When the weather is fine, living is easy. This may be true for human beings, but summer can wreak havoc on hardwood floors. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent the warm weather from damaging your flooring investment. In this article, we’ve come up with five summer flooring tips.
Keep An Eye On The Humidity Levels
Certain parts of the country experience incredibly high humidity levels in the summer. This can cause your hardwood floors to expand, cup and buckle. When it comes to hardwood floors, it’s recommended to keep humidity levels between 35 and 55%. If you find the humidity levels are off the chart in your house you might want to consider investing in a dehumidifier. Alternately, in places with low humidity levels you’ll want to regulate them to prevent your floors from drying out and cracking.
Prevent Direct Exposure To Sunlight
Direct sunlight can cause hardwood floors to fade and discolour. When the sunshine is pouring in through your windows directly onto your floors you should consider closing the drapes until the sun has moved on. Even employing sheer, see-through curtains will cut down on the damage caused.
Use Door Mats
When summer arrives it seems people have a tendency to go in and out of the house more often. This leads to wear and tear on the flooring near the door ways that are used most. Dirt, sand and pebbles lead to scratches and a ruined floor finish. Laying down floor mats both inside and outside the doors will allow people to wipe their feet and trap the abrasive particles.
Check Your Floor Protectors
Felt floor protectors used on the feet of chairs, tables and other furniture don’t last forever. Summer is a good time to give them all a quick check and ensure they’re still attached and in working order. Make sure they’re clean and replace any if necessary.
Use The Right Vacuum Attachment
If you tend to vacuum your floors rather than sweeping them, make sure you’re using the correct vacuum attachment. Using attachments that are made for carpets can damage hardwood floors. Save yourself the wear and tear by using the proper attachment.
