Nashville and Middle Tennessee is currently in the thick of winter — snowy days and freezing nights are the common culprits of this bad weather. They are also culprits of cracked roads and even cracked hardwood floorings. Tracking in the snow and salt can often damage the hardwoods and ruin the finish. So how to protect your beloved hardwood from such travesty? Here are a few tips:
Add area carpets to the floors — As people come in and out of your business or home, they are trekking in water, slush, snow and salt. Add carpets around main traffic areas, such as entryways, hallways and register counters.
- Ask your guests to take off their shoes — This suggestion tends to only apply for homeowners, not business owners. If you ask your guest to take off their shoes or any other outdoor gear that might bring in bad weather. This will protect your floors from getting warped.
- Regulate Humidity — Extreme weather and humidity can have a huge impact on the expansion and contraction of your floors. It’s important to keep your humidity between 40% and 60% all year round in your business or home by venting the areas that create the most moisture. This will prevent the hardwood floors from moving.
- Clean your Floors — You can protect your floors as best you can but nothing is as good as giving your floors a good cleaning from the ice, salt and snow. Give your hardwoods some extra tender, loving care and the overall product will be rewarded.
Keeping your floors clean during the winter is crucial to its overall life. If you don’t take extra precautions, you can potentially shorten the life of your hardwood. Use simple solutions such as carpet rugs, asking visitors to remove their shoes and clean regularly. For more information about protecting your hardwood flooring, contact Ozburn-Hessey today.
