How to Protect Your Hardwood Floors from Summertime & Sunshine
There’s a reason why hardwood floors are popular among homeowners around the country. Hardwood floors have a distinctly elegant look and can significantly influence the energy of any room in your home. Additionally, they tend to be much easier to care for on a day-to-day basis than carpeted floors.
However, there are some characteristics of hardwood flooring that are important to keep in mind. This is especially true if you live in a Maryland home with many windows and a lot of natural light, as hardwood floors and direct sunlight aren’t always the best of friends. Read on to learn more if you already have wood floors installed or are considering them for your home.
Ways to Protect Hardwood Floors from Sun Damage
Once summer rolls around and your Maryland home receives direct sunlight for most of the day, it’s time to start considering how you’ll keep your floors safe from damage. The UV light from the sun can break down certain chemicals in your wood floor and cause its appearance to fade. And summer humidity can cause the wooden planks to expand with moisture and warp.
Neither of these outcomes is desirable as they can negatively affect both the appearance and the functionality of your floors. Let’s take a look at a few of the best ways to protect hardwood floors from humidity and excessive sunlight.
Close Your Blinds During the Hottest Part of the Day
If you’re used to Maryland summers, you’re probably already in the habit of keeping your blinds closed during the heat of the day to keep your home as cool as possible. However, this practice could also protect hardwood floors in your home, especially if your home has windows that allow direct sunlight to fall onto your hardwood floors throughout most of the day.
Consider Low-E Windows for Your Hardwood Floored Rooms
Low-e windows are made with a specific type of glass that minimizes the admission of UV and infrared light using a special coating. This coating is thinner than a piece of human hair, so Low-E windows can be effective without looking noticeably different from regular glass windows. Low-e glass is a great way to protect the wood around your windows from becoming faded by excessive UV light. Additionally, these windows could even help keep your home cooler during the summer.
Use Dehumidifiers to Keep Hardwood Floors Healthy
Excessive humidity is one of the worst things for your hardwood floors, and Maryland summers are nothing if not humid. A dehumidifier can help keep your home’s climate more comfortable during the hottest months of the year and protect your hardwood floors from warping or cupping due to high humidity.
Depending on the amount of wood flooring you have in your home, you may need more than one dehumidifier. Optimal humidity levels for hardwood floor health are between 35% and 45%. You can also help to keep humidity levels stable by using your air conditioner unit daily.
Use the Room’s Furnishings to Your Advantage
In some cases, the easiest way to protect your floor from the summer sun and humidity damage is by covering particularly vulnerable spots with other objects. Use furniture pieces like rugs, chairs, or tables to cover the floors and regularly rotate the furnishings to avoid them getting sun damage of their own.
Contact Elite Hardwood Flooring for Installations, Repairs, Sanding, and Finishing
From hardwood floor repair to new floor installation and everything in between, make sure you trust the pros every time. Contact the hardwood flooring experts at Elite Hardwood Flooring to get started today.
