If you’ve recently had hardwood flooring installed, this may be your first winter with it. You may not be prepared for all the surprises that can come with wood floors in cold weather. One obvious difference is one your feet will notice, since walking around barefoot on a hardwood floor will be a chilly shock.
However, this body shock won’t be the only difference you’ll notice about your hardwood floors as temperatures drop. As the cold kicks in, your hardwood floor may enter a battle for structural integrity.
You will need to do what you can to keep your wood floors from wearing down right before your eyes.
Let’s take a look at some things you should do this winter to ensure your hardwood floors remain beautiful throughout this season.
Keep it Humid Indoors
One of the greatest threats to your hardwood floors this winter is low humidity. As your indoor heating system kicks into high gear to combat the frigid temperatures this season, indoor relative humidity can drop. This can make your home drier than a desert indoors, which can take a toll on your hardwood floors.
Unless your heating system has built-in humidity controls, a sharp drop in indoor moisture may cause your wood floors to contract, leading to cracking, gaps, or cupping.
Your best defense against hardwood floor damage this winter is to ensure your home has sufficient humidity to protect your floors. It is ideal to keep an indoor humidity between 35% and 50%. If your heating system isn’t delivering the moisture you need, consider investing in a high-quality humidifier to improve your home’s indoor humidity.
Protect the Entryway
Another threat your hardwood floors may face, potentially in the entryway, is damage from the elements. The greatest amount of foot traffic will be in this area, and so will a large amount of dirt, grit, rocks, salt, and slush as people track these elements underfoot as they enter. Excess foot traffic in this area could cause discoloration and other damage to the hardwood floor.
To prevent damage to this area of the home, consider covering it with protective mats. This will allow people to track most of the grit on their boots and shoes onto the floor mats, minimizing damage to your hardwood floors.
Keep Salt at Bay
As winter snow falls, you’ll need to stay safe outdoors by applying salt to prevent slippery conditions on your porch, walkway, or driveway. Unfortunately, the same salt that helps you avoid slip-and-fall accidents outdoors can damage your hardwood floors when tracked in by guests and family members.
Deicing salts can be both abrasive and chemically corrosive for hardwood flooring. The ice may behave like sandpaper, grinding the crystals into the floor as people traverse it. Likewise, calcium chloride or magnesium chloride, typically present in these salts, may strip the floor finish, causing it to appear hazy in some areas.
In most cases, you won’t be able to remove the hazy spots and will need a restoration specialist to repair the damage caused by salts.
Avoid Shoes Indoors
You won’t be able to stop using deicing salt, as you’ll need to protect your family and visitors from injuries on your property. Even though placing special matting at the front door helps protect the entryway from most damage, to keep your hardwood floors in pristine condition this winter, you may want to adopt a “no shoes indoors” policy.
Doing so will prevent abrasive particles from tracking throughout your house, which can scratch and dull your hardwood floors. Encouraging them to remove their shoes and either place them on a rack by the front door or store them in the mudroom will help protect your hardwood floors.
Investing in a boot tray will also help keep slush and moisture from the bottom of shoes from dripping onto the hardwood flooring and causing damage.
Recap
Don’t let your hardwood floors be damaged by the cold and elements this winter. Proactively addressing indoor climate control and physically protecting your floors will go a long way toward protecting your investment. These simple habits will keep your floor looking spectacular year after year and help you avoid paying unnecessary fees for restoration services.
Hardwood Floor Installation, Refinishing & Restoration Services
Has the winter weather affected your wood floors? Does your hardwood flooring need refinishing or restoration services? Call Cameron the Sandman today for unmatched wood flooring services. We carry and install the most beautiful hardwood floors with a team backed by more than 80 years of experience.
Wood floors are meant to be enjoyed. With proper care, they’ll last a lifetime.