by Jeff Cross, senior editor, CM/Cleanfax® magazine LAS VEGAS — Carey Mitchell, technical director of Shaw Industries, announced Saturday that Shaw will demand the use of only Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) Certified Firms beginning January 2008. In April, Shaw and Mohawk both announced the implementation of using only Carpet and Rug InstituteSeal of Approval equipment and chemicals. Click here for that information. The use of IICRC Certified Firms for warranted carpets applies only to the residential market, Mitchell said. Click here to read what will happen if a consumer uses a firm not certified by the IICRC. "Some of the same criteria in our current warranties will still apply," Mitchell said, citing as one example the 18-month cleaning frequency using hot water extraction. "We are trying to get all cleaners certified so more problems go away," he said. Mitchell said that maintenance-related claims for residential carpets have been declining in recent years, partly because more cleaners are gaining technical proficiency with certification programs. Instead of implementing this mandate in January 2007 – which is when the equipment and chemical mandate begins for warranted carpets – Mitchell hopes cleaners will take advantage of the extended time period to gain their certification. For related information, click here. To return to today's news, click here. To discuss this topic with other industry professionals, click here. For a free subscription to CM e-News DailyTM, the daily news service for the building maintenance industry, click here. For a free introductory subscription (or subscription renewal) to CM/Cleanfax® magazine, the leading publication for the carpet cleaning and disaster restoration industries, click here.
