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Disaster Advice Glossary
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Disaster recovery and restoration can be veiled in mystery to the many who have not undertaken specific training. This glossary explains technical terms to assist both report writing and the understanding of those technical terms so often misunderstood.
Definition
| Action-Bac Carpet: |
Action-Bac, a Trademark name of the Amoco Fabrics Company. The term Action-Bac carpet, relates to the secondary backing of a carpet, which is a stretchable backing. Mitigation and Restorative Drying Note: Action-Bac carpets when wet, and during their drying in place, will tend to stretch. Even after reinstallation after drying an Action-Bac carpet still having higher than normal humidity coming up from a wet slab or subfloor will appear to be baggy, slack or loose, which, in fact, it is. Liability Note: The loose (relaxed) carpet can cause trips and falls. Under these situations Action-Bac carpet may require its removal until the excess moisture from a slab or subfloor can be abated. Caution Note: Do not cut excess yardage off the perimeter of an Action-Bac carpet. This may cause the carpet to split at the seams or pull away from the walls after the subfloor is dry. |
| Adhesive: |
A chemical substance used to bond materials together. In most carpets which have backings, adhesives are applied between the primary and secondary backing. In plywood, adhesives are used to bond layers of wood together. Often, adhesives are stronger than the materials they hold or bond together, while in other instances, the loss of adhesion strength by the adhesive, results in delamination or loss of structural integrety of the material. |
| Backing: |
The rear face secondary material which is attached to a primary material. Backings are commonly found on carpets, area rugs, vinyl floors, upholstery and drapes. |
| Blue Glue: |
A colour and type of permanently sticky glue made for thick commercial-grade rubber-back carpet tiles. Mitigation Note: During a water damage, and the disengagement removal of wet floor tiles, the concrete slab will permanently remain sticky with standing water on top. During the water damage flood, extract all water off of the floor tiles, and try not to allow flood water to entrain under the tiles. The tiles usually have thick rubber backing, and it is almost impossible to get spilt water trapped under them. If the slab is definitely wet from the flood, you will need to remove the tiles off of the wet concrete. When disengaging the floor tiles, you will need to take special care of the tiles so they continue to remain salvageable. Place the back of two tiles together, keeping the sticky side towards each other. Just stacking the floor tiles, will result in some adhesive transfer to the face fibres of the next fabric floor tile. |
| Carpet Cushion: |
An underlayment material that is placed under a carpet. Education Note: The cushion acts like a pad, in that the cushion softens the carpet while protecting the face fibers and secondary backing of the carpet. A good carpet cushion adds life to a carpet, especially in high traffic areas. Restorative Drying Note: After a major flood, the carpet cushion should be removed to aid in the immediate drying of the building, then, if the carpet is still in place, removal of the cushion will aid in the drying of the carpet. The problem with drying a building with carpet cushion and/or carpet remains in place, are these saturated materials increase the drying time of the building, as well as they increase the ambient humidity as long as they remain wet. Litigation, Health and Safety Note: Drying carpet cushion and carpet in place may result in unwanted mold growth and increase allergens. All sewage saturated carpet cushion must be carefully removed and disposed. Leaving sewage contaminated carpet cushion in place has been known to result in sickness and illness. |
| Carpet Cushion (Textured Rubber): |
Natural or synthetic rubber cushion produced with a fine textured appearance on the bottom and non-woven or paper backing on the top. |
| Carpet Fibre Terms: |
The description of terms that are commonly used during the purchase, replacement or repair of a carpet. See Stain Resistance Density A measurement on how close one strand of carpet fiber (yarn) is close to the next strand of fiber. The measurement of density as of the year 2,000, is ounces per cubic foot instead of ounces per square yard. Face Weight The measurement of ounces of fiber per square yard, which as of the year 2,000, will be changed to fiber per square foot. Typically for residential carpet, the face weight is above 30 ounces, averaging 40 to 50 ounces for better grade carpet. Tuft Bind The measurement of tightness carpet fibers are bound to the carpets backing. Tuft bind measurements are in pounds, and quality residential carpet is above 6 pounds but not below 4 pounds. Twist The measurement of the number of times the carpet fibers are twisted per inch of finished yarn. A good quality residential carpet has 4 our more twists per inch. |
| Chair Rail |
A horizontal molding affixed to a wall equal to the height of the back side of a chair. A chair rail is designed to stop damage or marring to the wall surface by the back of a chair. Wall chair rails average from 36" to 44" from the floor height. Chair rails will sometimes have wood paneling or a wall paper lower covering. Chair rails having backing materials must be checked for unwanted moisture content after a water damage. |
| Gypsum Board: |
Building wall materials, including 2" and 5/8" drywall, that are made from the products of calcium sulfate and limestone. Education Note: Gypsum board is commonly referred to as drywall and button board. Gypsum board face paper and backing are usually made from recycled paper. Restorative Drying Note: Gypsum board once wet, can easily be dried and they will maintain their stability and use. If the drywall is allowed ro remain wet and grows mould or drywall is effected with sewage, the contaminated drywall is no longer acceptable as a building material. Gypsum board has a permeation factor of 50 to 36, depending on its thickness. See Permeation Factor. |
| Jute Browning: |
A condition brought about from wet or damp jute backing, typically found in jute backed carpet and jute carpet pad. Mitigation Note: Jute browning is a stain discoloration, caused by migration of the natural dyes in jute, then the loose dyes wick up through and to the face fibers or the surface of a fabric. Some stain discolorations can be corrected with professional help. But for the most part, as a result of water damage, the stains to a material or fabric, most often results in physical damage, and they are beyond reasonable repair. See Jute Material. |
| Jute Material: |
A natural cellulosic fiber made from plants and produced as a fabric or material. Jute backing on carpets is the secondary backing. Jute pad is the underlayment which a carpet is placed over. Mitigation Note: Jute in the presence of high humidity or a water damage, will support fungi very rapidly, typically within several days from the date of moisture exposure. Jute pad and carpet backing are not common materials in today's world of floor covering, they have been replaced with synthetic pad and carpet backing. Once a jute material has been identified during a flood condition, especially as a carpet backing or pad, the jute material should be considered for removal and replacement. See Jute Browning. |
| Latex: |
Related to carpets, latex is described as the rubbery-like liquid that is found between the primary and secondary backing of a carpet. Education Note: With water damage carpets, watery-base latex may breakdown, resulting in the repair or replacement of some carpets. |
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