Chris R

  • Posts: 813
£100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« on: May 20, 2004, 01:44:18 am »
Hi,
just wondered if anyones got any good scare storys about monster claims for cleaning damage :o
I heard a tale last year about a call centre that had to have 3 floors of carpet replaced because of colour loss caused by HWE cleaning ???Apparently relacement of carpet ment having to remove and replace all of the desks and computer terminals (£100,000 plus) :'(
I was shown a sample of the carpet tile (space sprayed?) and a simple wipe with a wet (detergent) cloth resulted in massive colour loss.
Obviously dont mention any names, just basic details,
Chris
Staffordshire

poolking

  • Posts: 16
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2004, 02:29:04 am »
i think that highlights the need to TEST TEST TEST before you clean....


especially if a simple cloth wipe resulted in massive colour loss!.

:P ::)

Derek

Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2004, 09:01:31 am »
Chris

The case you highlight is classic.... a test would have resulted in the cleaning company walking away(Hopefully) and it would have remained a manufacturer's problem.

By attempting to clean all responsibility shifts to that person

I was asked to report on a carpet several years ago which had brown linear marks appearing at the surface. On partially lifting the carpet I discovered that the carpet had been laid over existing vinyl tiles.
This vinyl flooring had been mopped continually during its use and detergent/bleach residues had affected the tile bonding.
I still have the pictures!

This in turn turned to a 'treacle' like sunstance which then wicked through.... replacement carpet.

The sad fact was that it was in a hospital and seven wards were affected

Cheers
Derek    


Ivar_Haglund

  • Posts: 170
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2004, 07:04:11 pm »
Just ask any chem dry or carpet dry cleaning folks

they always have tons of bad evil HWE stories.


IVAR :P

mark_roberts

  • Posts: 1899
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2004, 08:54:52 pm »
It surprises me that a carpet tile is not colour fast being usually nylon.

It surprises me more that the company cleaned three floors before realising!!

The carpets I've damaged I've told the customer beforehand that damage/shrinkage is likely.  I cleaned a kitchen carpet that was a flat woven with visible jute in it.  Shrank within 5 mins of wetting.

Only horror story is when I cleaned a suite and during drying upholsters marker came through.  Took it to the drycleaners who removed it but left a slight bleached area around the stain.  Customer was happy.  Close call as some of you may remember.

thanks
Mark

MICHAEL_GAYTON

  • Posts: 176
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2004, 10:01:08 pm »
HI Chris can you tell me what system you use because i bet its not HWE
ULTRA 4 CLUB
four systems one operator

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2004, 10:38:36 pm »
Hi Guys ,

Sounds a very tall story to me.(obviously a high rise building)  ;)

If you were getting this amount of colour bleed it would be very apparent in the appearance,waste water etc.

Hot water extraction is quite simply the best way of cleaning carpets invented by man!

Cheers,

Doug

Chris R

  • Posts: 813
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2004, 11:20:19 pm »
Hello again,
I use HWE (ninja, diamondback and extracta) and dry fusion cleaning systems.
My understanding is that the colour fade was not immediately apparent (purple colour tile, dark when wet, dried patchy and streaky) and that a carpet cleaner  had staff doing the work for him, not supervising himself at the time. ???
I was told the story and shown the tile at a Dry Fusion training day, the point being made was that the Dry Fusion Chemical did not remove the colour from the tile, and so was safe to clean them with.
I also would not have expected a carpet tile to lose colour, and I rarely check them for colour fastness,although I do now ;D
Chris
Staffordshire

MICHAEL_GAYTON

  • Posts: 176
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2004, 12:01:25 am »
IS not the point of the story to brain wash you into buying a system
mick
ULTRA 4 CLUB
four systems one operator

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2004, 12:11:48 am »
Hi ,

I think this story gets taller! :o

Must have been the Nat West tower!

Cheers,

Doug

p.s In my experience the more outrageous the claim,the less likely  it is to be true.

