Protect Your Investment: How Nassau County’s Unique Climate Can Make or Break Your Beautiful Hardwood Floors

As a Nassau County homeowner, you’ve likely invested significantly in hardwood flooring to enhance your home’s beauty and value. However, unpredictable heat and humidity can cause your floorboards to degrade, which is why you want to maintain the right environment in your house to get the most out of hardwood floors. Understanding how our local climate affects your floors is essential for protecting this valuable investment.

Nassau County’s Climate: A Challenge for Hardwood Floors

Nassau County experiences warm and wet summers, freezing and snowy winters, and it is partly cloudy year round. February is the most humid month in Nassau with an average relative humidity of 83%, while April is the least humid month with an average relative humidity of 75%. This dramatic seasonal variation poses unique challenges for hardwood floor maintenance.

There is a notable climatic variation between Nassau and Suffolk counties, particularly during the winter, with Nassau generally experiencing milder temperatures. Despite this advantage, Nassau County homeowners still face significant humidity fluctuations that can damage hardwood floors without proper care.

The Science Behind Wood Movement

Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs and releases moisture to balance with its environment. When humidity rises, wood absorbs moisture and expands. During drier periods, it releases moisture and contracts. The ideal temperature and humidity for hardwood floors are between 35% and 45% at standard room temperature (~65 degrees F).

However, the ideal range typically falls between 35% and 55% relative humidity. Outside these parameters, several issues may develop: Below 35% humidity: Wood can dry excessively, leading to shrinkage, gaps between boards, and potential cracking. Above 55% humidity: Boards may swell, causing buckling, crowning, or cupping in severe cases.

Winter Challenges: When Heating Systems Work Against Your Floors

Winter weather is especially harsh on hardwood flooring. When temperatures begin to drop homeowners shut all their doors and windows and start to turn up the heat. This heat dries out your home, pulling moisture from the floors and causing them to shrink.

During the winter, humidity levels can drop as low as 15%, especially if you turn the heat on. Just like excessively low humidity is bad for your skin, your hardwood floors feel the same effects. As humidity falls, wood floors will release a portion of their moisture content, causing them to shrink and their seams to start to open up.

Low humidity levels have the potential to do serious damage to your floor. They cause the wood to dry out, which in turn weakens the wood, causing it to splinter, crack, and/or gap. The drying out process can also lead the floor to “check”, meaning it splits down the grain.

Summer Humidity: When Too Much Moisture Becomes a Problem

Nassau County’s humid summers present the opposite challenge. A relative humidity higher than 50% means your home has too much humidity. When humidity levels are high, wood floors absorb moisture and expand. This can cause cupping, in which the centers of the planks curve down and the edges curve up.

High humidity can also result in crowning, which is the opposite of cupping: the centers of the planks swell upward, higher than the edges. In a worst-case scenario, high humidity can cause wood floors to buckle, pulling away from the subfloor and forming a peak.

Protecting Your Hardwood Investment

Keep your home’s indoor humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent throughout the year. You can do this by using a humidifier over the winter and a dehumidifier or air conditioner over the summer. The humidifier should be set, and routinely checked, to maintain constant humidity levels of between 40% – 55%. While the settings on humidifiers vary, it is the overall humidity levels that are important to maintain. You can check humidity levels using a humidistat or hydrometer – both are relatively cheap and available at most hardware stores.

Your HVAC plays an integral role in maintaining temperature and, by extension, humidity levels. Regular and consistent service keeps your HVAC going strong so it can regulate moisture levels. Changing filters and cleaning coils prevents moisture build-up and mold growth that can take root in wooden floors.

When Professional Help Is Needed

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, humidity damage occurs. When floors show signs of cupping, crowning, or excessive gapping, professional intervention becomes necessary. If your floors require restoration, consider professional hardwood floor refinishing Nassau County services to bring them back to their original beauty.

KO Floors, serving Nassau County and Long Island, understands the unique challenges our local climate presents. Many years ago, Kevin Zaharios, our founder, embarked on a new adventure by establishing KO Floors. Boasting over half a century of experience, our team has been passionately transforming homes across Long Island, NY. At KO Flooring, our floor refinishing experts bring life back to your tired floors, restoring their natural beauty and extending their lifespan. We use industry-leading methods to provide a smooth, even finish that will leave your floors looking brand new.

Prevention Is Your Best Strategy

The best approach to protect your home is prevention and preparation. While you cannot prevent extreme fluctuations outdoors, you can purchase a humidifier and dehumidifier for use in different seasons to help control your humidity levels indoors.

Maintaining the ideal temperature and humidity for hardwood floors is arguably the best way to keep your floors in its original condition for years to come. By understanding Nassau County’s unique climate challenges and taking proactive steps to control your indoor environment, you can ensure your hardwood floors remain beautiful and valuable for decades to come.

Remember, every home is unique, and at KO Flooring, we strive to provide customized flooring solutions that cater to your individual requirements. Our design experts work closely with you to understand your preferences, budget, and lifestyle, helping you select the perfect hardwood flooring option that complements your home’s aesthetic. Don’t let Nassau County’s climate variations damage your beautiful investment – take action today to protect your hardwood floors.