To ensure the health, beauty, and value of your wood flooring it is important to:
? Maintain? Maintain your home?s interior with a relative humidity range of 30-55%. If you fall below this range for extended periods you will see excessive gapping in a solid floor and the potential for splitting in an engineered floor. This is not a defect of the product. It is simply what happens when wood loses a lot of moisture and dries out.
? Prevent ? Prevent extreme cold outside air from entering your home by reducing excessive ventilation leaks. Old windows are often major leakage sites, as are recessed lights, and other holes in ceilings and floors. The fewer air transitions the easier it is to maintain a higher relative humidity.
? Monitor ? Invest in a humidity monitor to observe how your home responds to temperature changes. This way you can easily identify when levels are low and your home needs a little moisture. A Hygrometer can fit into any homeowner's budget and will tell you everything you need to know about the humidity in your house to maintain healthy RH levels
? Adjust ? If maintaining the recommended range seems to be a challenge, add moisture with a humidifier. From a single-room humidifier to whole house systems adding moisture to your home does more than just help your floor. Appropriate relative humidity helps all wood in your home and can help you stay healthier! The same can be applied if you are experiencing too much humidity by counteracting it with a dehumidifier.
By continuing to monitor the floors in your home and learning what best works for you, you can ensure that you will get the most out of your hardwood floors for years to come.
Below are links to products to help set you up for success:
iBebot AirComfort - Wireless Thermometer
Smart Wireless Temperature / Humidity Sensor Wide Range
Top Fill Cool Mist & Warm Mist Humidifier
LEVOIT OasisMist Smart Cool and Warm Mist Humidifiers
SIMSEN 95oz Dehumidifiers for Home
Dehumidifier for Large Room and Basements, HUMILABS
