Flooring failures involving moisture damage, adhesive failure, or installation defects generate disputes between building owners, flooring contractors, installers, and manufacturers that often end in contested insurance claims or litigation. The quality of the documentation created at the time of failure — and the professional assessment supporting that documentation — frequently determines the outcome of these disputes. IFTI’s forensic investigation services are specifically designed to create the evidence record that insurance adjusters, attorneys, and arbitration panels need to evaluate complex flooring failure claims.
What Documentation Is Needed at the Time of Failure
When a flooring failure is discovered, comprehensive documentation should begin immediately before any remediation or removal. Photographs should cover the full extent of failure, representative close-ups of the failure mode (adhesive failure, face checks, cupping, tenting), moisture readings at multiple locations, and the substrate condition where flooring has been removed or is accessible at the edges. Physical samples of the failed flooring material should be retained for laboratory analysis. Chain of custody documentation for physical samples is important if litigation is anticipated.
Establishing the Cause of Failure
The most contested question in flooring failure disputes is causation — was the failure due to excess moisture in the substrate, product defect, installation error, or post-installation conditions? IFTI’s forensic analysis addresses causation through a combination of laboratory testing of retained samples, moisture testing of the substrate, review of installation records and pre-installation testing results, and evaluation of the environmental conditions to which the flooring was exposed after installation. The written expert report summarizes findings in a format appropriate for insurance submission or legal proceedings.
Manufacturer Warranty Claims
Flooring manufacturer warranty claims for moisture-related failures almost always require third-party testing documentation. Most manufacturers will not accept a warranty claim based solely on photographs and the installer’s assessment — they require RH and MVER test results, a description of the installation conditions and moisture mitigation measures applied, and in many cases an independent investigation report. IFTI provides the independent technical documentation that satisfies manufacturer warranty claim requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly should IFTI be called after a flooring failure is discovered?
As soon as possible, and before any remediation or removal begins. Once failed flooring has been removed and the substrate remediated, the evidence is gone. Calling IFTI immediately after discovery preserves the conditions necessary for meaningful forensic analysis.
