Wednesday 30 September 2020

HOW DO I RAISE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN MY HOME?


As winter approaches, hardwood households throughout the northern hemisphere are starting to think about how to prepare for the coming months. With temperatures cooling, outside air can hold less and less moisture, and when that already dry air gets pulled inside and heated, the relative humidity (RH) within your home can drop to dangerous levels—for your health and your woodwork.

By now, you are probably aware of the adverse effects of dry winter air. Chapped lips, cracked skin, worsened asthma symptoms and respiratory infections become more frequent as the dry air takes its toll on your body. Static electricity generates annoying shocks, crazy hair and unexpected appendages to your clothing. The plants start to shrivel, the wood starts to crack, and unsightly gaps appear in your hardwood floors, and the air sucks the moisture out of organic materials to make up for its deficit.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do, from temporary, localized fixes to long-term, whole-house alterations to combat the dry winter air and reclaim your health and comfort.

PLANTS

If the RH in your home is just a little low in certain places, you may find that items already in your house are all you need to bring a room back to comfortable levels.
If you have houseplants, find a mister or spray bottle and mist the plants every day; this will help them to get the added moisture they need (plants typically like about 10% more moisture than people and wood) and will add a small amount of moisture to the ambient air. Some people also use a spray bottle to spritz a light mist throughout a dry room, but this requires that the mist be fine enough and in a small enough volume that the moisture does not settle onto floors and furniture. We think this seems a bit labor-intensive, not to mention risky for your hardwood.
Another quick fix often used by folks with plants is to fill a shallow tray with small, decorative stones or pebbles and fill the tray about halfway with water, leaving the tops of the rocks exposed; this will allow for slow evaporation throughout the day and the basin can double as a tray to catch extra water from houseplants. Depending on what they are made of, you can also set these trays near heat sources or in sunny windows, to encourage evaporation. Of course, this method requires some maintenance, as you will need to refill the tray regularly and you will want to wash the stones from time to time to prevent mold.
Plants, in general, can also help to increase the RH in a room, as there is bound to be some excess moisture at each watering. You will naturally want to take care that pots are not placed directly on wood floors or in areas where watering is likely to cause drips or overflow that could cause damage.

AROUND THE HOUSE

Certain daily activities naturally generate large amounts of humidity. Small adjustments can make these activities work to your advantage, and cut down on energy costs to boot.
If you have space, consider setting your clean clothes out to dry on racks rather than tossing them in the dryer. As they dry, that pure, fresh-smelling moisture will be directly absorbed into the surrounding air, leaving clothes dry and air moist, at least for a time. If you don’t want to wait, you can even use a fan to help speed up the process—the result will be the same.
A similar principle applies to the dishwasher. Most modern dishwashers allow you to stop the machine at the end of the wash cycle and air dry rather than bake drying the dishes. If you open the dishwasher door for the drying process, all of that warm, moist air can escape into the dry air in your home. Because the dishes will be hot from washing, they will usually dry reasonably quickly and without spots, just as though you had baked them, but the valuable moisture will raise the air quality in your home instead of getting siphoned off outside, where it is not needed.
Like a steaming hot shower to push out the cold winter? Your house might like it, too. Instead of clearing the bathroom with a vented fan after a shower, try opening the door and letting the moist air blend with the drier air in the hall or bedroom.

SINGLE-ROOM HUMIDIFIERS

Room humidifiers are just what they sound like—humidifiers, usually reasonably portable, designed to raise the amount of moisture in the air of a single room (about 12’x12’ with a 10’-12’ ceiling). They come in several varieties and are usually quite affordable, with decent models starting at $30-40, though the fancier ones, which can, for example, be set to operate automatically depending on RH levels, can be as much as $1,000 or more. That’s why many people opt in for humidifier and air purifier combo units to get the best of both functionalities.
Ultrasonic, or cool mist humidifiers, are currently among the most popular options for adding moisture to a room and are generally recommended for families because they do not involve any heating implement or steam that could cause injury to a curious child. In an ultrasonic humidifier, a small metal diaphragm vibrating at ultrasonic frequency breaks water into tiny water droplets that are then blown by a fan into the air. Though the water in these humidifiers must be changed frequently to avoid microorganism growth, they are quieter than some other types of humidifiers and use only a little electricity. An alternative to the ultrasonic is an impeller humidifier which uses a rotating disc to fling water at a diffuser that, in turn, breaks the water into minute droplets that then diffuse into the air, for a similar effect. Distilled water is recommended for either style, as tap water tends to be rich in minerals that can create unwelcome deposits after a time.
Vaporizers, or warm mist humidifiers, are essentially steam machines. They consist of a reservoir of water and a mechanism for heating the water to its gaseous form, which then takes its natural course into the air. Vaporizers are often the humidifier of choice because the heating process kills many microorganisms that might otherwise be released into the air and the steam leaves behind heavy minerals that could, over the long term, leave residue around the room. They are also nice for combating winter-time respiratory infections and can be enhanced with medicated inhalants and natural essences to improve respiratory health. On the other hand, a vaporizer requires a heating device, which always poses a risk of injury and fire (though these are usually minimal) and entails somewhat higher energy usage.
Evaporative humidifiers are the most basic of the single-room machines, and work on the same principles as some of the quick fixes described above, though they are, of course, more consistent. These simple mechanisms draw water from a reservoir in no small wicking surface from which the water can evaporate. The fan then blows air onto the surface to encourage evaporation. Evaporative humidifiers are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, and these humidifiers can typically cover larger areas than other styles of room humidifiers.

