BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – When a Local 10 News viewer called the Call Christina team about a newly installed floor that was beginning to chip, investigative reporter Christina Vazquez went into action to find a solution.
Here's some things that you need to know when installing laminate flooring in your home:
"I picked it because I liked the floor, period," Arlene Orbach said.
The Broward County resident shopped online for her new laminate floor.
"And then I read the testimonials on line," she said.
But a month after installation, "I see a chip and I said, 'What's going on here?'" Orbach said.
Upset, she contacted the vendor and then the manufacturer seeking help.
The manufacturer ordered an inspection by an independent inspector whose report found installation-related issues. Among the issues detailed in the report were lack of acclimation. That means the floor didn't have time to adjust to the humidity of the environment before installation. The report also noted the grout lines of the tile floor it was installed over were causing the new floor to lift and chip.
When she contacted the vendor about the inspection report "they just said, 'No, that's wrong. The report's wrong,'" Orbach said.
That's when she called Christina, who reached out to German-based manufacturer Krono flooring.
"Laminate flooring is built from a tongue and groove. We call it the click system. Once you click both of these pieces together, which is the male and female, basically they should lock. They should never be opened and it's good for years," Anthony Sustiel of Flooring King in Hollywood said.
Sustiel is the manufacturer's distributor in the U.S.
He said a good installation is a must for a perfect floor.
"Installation is the key for laminate wood flooring. If it's defective, you see it right out of the box," Sustiel said.
Both the manufacturer and distributor decided to help Orbach.
"We saw that the lady really needed help, so we decided to do the right thing and we contacted the vendor," Sustiel said.
Orbach has received a full refund from the vendor. She also has some advice for consumers:
"Do your homework. You have to speak to customers directly. Don't go by the Internet. You don't know if the reviews are real or fake," she said.
According to the North American Laminate Flooring Association, laminate flooring can be used in almost all areas of the home. Depending upon the room and the intended use, specific installation procedures may be required. Most importantly, they recommend professional installation.
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