Summer is finally here! That means days at the beach, bonfires at night, and more hours of sunshine everyday. With the joy and brightness of summer it can be easy to forget how these changing conditions can affect your hardwood. We've laid out some key things to consider during these summer months so your floors can stay in tip top shape.
Be Cautious of Sunlight
Even though we are all extremely excited about the extra sun time available to us in the summer, sunlight can be damaging to your hardwood floors. Direct UV rays, can affect almost all finishes as well as discolor your hardwood. They can also fade certain types of stain over time. A key way to help out your hardwood is to keep window curtains or blinds closed during certain times of the day when the most light shines through your windows. This will not only keep your house cooler, but will keep your hardwood floors looking beautiful for longer.
Try Not to Carry Salt and Sand In
With trips to the beach it's easy to get these elements into your house and on your hardwood. If they aren't taken care of properly their sharp edges can ruin your flooring. One great way to make sure these elements stay outside is for guests to always take their shoes off when entering your home. When you do find sand or salt on your floors make sure to use a vacuum instead of a broom.
Control the Humidity Within Your House
When it gets warmer outside is also gets more humid. As the humidity levels increase, floors expand. This does not always lead to a problem, but when humidity isn't controlled planks can split or become cupped. To ensure this doesn't happen, make sure to check the humidity within your house, don't let it get too hot! Also, if you already see planks splitting don't wait until it's too late, give us a call and we can give you some next steps.
And as always, if you'd like to schedule a hardwood flooring project with us, feel free to contact us via our contact page. We look forward to working with you!
And don't forget to follow and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/plushardwoodflooring to make sure to always get the latest updates!