Len Gribble

  • Posts: 5106
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2004, 12:40:48 am »
Michael

I thought it was only the wife/partner or what ever gender trying to be pc correct here, who were lobotomised at berth it appears I’m wrong again? A good sales person will sell a Hi Fi to a deaf person; this is in no way a slur on the DF system as I and a colleague are looking for a low moister system.

Len
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. (Sidcup Kent)

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2004, 12:44:06 am »
Len did you get my pm?

Shaun

Len Gribble

  • Posts: 5106
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2004, 12:47:39 am »
Shaun

Don’t think so can you resend again please

Len
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. (Sidcup Kent)

Chris R

  • Posts: 813
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2004, 12:55:54 am »
The story was told to people who had already purchased the dry fusion system, it was a special training day to update our skills and check everyone was happy with the system. Most people who attended had being using dry fusion for over 6 months at that time. No mention of this story was ever made before I purchased the system.
I have no reason to doubt the truth of this story,the person that told it is of the very highest repute, although I will admit that  I cant remember the exact amount that the claim came to, although it was very substantial. I believe that it was in the region of £100000.
I think that the point being made was that Dry Fusion can safely and effectively clean some carpets that HWE can not.
I did not want to get into a discussion on the pros and cons of HWE and Dry Fusion, I use both with great success.
The point of my posting was to hopefully hear of other major disasters that had occurred over the years, perhaps from some of the chaps that work for the insurance industry.
Chris
Staffordshire

mark_roberts

  • Posts: 1899
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2004, 01:00:51 am »
Doug.  I disagree about HWE being the best method invented by man.  Its not always the best IMO.

Its a bit sad DF using this story, if its even true, to try and encourage you to buy this system.  If this system doesn't sell itself to you by the benefits and results of the clean then don't be fooled by this story.


If I had a pound for every time a chemical supplier told me of this 'new' chemical that got a stain out no other chemical hes ever sold before........................!

thanks
Mark

Chris R

  • Posts: 813
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2004, 01:07:16 am »
Hi Mark,
You must  not have read my last posting.
I will say again that this story was never mentioned before I purchased the Dry Fusion system. They do not use it to convince people to buy the system.
The person telling the story was contracted by the carpet mill or insurance company to compile a report on the reasons behind the problem.
Chris
Staffordshire

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2004, 01:10:34 am »
I agree with Mark, a well known franchise used to sell itself and service on what damage other companies and methods did to carpets when cleaned, infact if you go onto thier web site they have a video of it.

I have personally unwound the twists on a twist pile piece of matting with my df machine.

Shaun

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #17 on: May 21, 2004, 10:26:05 am »
Hi,

If you knock the competition in the eyes of the customer ,you knock your industry.

We should always advertise the positives!

Cheers,

Doug

Dave_Lee

  • Posts: 1728
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2004, 10:17:19 pm »
Nothing against DF but sounds like a simple case of not preaching to the initiated, but reinforcing the message, even if true.
Dave.
Dave Lee, Owner of Deepclean Services
Chorley Lancs. Est 1980.
"Pay Cheap -You get Cheap - Pay a little more and get something Better."

woodman

  • Posts: 1069
Re: £100,000 Carpet Claim!!
« Reply #19 on: May 24, 2004, 07:20:34 pm »
12 yrs ago I was asked to inspect with a view to cleaning some office Huega bitumin backed carpet tiles for the BBC on a new installation.

When I arrived it transpired that another company had already been in to clean the carpets after the builders had finished.The builders had used tape to hold down plastic sheeting in attempt to keep the carpet clean, when lifted the tape left perfect tram lines of adhesive running around every floor and where the plastic sheeting had layed the carpet was clean in comparison to the remainder of the carpet around it.

The cleaners attempted to lift the adhesive using solvents and did a complete floor using this method, the fumes were over powering and flooring sooned started to turn brown as the bitumin melted.In a panic they fled the site and the builders were threatening them with a claim for £250.000 for replacement tiles for the whole building. :o