With the coming change of seasons there is a lot of work to do in and around the house, but with a little preparation you can ensure that you are ready to enjoy your home to its fullest and most functional.
I know this is a little early to talk about but the sooner you prepare the less work you will have to do come the first drop in temperature and the first snowfall.
Climate
Wood floors love stable conditions in a home. With the wild fluctuations in temperature outside it is important to keep your home in a perfect comfort zone both for yourself and for your floors. Luckily floors and people thrive in similar environments so keeping the house anywhere between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius with a relative humidity between 40 to 55 per cent will ensure to keep the floors from warping or cupping.
Winterize
Get out your winter mats and keep the snow off your floors. Be sure to by the rubber insulated floor mats as regular rugs are porous and will also the snow to melt through. If you have kids or pets make sure that when they come in from the cold that they wipe their feet and get undressed at the entrance of the house to avoid tracking dirt and water throughout the house. Also buy a really good wet/dry mop to clean up after the kids when they don’t listen to you and track dirt and mud throughout the house. If spills and dirt are cleaned up fast enough then you will have happy floors for a long time.
Do a cleaning
Sweep and dust off your floors, under the couches, and clean out your heaters. Your heating system will run more efficiently and therefore keep the house at the ideal temperature. Cleaning all that dust off also will keep the house from smelling like you burned something on the stove.
Add comfort
Preparing your home is not just about preventing disasters it's also about making the house comfortable and cozy for those long winter nights. Clean out the fireplace and make sure it is ready to go. Get out your oversized blankets and comfy throw pillows ready for movies by the fire. And last but not least, don’t forget to relax, enjoy your home and your hardwood floors because that’s what they are for in the end, to make your house a home.