Other Facilities

Specifying for facilities that require static control in carpet

Commercial carpet is often installed where electrostatic properties may be of concern.  There are usually two aspects of this concern.  The first involves the threshold of human static discharge sensitivity.  The second involves electronic sensitivity.

When static shock and human comfort is predicted to be a concern, it is advisable to specify a permanent built-in static control system.  It has been found that carpet tested by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Test Method 134 that does not exceed a 3.5 kilovolt (kV) level is usually acceptable for general commercial areas.  For more critical commercial areas, a 2.0 kV is an accepted upper limit.

The AATCC Test Method 134, Electrostatic Propensity of Carpet, is a laboratory simulation that assesses the static-generating tendency developed when a person walks across a carpeted area. Static generation is influenced by humidity conditions; therefore, all testing is performed in highly controlled test chambers at 20 percent ±2 percent relative humidity. A specification for a selected maximum kilovolt level of performance will satisfy the majority of commercial carpet applications.

As carpet is considered for use in evolving and increasingly high-technology applications or electronic offices, a new specification characteristic has become a key consideration. The miniaturization of electronic devices has made them even more susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage. The Electrostatic Discharge Association suggests that appropriate floorings, of any type, must also be static dissipative in addition to being low in their kilovolt performance levels. They have developed a commonly used test method, ESD-S7.1, to measure dissipation and to characterize floor coverings.

An additional characteristic that may also be incorporated into an ESD performance specification is the static decay rate.  It is suggested that Federal Test Method 4046 (101C) or NFPA 45-A be used for product evaluations.

Carpet performance may be engineered, through the introduction of conductive filaments and other techniques, to meet specified static propensity requirements as well as specified resistive and charge decay rates.

Specifying carpet for golf club houses and athletic facilities

Because safety is a top concern, carpet is a good choice to reduce the likelihood of slips and falls and to minimize the chance of injury from a fall. Consider these points when choosing carpet for golf club houses and athletic facilities in areas exposed to soft spike golf shoes or soft spike golf or athletic shoes:

• Choose cut pile rather than loop construction with a minimum pile height of 7/16”.
• Dense carpet construction is important.  Carpet manufacturers recommend a minimum fiber weight of 45 ounces per square yard and a minimum density of 5,000 ounces of pile fiber per cubic yard.
• Manufacturers should be contacted about the appropriateness of any product to be installed in areas where soft spike shoes are allowed.  Specifically engineered and tested products should always be selected.
• Solution-dyed fiber should be selected for colorfastness in areas where there is a concern for fading from sunlight or color loss from chemicals.  Solution-dyed fibers have the color pigment in the molten polymer before extrusion into fiber.
• Any carpet to be used outdoors should be specifically designed with highly stabilized properties to resist ultraviolet fading and degradation.
• Specify carpet, adhesives or cushions certified by the CRI Green Label or Green Label Plus testing program to be assured of a low-emitting product.

Specifying carpet on outdoor balconies

Outdoor carpet is a practical concrete balcony covering, offering comfort, a superior slip-resistant surface and aesthetic benefits.  Outdoor carpet on properly sealed, good quality concrete should not contribute to the deterioration of outdoor concrete balconies.

The key factors influencing accelerated concrete deterioration include the type of sand used in the concrete mix, the quality of the concrete and the depth of the rebar beneath the concrete surface.  In coastal areas, allegations have been made that less costly beach sand is sometimes used in the concrete mixture.  This high salt concentration from beach sand acts as a catalyst for electrolysis, causing the metal rebar supports in concrete to rust quickly.  A majority of the concrete balconies that show premature structural fatigue have metal rebar that is less than half an inch from the surface.  Most building codes require that the rebar be no less than 1 to 1 ½ inches below the surface.

Proper use of a high-quality concrete sealer can reduce the deterioration caused by high alkalinity or continued moist conditions.  A sealant should be applied to all exposed concrete balcony surfaces, whether a covering is installed or not, because balcony surfaces, edges and supports exposed to the elements are likely targets for deterioration.  If beach sand, or sand with a high salt content, was used in the concrete mixture, deterioration may occur from within, and sealing the surface will not prevent this occurrence.

Specialists in the field of high-rise balcony repairs state that carpet is a very good floor covering, providing the concrete meets accepted quality standards set forth by the American Concrete Institute and has been properly sealed.

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