Residential and commercial carpet inspections are required when there are misunderstandings or complaints about carpet performance. These inspections may be requested by anyone who is in the "carpet value chain," from the product manufacturer, to the carpet retailer, and even to the end user or consumer. Questions about carpet performance generally fall into one of several categories:

• manufacturing-related
• specification-related
• installation-related
• maintenance-related, or
• simple misperceptions about fiber characteristics or carpet

IICRC-Certified carpet inspectors are able to perform unbiased inspections because they typically don't manufacture or sell carpet; however, they do have extensive backgrounds in dealing with carpet after installation. Their work experience, combined with attendance at highly specialized training courses - including written examinations - qualifies them to provide expert analysis and opinions on many carpet-related issues.