Summer is definitely here in the Midwest. We know how humid it can be but we definitely know how sunny it can be as well. Everyone knows that they need to protect their skin from the sun's rays, but did you know that you should also protect your hardwood floors from the sun? The sun can do some serious damage to your hardwood floors. Discoloration is the largest culprit, but it doesn't stop there. We'd like the give you some tips so that you know what to do in order to protect your hardwood floors.

Don't be stingy with the AC

The summer sun can heat up a home very quickly. The Midwest can get very humid, as any native can attest to. Running the AC is going to help you reduce moisture in your home. Moisture is one of the most significant enemies that your hardwood floors have. AC will reduce moisture in your home and prevent things like cupping from taking place in your home. We have a write up on what cupping is here.

Awnings Can Help

Your floors are delicate and can react negatively to sunlight. Discoloration can happen fairly quickly. Awnings over your windows will help slow this process down. Direct sunlight on hardwood floors is just not a good thing if you want to maintain a unified color throughout your hardwood floors.

The sun can cast shadows throughout your home. These shadows can actually create outlines in your hardwood floors in time. Don't be afraid to move the furniture around if you have to. This will ensure that one particular shadow does not sit in one area of the floor for too long.

These little things can go a long way to protect your hardwood floors. We think beautiful hardwood floors are an investment. Protect that investment with these little tips and tricks so that you can prolong the life of your hardwood floors. As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions, or pass this along to any friends of yours that have hardwood floors. They'll thank you for the tips!