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Summer Maintenance Tips for Keeping Your Floors Impressive
9th August 2018
Your floors set the tone for your home. When someone walks in the door, one of the first things he or she will see is what is underfoot. When your carpet has stains, the laminate is bubbling up, or your wood is scratched, your guests will notice. A temporary solution is to put a rug down to cover the problem if you have an upcoming party or gathering. When your event is over, then you can remove the rug and begin repairing or updating your space. This post will discuss some of the helpful things you can do to protect the surfaces you walk on every day whether they are new or old.
Sunlight can damage any flooring that lacks UV protection
We all look forward to warmer weather after a cold or chilly winter. While spring brings the rain, summer shines bright and affects everyone and everything including the inside of your house. By opening up the curtains, you expose your carpet and hardwood surfaces to ultraviolet rays. These beams of sunlight can make your floors look old, dingy, and faded. Over time, the damage will worsen causing you to replace your flooring sooner rather than later. There are many materials and aftermarket products that you can use to keep UV rays from prematurely aging like Scotchgard. Some of the newer wood floors come with ultraviolet-resistant treatment to lengthen the life of the product should you decide to replace yours.
Summer humidity may wreak havoc on your floors
Too much moisture is bad for any flooring type in your home. With carpet, you can have mold, stains, and a smelly room when it is too humid in your house. Wood can warp, swell, and crown causing trip hazards and an unsightly space. Tile and laminate can become slippery when there is too much moisture in your house. Not only does this create a risk for slipping, but your tile can grow mold too. Sometimes, this bacteria is not visible because of moisture trapped between your foundation and the sub-floor. A local flooring expert can help you find the source of the wetness and eliminate the problem.
Ceramic flooring can develop a chemical smell, mold, and condensation issues when the moisture barrier has a hole or the foundation is too wet. Tile can separate from the grout in some cases of continuous exposure to excess moisture. To get rid of excess water, you can use a dehumidifier. You will need to know the cubic footage of your home or room to select the right equipment. Your air conditioning unit may have a setting for taking the moisture out too. Also, you will want to use water sparingly as you mop. Your floors will soak up any excess water and begin to swell over time.
Dry conditions are just as bad as having too much moisture
Arid climates pose the same danger to your flooring, especially wood floors. Even worse, as the years pass, the material starts cracking. Without refinishing and sealing the damaged wood, the surface will splinter posing a huge hazard to you and your family. Carpet will have issues with tearing, fraying, and fading with a dry environment. Your home value can drop when your floors need work. By taking a preventative approach to maintenance, you can improve the longevity, color, and beauty of your floors. To protect all your surfaces, you may want to keep the humidity level in your house between 35 to 55 percent. You can use a humidifier if you live in a place where the humidity levels are too low.
Everyday cleaning can stir up allergy symptoms
To minimize problems when vacuuming, you can turn the air conditioner on to suck dust out of the air as you sweep. If you vacuum every day instead of every other day or twice a week, then you may find that you experience more issues with sneezing, runny nose, coughing, and watery eyes. To reduce these problems you can wear a mask while sweeping your floors or vacuum less often. You can play with the timing, or use the vacuum to spot sweep instead of repeating the entire cleaning process every day. As long as your floors get attention once a week and spot treatments, you can maintain them without suffering from allergies the whole time.
Doormats and furniture protectors are a floor’s best friends
Another way you can reduce dust getting through the house is to use a doormat at each entry. Some homeowners say that they put a mat at the doorway of each room, but covering the entrances is a huge help. You can use leg covers or rubber feet to keep your furniture from scratching your flooring when you move things around the room.
Accent on Floors is your premier provider of hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet, and vinyl flooring in the Hopewell area. We provide free estimates and have financing for affordable options. When you want a firm you can trust to do the job right, know that our professionals have almost 20 years of experience assisting Virginian homeowners with floors that hold up, stand out, and look amazing.
References:
http://citytile.net/spring-summertime-humidity-can-damage-wood-floors/
https://www.expressflooring.com/blog/summer-floor-care-tips/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-revere/how-does-your-homes-indoo_b_5556419.html
https://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/protecting-your-flooring-investment-in-the-spring-and-summer/
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/6-care-maintenance-tips-wood-floors