Safe Humidity For Wood Floors
You should maintain an indoor humidity level of about 40 60.
Safe humidity for wood floors. For some very exotic hardwoods you may need to maintain a humidity level no lower than 40 in order to preserve the shape of the wood but this is rare. The typical range for the best comfort during the summer as listed in the home humidity levels chart is between 30 45. How does relative humidity affect your hardwood floors. The recommended humidity range for wood floors is between 45 and 55 and some fluctuation within this range is acceptable.
Most experts agree that an ideal level of indoor humidity is around 45 although anything between 35 and 55 is acceptable. Hardwood floors should have indoor humidity levels of between 35 to 45. So what s a safe humidity range for your wood floors. Most experts agree that an ideal level of indoor humidity is around 45 although anything between 35 and 55 is acceptable.
Always be prepared when installing hardwood floors and make sure you regularly check the rh in your home to keep your floors from being damaged. You can practically set your clock to the changes your hardwood floors go through with the changing seasons. Summer is usually not as big of a problem as winter. And i mean all year round.
So if this was a particularly hot and humid summer a long one at that where you live you may have been tempted to throw the doors and windows open rather than waste energy using the air conditioner. As we just saw however this range can often be difficult to achieve in certain areas of the country during certain seasons. It depends on ambient humidity and temperature conditions wood is a hygroscopic material meaning that it will gain or lose moisture until it reaches an equilibrium with its surroundings. So what s a safe humidity range for your wood floors.
To put it into perspective the humidity levels in florida frequently hover in the high 90 range while the humidity in las vegas can go as low as 18. The ideal relative humidity level for your home and your floors is between 38 and 42 percent. What amount of moisture is safe for hardwood flooring. Humidity lower than 30 also poses a threat as it can cause permanent damage to your flooring.
Take steps now to manage your humidity levels and prevent these issues. When the humidity gets above 50 it can lead to many problems both health and flooring related. It s the same as for us.