IICRC WRT Carpet, Cushion and Floor Covering Restoration — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How should carpet and cushion exposed to Category 3 water generally be handled?
- Dried in place with air movers
- Treated with antimicrobial and left in place
- Removed and discarded (Correct answer)
- Floated and dried
Correct answer: Removed and discarded
Porous materials like carpet and cushion that are contaminated by Category 3 water cannot be adequately cleaned, so they are generally removed and discarded.
Question 2: What is the main purpose of "floating" carpet during drying?
- To permanently remove it from the tack strip
- To bleach out stains
- To create an air space under the carpet so airflow can dry the backing and subfloor (Correct answer)
- To cut away the cushion
Correct answer: To create an air space under the carpet so airflow can dry the backing and subfloor
Floating carpet means releasing it from the tack strip and supporting it on air flow so the carpet, cushion, and subfloor can dry. Special equipment such as a floating tool or air injection helps.
Question 3: Hardwood floors that absorb moisture from beneath typically show which deformation first?
- Cupping (Correct answer)
- Crowning
- Gapping only
- Delaminating into plywood
Correct answer: Cupping
When the underside of a board has higher moisture content than the top, the edges rise and the board cups. Drying should be controlled to avoid further damage such as splitting.
Question 4: Why is water extraction typically done before evaporative drying on wet carpet?
- Extraction removes much more water per hour than evaporation (Correct answer)
- Extraction is not allowed after air movers are placed
- Air movers cannot operate near water
- It is purely a customer-satisfaction step
Correct answer: Extraction removes much more water per hour than evaporation
Mechanical extraction removes bulk water far faster than evaporation can. Removing it first reduces the drying load and the time it takes to reach the drying goal.
Question 5: Wet carpet cushion that has been contaminated by Category 2 water is usually:
- Removed and replaced (Correct answer)
- Always dried and left in place
- Simply sprayed with deodorizer
- Left alone and monitored
Correct answer: Removed and replaced
Cushion absorbs and holds contaminants and is inexpensive to replace, so it is usually removed and replaced when exposed to Category 2 or 3 water.
Question 6: What is the concern with vinyl or other low-permeability floor coverings over a wet subfloor?
- They always attract mold from the surface
- They trap moisture, slowing drying of the subfloor underneath (Correct answer)
- They conduct electricity
- They absorb too much humidity from the air
Correct answer: They trap moisture, slowing drying of the subfloor underneath
Low-perm coverings block the vapor from escaping upward, so the layer below stays wet. Technicians may need to lift the covering or use specialty drying systems.
