You may be shaking your head at our blog today wishing these beautiful spring days would last, but we all know that come May, it’s going to be hazy, hot, and humid. We’ll sweat and make jokes about the 3 H’s. Did you know that the humidity we experience much of the year in Tampa can also impact your hardwood flooring?
Humidity is Water
We’ve blogged many times about how water can negatively impact your hardwood floors. No matter where that water comes from (a spill, pet, or up from the ground) your floors are impacted. Humidity is water vapor in the air. During the winter you may notice that there are gaps between your floorboards and wonder what can be done or should be done. This is because the humidity is low and the boards shrink somewhat. Some gapping is normal.
Even with our air conditioning once the summer arrives, humidity levels are higher than in the winter. Ideally you want the humidity level in your home to be between 35% and 55% year round. When it gets higher than 55%, your floors may begin to cup or warp. You can buy a hygrometer for about $10 to monitor your home’s humidity if you’ve had issues in the past.
If your hardwood floors are already installed, the best thing you can do to prevent the warping is to make sure your HVAC system is working properly and use it. If having your air condition on doesn’t stop issues with your floors, you may need to purchase a whole house dehumidifier to keep your home at a constant level.
The Importance of a Quality Hardwood Flooring Installation Company
Make sure the hardwood flooring installation company you hire has quality installers. Once you choose the brand and type of wood, you may find differences in quotes from various hardwood flooring installation companies. Make sure to choose one with longevity and experience in Tampa Bay. The difference between floors installed properly and those not installed properly can be extreme. Do your homework, make sure that there aren’t bad reviews all over the internet and that the company your considering for hardwood floor installation can provide you with references.
If you already have hardwood floors and they are cupped or warped, Seer Flooring may be able to help. In addition to being an experienced and highly rated hardwood flooring installation company, we also offer hardwood floor and engineered wood floor refinishing. We may be able to help solve your humidity based or water damage based flooring issues. Call 727-785-1930 today and we’ll come to your home to provide a professional estimate for installation or repair.