Carpet Ozone Fading

Colour change can also occur when carpet is exposed to ozone emissions from heating fuels and air conditioners pesticides cleaning agents benzoyl peroxide and other household items.

Carpet ozone fading.

This occurrence known as ozone damage is largely unexplained but appears to be more prevalent in coastal areas with a high ultra violet content. There are other factors that can break down carpet dye and give your carpet a whole new although unwanted appearance. Ozone prefers and attacks blue dyes first. Sun fading is a form of oxidation and will happen near windows especially on the southwest exposure of a dwelling.

This basement level had no windows that would allow direct sunlight to the carpet. These factors include ozone fading and natural gas fading. Depending on usage carpet should be professionally steam cleaned hot water extraction every 12 18 months to revitalise your carpet and remove any oily sticky and well settled soils that cause gradual significant dulling of colours. Since most carpet has very little blue the yellow and red components are usually left unaffected.

This of course depends on the original carpet color too. A specific carpet being considered for a critical installation should be tested prior to final selection. There are other factors that can break down carpet dye and give your carpet a whole new although unwanted appearance. I recently inspected carpeting in two homes that exhibited the same problem.

Oxidation comes from ozone o3 which generally occurs in drier climates with a lot of motorized vehicles. Steam cleaning should only be undertaken by a professional carpet cleaner. Left is a carpet mill inspection photo of a closet carpet scrap lying on a five year old basement carpet that shows severe fading. The carpets were fading from a sand beige color to pink.

However ozone fading is very rare in most of the usa today. Dye stuff hue or fiber can affect fading. But the loss of blue causes the carpet to turn a dull orange not yellow. Carpet can be tested in laboratory fadeometers for results against fading agents.

Before purchasing a carpet it is important to check the kind of dye material that has been used for colouration. These factors include ozone fading and natural gas fading. Ozone fading usually results in faded and lightened colour and many times a complete change of colour similar to fume fading. Fading is usually caused either by ultraviolet light or by exposure to ozone gas.