how old is this carpet, where exactly are the ripples, what type of broadloom is it, etc.? What we do know is that carpet will wrinkle if it is loose, if the temperature and humidity fluctuate, if the pad is too thick and/or if it is affected in a particular area by a foreign substance that weakens the back, such as urine or kerosene. Since this spot is very small I wouldn’t think the broadloom was loose throughout or it would be wrinkled from one end to the other. Since it’s only in one area you have to look at whether it has been affected physically or chemically by a force, such as a concentrated, unalterable pivotal area, spot cleaning or any other factor which could de-stabilize it in this one specific location.

The article also mentioned at one time knee kickers were used to install carpet which could over-stretch or under-stretch the product. Now the industry requires the use of a power stretcher that can apply a more uniform and controlled pressure to tension the carpet. I don’t know when the knee kicker stopped being a tool of the trade because many installers still use it as their primary tensioning tool. We constantly fight this battle with installers.

The final answer to the consumer was to have the area in question re-stretched to take out the ripples. This is correct providing the ripples are, in fact, caused by the carpet coming loose. It may be more than this or it may be only this. Since we don’t know the answers to some very important questions we can’t suggest exactly how to fix the problem. Certainly, the most logical conclusion would be to stretch them out.

This situation would require someone knowledgeable about installation and carpet construction actually looking at the concern and determining the exact cause and repair required. I don’t imagine it would be difficult and I’m sure the same dealer who assisted the author could make that determination if he looked at the product.

The two concerns I have with the column is the statement that temperature has no affect on the carpet and that knee kickers aren’t used anymore. Both are incorrect. For the sake of not sounding too critical, the affects of ambient conditions on carpet are substantial. Both the woven polypropylene backing and the face yarns, especially if they are nylon, are influenced by heat and humidity. The other factor is that with the thermostat set low, this can allow for the house to expand and contract more. One of the discussions we had here lately is that if you have wrinkles in a broadloom, you either have too much carpet or not enough floor.

Just because you see something in print, or on TV for that matter, you can’t just take it as the truth. You have to read between the lines. If you really need a question answered or you have a concern, call us. We’ll make sure we get all the information from you to help us help you best and determine an answer with a solution. The carpet will always tell you what’s wrong.