Bubbles in vinyl

[mary]

Our house is approx 9 years old, and we are experiencing problems with the vinly in the kitchen and dining room. This vinyl has a foam type backing and to my understanding only needed to be glued on the edges.
It is now producing bubbles in the vinyl. At first it was 2 small areas, but tonight there is a larger area in the dining room.

I have had the contractor as well as the installer and neither knows what is causing it, nor neither will commit to it being their fault.

I know that homes will start to have problems from normal wear and tear,but I think 9 years is still rather early for having problems of this type.

Any sugggestions on what could be causing this problem?

Thanks so much for reviewing this message.

Mary

[ODDJOB]

are you on a slab or what ? :)

[ODDJOB]

Mary, try this web site, it should help www.repair-home.com/repairing_vinyl

[mary]

our house is built with a craw space.

[Tom R]

My guess is that it's the top layer of your plywood sub-floor de-laminating from the moisture in the crawlspace. Some builders don't know, - - and others just don't care, - - but it's only $1-$2 extra per sheet of Luanne for exterior grade (waterproof glue).

Haven't really seen these foam backed, perimeter-glued (inter-flex) floors buckle on their own, - - though I suppose anything is possible.

Try poking a few pin-holes in each bubble (discreetly within the 'pattern'), - - and if it's just the vinyl itself, that will let the escaped air out, and allow the vinyl to flatten again.

If your pin won't poke through, - - your plywood is de-laminating, - - you'll need your floors re-done after solving the moisture problem.