Seasonal Damage

• Lack of air flow can wear out wood floors. When the hot summer sun shines through windows onto the floor it heats the wood and lowers the humidity. Moisture vapors form to raise the humidity, but as night cools the wood, too much humidity builds up and floors can buckle. To prevent this from happening, add vents, use exhaust fans and use a dehumidifier. Furnaces that run all winter with no moisture added can shrink wood floors and cause them to crack. At this time of year, exhaust fans need to be turned off and a humidifier needs to be used. Quick fixes for adding humidity to the air include boiling a pan of water on the stove and opening the dishwasher before the drying cycle begins. Icy, snowy areas use road salt to make roads safer to drive on. People spread salt on driveways and sidewalks to make them safer to walk on. The bad thing about this is that salt tracked into your home can scratch wood floors. Sand, dirt and grit tracked in during other seasons can also scratch floors. Floor mats should be placed inside and outside all your entrances and area rugs should be placed over high traffic areas.
  
  

Damage from Household Members

• Children, pets, guests and even you can harm your wood floor without thinking. Pulling a chair away from a table or dragging furniture across the floor can leave scratches and marks. Wearing high heels and dropping heavy objects can scratch, scuff and dent the wood. Pets' nails and children's toys can scratch and wear away the finish. Spills that aren't wiped up immediately can stain and discolor wood, especially if the finish is worn. Pet accidents and diapers left on the floor can leave dark spots that penetrate into the wood. Keeping the floor clear of dirt, grit and other debris is important in keeping your wood in good condition, but using cleaners that are too strong or cleaning improperly can damage the finish.
  
  

Prevention and Care

• Put felt protectors on your furniture so your floor is protected when someone drags a chair from the table. Clip your pets' nails and lay floor mats and rugs in high traffic areas and places like the kitchen and children's rooms that are more likely to suffer damage. Put heavy items on lower shelves so if they fall, they aren't as likely to damage the wood. Make "no high heels" a rule or make sure the heels have heel protectors. Take care when cleaning your wood floor. Vacuum, use a gentle cleanser made for wood floors and wring out mops completely before mopping. Taking these steps will keep your wood floor in good condition.