lump under carpet?

[kb7]

I am really unsure what is going on. I had new carpet installed about 6 months ago, and just last night I noticed a fairly large about 4 foot long lump under my carpet (and it was not there last week). My only guess is that it is a floor board of somesort that has somehow pushed its way up, which is pushing up the carpet about 1/2 an inch in a 4 foot strait line. It honestly feels as if there is a four foot long metal pole under the carpet. I am not really familiar with flooring or carpets. Any ideas of what this may be? The home is older, built in 1963, single story. Not sure what type of flooring is under the carpet. Has anyone seen anything like this before? Any information would be helpful thanks!

[rgfloor]

Is the home built over a basement or crawl space? Is there any way to access the area under where this is? Have you had any plumbing leaks or water accidents? It sounds like moisture has gotten to the boards underneath the carpet and they are swelling. The carpet will probably need to be removed to deal with what is going on.

[Daris Mulkin]

Try pushing on the "lump" and see if it move over a bit. I'm thinking bubble here. The next thing I would do is where the lump is push down along side it to see if the pad didn't get curled up on a seam line on the install. Here what you are looking for is a hollow spot.
Probably the only way to find out for sure is to pull back the carpet and see what it is. If its a bubble the carpet needs to be restretched.

Daris

[Chris Mha]

I have seen jobs where the plywood seams are swelled/peaked and were not sanded flat before installation. Once the carpet is stretched tight you can't see them. As the carpet relaxes it becomes more evident. I have seen the more than a few times. One that I saw showed what appeared as a bubble every four feet across a family room. I had to pull back the carpet to show the homeowner what it was.

[Daris Mulkin]

I'm with you on that one also Chris, forgot about that one. In time I have seen them show exactly where each sheet of the substrate was. It was usually on a OSB substrate as the seams have the tendency to swell if gotten wet in the building process.

Daris

[kwfloors]

Contact the place where you purchased the carpet. Tell them of your dilema and the installer might come out a look at it to figure it out. I've found alot of things under carpet including tools so maybe they left a 4' straight edge under there that they lost. We don't think they are cigs.

[rusty baker]

Parakeet?.......Does this give at all when you step on it or is it solid and hard? It it has give, then how much? If it has a lot of give, it is probably a wrinkle. It not, then it is probably a subfloor problem. Almost everyone has a 0ne-year installation warranty. Ask them to come back and look at it. I would be surprised to suddenly have a pad problem. If they pull it up and it isn't due to something they did, they will most likely charge you.

[Lo Down]

rusty baker said Parakeet?.......Does this give at all when you step on it or is it solid and hard? It it has give, then how much? If it has a lot of give, it is probably a wrinkle. It not, then it is probably a subfloor problem. Almost everyone has a 0ne-year installation warranty. Ask them to come back and look at it. I would be surprised to suddenly have a pad problem. If they pull it up and it isn't due to something they did, they will most likely charge you.

Same here. I can't imagine any cause for a sudden change like that. I'm thinking it was always there, just not noticed before.
As far as pad goes, I think we have ll seen a roll of pad now and then that has extreme density change from side to side, or roll to roll. Soft or thin areas on one side of the roll happens too.

Unless there was an earthquake of foundation failure, I have a hard time believing this appeared quickly. I think rather, that it has just been noticed for the first time.