WHOLE HOUSE HUMIDIFIERS

As you might guess, there are also humidifiers that can be connected directly to your forced air heating and cooling system, so you can use your existing ductwork to raise relative humidity for wood floors. Like room-style devices, whole-house apparatus work in a variety of ways.
Drum humidifiers are one of the more cost-effective whole-house humidifiers to install and maintain. Inside the unit, a rotating evaporator pad called a drum wicks water from a pan and moved it into the air stream of your heating system, which evaporates the water then carries the moisture as air circulates. The container is automatically refilled from a pipe in much the same manner as a toilet tank. You will need to replace the pad of a drum humidifier regularly, and the pan cleaned from time to time to prevent mold and mildew, but the system itself will run automatically, activated and deactivated by a humidistat, which monitors your home’s relative humidity.
Disc wheel humidifiers operate in much the same way as drum models, only instead of a sponge-like pad, a group of plastic, grooved discs carry the water into the air stream; this can be preferable because the plastic resists mold and does not need to be replaced very often, and the output is somewhat higher because of increased surface space for evaporation.
Bypass flow-through humidifiers use fresh water rather than a water reservoir as their water source, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning that a standing-water pan entails. With these units, an electronically controlled valve opens when the humidity drops below a certain point, causing fresh water to flow across a porous aluminum and ceramic evaporator pad. The pad is placed, so that warm, dry air is forced through it by the furnace blower, evaporating the water, which it carries with it as it circulates throughout the house.
Spray, or mist, whole-house humidifiers, like the drum and disc-wheel styles, are activated by a humidistat. As its name would suggest, the unit releases a fine mist of fresh water into the heating system’s ductwork, which distributes it evenly throughout the home. Often smaller in size, spray models can fit in spaces where other styles are not an option. And, because it has no water pan, maintenance for a spray unit is relatively low, though spray nozzles (custom sized according to the volume of air in your home) can get clogged by hard water deposits.

Friday 3 April 2020

Wood Flooring Guide For Property Renovators

Wood flooring is featured in many residential properties as well as in commercial properties across the united kingdom. In this guide to wood flooring, we'll focus on the essential aspects youpersonally, as a property owner needs to focus on.

Flooring Type - Solid Wood Vs. Engineered Wood

Before we used the term'pay attention' because pay more you will if you choose the incorrect kind of wood flooring for your premises. Strong floors are made from complete 100% wood, whereas engineered flooring are made from Plywood, MDF and wood. Each has type has its pros and cons and your choice ought to be based about the specific features of each kind.

Strong Flooring - Because each plank of solid wood flooring is created of total wood, you'll be able to sand and stain the wood up to 7 times, thereby significantly extending its durability (and saving you spending more).

Engineered Floors - Due to the structure, engineered hardwood flooring respond better to damp and moist conditions. Properties that are located alongside a water supply (river, flow and so on) or areas which experience damp conditions (the kitchen for example) are more suitable for engineered floors, the engineered floors are also appropriate to be placed over under floor heating, and please note we recommend to use the 14mm or the 15mm thick ones.

Wood Flooring Noise and Acoustic Insulation

Beneath The Housing Act 2004 vulnerability to unusually loud or constant noise inside a house or within its curtilage is regarded as a danger to the physical and psychological health of the occupants. As a property owner fitting hardwood floors, particularly in a block of apartments, you must know about means to reduce noise and improve insulation.

