How Humidity Impacts Flooring & What You Can Do About It

Gainesville is notorious for its high humidity and has even been ranked among the most humid cities in all of Florida. Unfortunately, whether it’s from daily showers, leaks, cooking steam, or just a humid subtropical climate, fluctuations in humidity levels can wreak havoc on your flooring’s appearance and performance. Below, the experienced contractors with our Gainesville flooring company outline how humidity can affect your home’s flooring and share a few tips for protecting your floors from moisture damage.

Straight Edge Tile & Flooring is your trusted source for flooring installation, remodeling, and refinishing in Gainesville and the larger Alachua County area. Contact us today to request a free estimate on any of our flooring services!

Flooring Materials That Are Sensitive To Humidity

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood is beloved for its stylish, classic appearance, making it a popular choice among homeowners. Unfortunately, it’s susceptible to humidity fluctuations. High indoor humidity can cause hardwood boards to expand, leading to cupping, buckling, and damage as they push against one another. In low-humidity conditions, hardwood flooring can lose moisture, leading to cracks or gaps between boards.

Carpet

Carpet is highly sensitive to humidity and traps moisture, which can result in mold growth, musty smells, or damage to your carpet’s padding or subflooring. Worse yet, exposure to moisture can cause your carpet to wear down more quickly. If you have a carpeted area in your home that’s prone to high humidity levels or moisture, our flooring contractors recommend replacing that carpet with a more moisture-resistant material to avoid long-term damage and complications.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is popular for its affordability and appearance. Unfortunately, laminate often uses a fiberboard core, which absorbs moisture readily and makes it highly susceptible to humidity fluctuations. When indoor humidity levels are high, the fiberboard core of laminate planks will absorb moisture and expand, causing edges to lift and boards to warp. If you’re committed to installing laminate flooring in a home that’s prone to humidity, be sure to pick one labeled “waterproof.”

Tips For Protecting Flooring From Humidity In Florida

Choose Humidity-Resistant Flooring

When you’re selecting flooring for your Gainesville home, it’s essential to consider how moisture-resistant the material is before making any final decisions. The following are flooring types designed to resist swelling, warping, and mold growth from moisture exposure.

• Porcelain Or Ceramic Tile
• Engineered Hardwood
• Luxury Vinyl Planks
• Polished Concrete

These flooring materials are excellent choices for rooms that are prone to fluctuating humidity levels, such as bathrooms and kitchens!

Maintain Ideal Indoor Humidity Levels 

Managing your home’s indoor humidity levels is one of the best ways to avoid moisture-related damage to your home’s flooring. To keep most flooring types in pristine condition, aim for an indoor humidity level between 35% and 55%. Use a hygrometer to track your home’s humidity levels so you’ll know when it's necessary to make adjustments.

Ensure Proper Airflow & Ventilation

Keeping air moving with proper ventilation is essential to controlling indoor humidity levels. To avoid high humidity and moisture buildup:

• Run exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom
• Use ceiling fans to circulate air
• Keep HVAC vents and registers unobstructed
• Replace your AC’s air filter when it gets dirty

Invest In A Dehumidifier

If you live in a city with year-round high humidity, like Gainesville, investing in a dehumidifier is a smart way to protect your flooring and keep your home comfortable. A dehumidifier is a device designed to remove excess moisture from the air by absorbing it. This lowers your home’s humidity levels, preventing mold, mildew, dust mites, and damage to moisture-sensitive flooring. Dehumidifiers are available at most retail stores and are an easy way to protect your floors.

Custom Flooring Installations In Gainesville, FL!

Whether you’re updating the flooring in one room or undergoing a whole-home renovation, Straight Edge Tile & Flooring is your source for professional flooring installation services in Gainesville and the surrounding areas! Our skilled flooring contractors are local, licensed, insured, and dedicated to providing visually stunning results.

Browse our photo gallery to see our past projects, then give us a call to request an estimate for our flooring installation services! We can’t wait to hear from you!