Sealingismybusiness29
Philadelphia,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, September 09, 2008
All grout joints associated with ceramic and porcelain tile and stone must be sealed to protect the chemical and structural integrity of the grout unless they have an epoxy based grout(the epoxy serves as a sealer in itself, it is found mostly in commercial kitchens and bathrooms and should not be in a residence). All grout types except the aforementioned epoxy type are ORGANIC in nature, meaning that they break down and wear away when exposed to any thing that is not ph neutral, especially typical household floor cleaners. Most, if not all cleaners on the market designed for everyday floor cleaning are extremely acidic and have not been redesigned since the 70's. So, if your grout joints are not sealed with a water based or solvent based clear sealer every 1-3 years, you have no resistance to spills, cleaners, and everyday wear and tear. A solid stain sealant( it can be any color you like) will give you 3-5 years of total protection against all possible irritants to the grout. Remember, clear seals give resistance, solid stain sealers give total protection. A great analogy for someone who does not want to seal their grout or natural stone( all natural stone needs to be clear sealed, grout and stone!) is the story about the individual purchasing a cadillac and asking about the gas mileage. Think about not painting and caulking the joints in the exterior and interior of your home and you kind of get the idea(grout and natural stone, like wood ARE ORGANIC IN NATURE) If you gotta worry about the maintenance cost, buy linoleum.
Rjv
Pleasant Grove,#3Consumer Comment
Thu, August 07, 2008
I've laid tile before in my own home and sealant is used on the grout to prevent water from seeping through and dirt from getting ground in, requiring the grout to be removed. Depending on the tile type, sealant will help prevent dirt from getting into the pores of the material and help keep it clean and looking nice. This may not be entirely necessary if the tile has a hard, baked on enamel, but won't hurt it. http://www.onlinetips.org/grout-sealant As for the cost of such an endeavor, there is not too much labor unless cleaning is required first (existing tile), but a good sealant can be expensive. The quality of the sealant used could be an issue with a service that is intent on maximizing profits (as any good business needs to do). However, using an inferior product will gain immediate cost savings and result in customer disatisfaction and will hurt long-term revenue but it will take time to determine if the sealant was of poor quality and thus requires a judgement call as to whether it is worth it. As far as booties go... that can be debated. This argument applies to windshield replacement technicians who don't use gloves when handling the glass. It would be nice if the technician minimized potential tracking of dirt to the newly cleaned carpets, but it also may not have been entirely necessary. That is purely a judgement call.
Roger
Houston,#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, April 08, 2007
Pamela, Please explain in further detail about what you a trying to tell us. And what's the deal about the required booties? I have been cleaning carpet for over thirty years. Is there something you know, that I that I don'T? Please educate us with your knowledge.