Quality underlay - An underlay is an essential portion of fitting flooring since it radically improves the functioning of the floor. You will be wise to supply acoustic barrier underlay which has insulation properties providing noise reduction and footsteps loss of up to 22db. Each underlay will comprise amongst its attributes two important attributes, walking noise reduction (in percentage) and impact noise insulation in dB (Decibel). The depth and materials will make the underlay better or worse in terms of insulation.

Wood Flooring Coating and Finish

The 3rd consideration for a property owner is the finish of the wood. Again, the incorrect end could end up costing you more money fairly soon. Each plank of wood is covered in a thin layer referred to as wood flooring finish or coating. In most possessions, it has only a decorative aspect, deciding between matt, shiny or some other appearance, nevertheless as a property owner durability must be a top consideration. Here are some of the choices popular with property developers and owners:

Lacquer End -- A glow finish, durable, cost effective and requires low maintenance. Lacquer is considered extremely durable because it stays on the wood's surface.

Oil Finish -- Matt finish, less durable in contrast to lacquer, however oil is simpler to fix. Oil complete will quickly sink into the timber, therefore providing less durability in comparison with lacquer finish.

UV Oil End - Considered the best compromise between the first two, the finish presents a light gloss look and all of the sturdiness of the lacquered finished.

Enjoy your brand new floor.

Friday 1 November 2019

What is Hand Scraped Wood Flooring?

Hand Engineered flooring is a type of hardwood flooring which has additional definition and texture added the surface. The planks of flooring have been made the same manner as every other hardwood floors. Then the surface has been scraped, by hand before the boards are finished with oil or lacquer. If you choose this type of flooring, you will notice that no two planks will be the exact same. This is because every plank has been individually hand scraped and finished.

Why should I select hand scraped hardwood flooring?

If you're looking for flooring that's somewhat different that adds warmth, character and a rustic appeal, then hand scraped is also a superb option. It is possible to locate this specific sort of floors in various board widths, lengths and thickness, so make sure you select something that will match your area. What's more, hand scraped floors is generally made kind Oak. This really is the most frequent species of wood used for floors. But many have experienced color stains added so you will discover a broad assortment of colors to pick from.

Engineered hardwood floors is the best fit for almost any home, particularly if you're searching for a floor having a rustic charm and extra character.

Where do I utilize hand scraped wood flooring?

You can use wood in exactly the exact same way as normal hardwood floors. It is only the surface of the floor that looks and feels different. So, in case you have engineered hand scraped hardwood you can float over an underlay or glue it down into the subfloor. It is also good to remember that engineered timber may be used with underfloor heating and in conservatories. Alternatively, when you've strong hand scraped wooden flooring you must mend it down to the subfloor for stability.

How do I look after hand scarped hardwood flooring?

You'll discover hand scraped floors really easy to look after. All you will need to do is sweep away dirt and dust on a daily basis and clean using a wood flooring cleaning solution if needed.

Thursday 11 October 2018

PROPER MAINTENANCE AFFECTS THE LIFESPAN OF OAK FLOORING

These days, oak floors are becoming one of the most popular flooring, as they include a natural look to the appearance of the room. Oak wood is offered in two different types - white oak and walnut. You can opt for , as both of these have their own sets of advantages.

After installing bamboo flooring in your home, you have to consider the maintenance of bamboo flooring to boost the lifespan.

The Best Way to maintain oak floors

You should use protections beneath the legs of tables and chairs, as it will aid in avoiding scratches on the surface of the floor.

You also need be careful that there's not any direct sunlight hitting the ground, since it will fade it. So, you may use drapes, UV-resistant blinds or film to guard your oak floors from sunlight.

You also need to take care that there is no water flow on the floor. If any type of spill takes place then you want to immediately wipe it with a dry piece of cloth.

Friday 29 June 2018

ADD AN AUTUMNAL TOUCH TO YOUR HOME

The start of spring is not the only point of the year at which you may overhaul the look of your home, and the beginning of fall provides you with just as great an opportunity. And, if you still have rugs in your house, why don't you overhaul the look of your home by replacing them with hardwood floors?

Wooden flooring is fantastic for including a rustic, autumnal touch to your home, and can make your whole property feel comfortable and homely.

With wooden flooring, you have many different options, although when you're searching to add a rustic, autumnal touch to your house, the ultra-rich tones of jarrah, jabota and merbau flooring is perfect.

Even though you could add an autumnal touch to your home yourself, if DIY isn't your very best gift, it is perhaps a wiser idea to just let an expert install it.

Professionals offer some very competitive prices at the moment, and if you've had little or no expertise with wooden flooring before, their advice on the best way to keep the ideal rustic appearance all year round will also be extremely beneficial.

Step into autumn with lovely decor by choosing wooden flooring.