Extreme humidity levels may damage your hardwood floors

Very high and very low humidity levels each present dangers to solid and engineered hardwoods.

You may not feel the need to kick on the air conditioner, but a few days of summer?s high humidity can wreck havoc on your hardwoods. High humidity causes moisture to seep into the wood, leading to pressure between the boardsand causing them to warp or cup. Cupping can also occur when spilled water is absorbed by the hardwood.

Winter?s low humidity levelscan cause wood to dry out, which in turn could weaken the hardwood, resulting in the floor splintering or damage to the finish. This could become noticeable when it’s time to clean your floors, or worse, make your floors uncomfortable to walk on.

Andy’s Advice:

Aim to keep humidity levels between 35% and 55% in your home and adjust if outside this range. If too humid, use a dehumidifier or turn on the air conditioning. If humidity is too low, try a humidifier to boost the overall moisture in the room.