Hardwood floors are a classic choice for nearly any home because of their sturdy and attractive qualities. Even still, Claghorn Custom Flooring wants you to know that hardwoods can easily lose their luster if not properly cared for. One of the primary elements that affects the lifespan of hardwood floors is humidity. Take care to protect your wood floors by carefully controlling your home’s temperature and humidity year round.
As a cellulose material, wood naturally absorbs and releases moisture into the air in response to the ambient temperature and humidity levels. As such, wooden planks expand in warm, humid environments and contract in cool, dry environments. At Claghorn, we professionally install hardwood floors to account for minor fluctuations in the wood. However, if the humidity of your home reaches an extreme level, your floors will shrink or swell excessively; this can cause gaps, warping, lifting, and cracking.
To protect your hardwoods and other wooden items in your home, we recommend keeping your home’s humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. To do so, have your HVAC and whole-house humidifier inspected annually. If you do not own a whole-home humidifier, now is the time to invest in one. These units are relatively inexpensive and do a great job of keeping humidity levels comfortable and consistent throughout the entire home. Similarly, you should always keep your home at a consistently comfortable temperature, even if the room is not in use.
Before installing a hardwood floor, it is important to acclimate the product to the new living environment. To accomplish this, our team will deliver the wood to your home several days before installation. During this time, it is extremely important to keep the home’s temperature and humidity levels consistent to allow the wood to acclimate to equilibrium moisture content prior to installation; this helps prevent problems from expansion or contraction down the road. If necessary, we will acclimate the flooring at our office prior to installation.
For more information about installing and caring for hardwood floors, contact Claghorn at (317) 873-6202 or request a free quote today. Located in Zionsville, we proudly serve Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, and the surrounding communities. In addition to hardwood flooring, we also install carpet, luxury vinyl, and custom tile flooring.
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