Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a Relative Humidity range of 35-55% and a Temperature range 60-80° F. During the winter heating season, Relative Humidity levels plummet and extra care must be taken to maintain an adequate environment for your wood flooring to perform optimally, i.e. without failure. Nearly every wood floor will have some seasonal separation between the individual boards – this is normal. However, excessive shrinkage from low RH levels can cause more serious, irreparable issues like cracking, cupping, delamination, and even buckling. This can be prevented by using a humidifier during the cold winter months.
