Throughout San Jose, homeowners will have hardwood floors San Jose installed for many different reasons from creating a beautiful appearance to the home to increasing the home's value when placing the property on the market. Yet the temperature fluctuations in the San Jose area can drastically affect a hardwood floor. The boards can crack, split or develop large spaces between each plank to cause permanent damage. Often, the damage is the result of the humidity level in the home.

Ideal Humidity Levels

Humidity is the amount of water vapor that is currently present in the room. When there is low humidity, it means there is less water vapor in the air. High humidity indicates that there is more water vapor in the air. The levels of humidity in the room can be affected in many different ways such as furnaces, air conditioners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers or the weather outside. The ideal humidity levels for rooms with hardwood floors should range between 35% and 55%.

Effects Of Water Vapor On Hardwood Flooring

All wood is porous, as it has holes that allow it to draw in air and moisture. Even when wood is harvested for furniture or flooring, it still maintains its porous state as people will apply stains and sealant to protect the wood and increase its longevity. When hardwood floors in San Jose draw in too much water vapor, the boards swell and push against each other as they can buckle and cup.

The floor will look warped and create an uneven surface. Less water vapor in the air forces the flooring to dry out. The boards shrink as they can develop cracks along the grain or splinter. There may also be larger gaps between each board.

Lessening the Risks of Damage Caused by Humidity

Installers of hardwood floors in San Jose will commonly allow for space along the edges of the flooring that allow the floor to shrink and expand with the changes of the humidity.

The space is often hidden under the baseboard running along the walls. So when the floors expand from too much humidity, there is less pressure along the boards. Then the floor can shrink during days of lower humidity.

Checking the Humidity Levels

There are many products on the market that will allow a homeowner to check the humidity in the room. Hydrometers and humidistats can be found at local hardware stores as a person can find out how much water vapor is in the room and adjust the humidity to the ideal level.