Problem GeoDeck Decks Installation Time and Warranty Claims

PROBLEM GEODECK DECKS INSTALLATION TIME AND WARRANTY CLAIMS 

The number of warranty claims filed up to October 2006 was 1707 (Table 15.28). Practically all of them are related to GeoDeck boards manufactured in pre-October of 2003. This could be established by considering the defected boards directly, 

One can see that most of the problem decks were installed in 2003 and 2004 (88% total of warranty claims). Four percent of all problem decks were installed in 2005, and these were apparently made in 2002-2001 According to warranty claim forms, some deck owners had purchased GeoDeck boards 2-3 years before the deck was actually installed. There are only two isolated claims in 2006. 

OIT tests of numerous composite deck boards conducted by Kadant Composites have provided a massive database that serves as a part of their warranty claim system. In many cases the company has collected samples of good decks (just 10-20 mg samples are needed for the OIT tests) to determine an expected lifetime of the decks, and if the OIT was low, the company had offered to replace the deck free of charge, not waiting for the crumbling to come. This approach has met a very positive response from deck owners, who were impressed with such a proactive action by the company. 

Since 2004, Kadant Composites and then LDl Composites are making GeoDeck composite boards with an excellent durability, which should withstand the southern US climate, such as in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, California, among others for 20 and more years. 

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