I know what you're thinking: Why am I about to read an article on corn rows planted on a highway? No, what I am about to discuss are the carpet furrows that look just like rows of corn.

In one particular case, I had seen the rows run similar to the width of a hallway residence. The carpet had been down for about two years and its poor condition was noticed about one year after installation. The product was a thick, tall, heavy 80-ounce nylon cut pile with a fairly loosely-plied yarn, and the carpet was installed stretched over a heavy slab of rubber pad. The consumer complained to the dealer about the condition and the dealer filed a claim with the manufacturer.

When the carpet was inspected, the report stated the cushion was too thick and the corn rows were not a manufacturing defect. The dealer did not agree because the inspector had several facts wrong, including the type of cushion used.

So, another inspection took place, this time by a different inspector. Basically, he said the same thing but also stated a vacuum cleaner had a part in developing this condition. The vacuum cleaner used was an upright machine with a beater bar and a brush.

This dealer had sold thousands of yards of this product throughout a six-year period, without any claims. It had been installed in dozens of homes just like the one in this complaint and not a peep was heard from anyone who purchased the carpet. As a result, he felt there was a defect in the product but, after the second inspection, the claim was again denied.

There are manufacturing conditions that can cause corn rows in a cut pile carpet, namely gauge lines and 'J' cuts, but these will always run the length of the carpet and would likely be noticeable right away. In the above example, the corn rows ran across the product's width in traffic lanes.

In fact, the second inspector did hit on an issue that had contributed to the problem. Since the carpet was so thick and loosely-plied, it was prone to matting and crushing. An aggressive vacuum cleaner with a beater bar set too low can create corn rows. The vacuum will grab the yarn, pull it along the roller, discharge it and repeat the process. This grab-and-release action, if done repeatedly, can cause corn rows to develop in the carpet.

The rows could possibly be eliminated by grooming the carpet with a Handi Groom, a comb-like device, similar to a push broom or a nap brush that will lift and separate the nap of the broadloom. The tool can, if used regularly, level out the carpet. However, the downside is every time the product is vacuumed, the corn rows may still return. Unfortunately, this is not all that uncommon.

Therefore, the consumer is ready to sue and the dealer is frustrated. The carpet did have a two-year appearance retention warranty that, depending on how it was read or interpreted, could bind the manufacturer to honoring the claim. The appearance warranty was never mentioned by the dealer to the manufacturer because he was only concerned with the corn row problem. It had not come up until he and I had discussed the situation. If the warranty covered or suggested the appearance of the carpet should not change for a period of two years, then that may have been cause enough to replace the carpet. Or, if the case had gone to a small claims court, it is possible the judge could very well have sympathized with the consumer and dealer if given the right information, provided the product never had this problem before.

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