The CFCRA recently sponsored two hard-surface inspection courses that are eligible for certifications from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning Restoration Certification (IICRC) at the revitalized Ardex training facility in Mississauga, Ont.
By Lee Senter
The first course was the Introductory to Substrate and Subfloor Inspection and was taught by IICRC approved instructor Paul Pleshek. We had eight attendees who were taught the basics of substrate and subfloor inspections, which includes: thorough discussion on what flat-and-level means for floor coverings, a thorough discussion on flooring underlayments of all kinds and a deep look at the realities of concrete and moisture testing in cementitious slabs.
This class is a prerequisite for all IICRC hard surface inspection certifications. The IICRC is in the process of developing a new ANSI standard for Hard Surface Inspection called the S220. This standard is due to be released in early 2018.
The second inspection class was a four-day class and was eligible for the IICRC resilient flooring inspection (RFI) certification. The vinyl and vinyl composite resilient floor segment of the flooring industry is considered to be the fastest growing. We now have new candidates for resilient floor inspection from our attendees from Montreal, the Eastern townships, Toronto, Mississauga and Cambridge, Ont. The IICRC RFI certification process is very rigorous. After having successfully passed a certification exam, the candidates must submit three resilient floor inspections to their instructor for analysis and review.
After these are approved, the candidates have to submit three more inspections to a review panel. This must be done within one year and upon satisfactory completion the candidate’s probationary status is removed and he or she is granted with a certification. With the influx of new resilient vinyl products entering the marketplace, it is expected that even more certified inspectors will be needed over the next decade.
The CFCRA is committed to raising the bar for their member flooring retailers and cleaning professionals. The first step we plan to implement is to provide complementary training to our retail members for moisture testing and seminars about flooring products such as adhesives, patches and sealers. Every retailer will be offered this training at no charge when they renew their membership. Any new retailer member will be offered the same training if they chose to join the organization.
The CFCRA wants to ensure that our members and associates are well trained and privy to the latest technologies. The CFCRA is devoted to being able to provide this desperately needed knowledge to the flooring industry at an affordable cost across the country.
On the cleaning side, the CFCRA has already scheduled inexpensive cleaning classes for true dry-cleaning of carpet. True dry-cleaning is different from the widely used low-moisture carpet cleaning methods. There are some woven carpet products that just do not respond well to any kind moisture. There are also many scenarios where carpets that are left damp can be hazardous for trip/falls or attract soiling before they can completely dry. If you are interested in this training please contact our office at 905-822-2280 or [email protected].
The CFCRA board of directors is looking for a person from a floor covering manufacturer or distributor to join our executive committee. If there is any one interested in getting involved, please reach out to our executive director Sharon Fenton at 905-822-2280 or [email protected].