Snow and ice have the power to affect your home in numerous ways, including heavy ice dams on your roof. And while most of the focus is paid to the external damage snow and ice can inflict on a home, not as much attention is given to the interior. These elements can seriously damage the flooring in your home, including hardwood floors and carpet, without the right preventative measures.

What Does Snow & Ice Do to Flooring & What Can I Do to Prevent It?

Types of Damage

The puddles melted snow and ice create on your floors can cause a variety of problems if they are not attended to right away. While ceramic tile and vinyl plank flooring are virtually impervious to water damage when they are installed correctly, other floor types are not so fortunate. Hardwood can warp and stain when they are constantly exposed to water, such as large pieces of snow that melt into and underneath the floorboards. Unsealed hardwood floors are especially vulnerable to water damage.

Carpet and laminate flooring also sustain water damage from melted snow and ice. Improperly installed laminate flooring swells when humidity levels or water exposure is high. The image and wear layers separate from the underlying fiberboard and can take up to two weeks to dry fully; however, the flooring will never look exactly the same again.

As for carpets, their synthetic fibers do not hold moisture, causing any water or melted snow/ice to sink through the backing onto the padding or subflooring. This provides the opportunity for mold and mildew to flourish and affect the air quality of your home, as both types of fungus thrive in dark, damp conditions.

What You Can Do

Instead of letting snow and ice harm your carpets, hardwood, and other household flooring this winter, use simple tactics to keep these elements out of your home. Place mats in front of every entry door and implement a “take the shoes off at the door” rule to avoid snow and ice deposits around your residence.

Eliminate any puddles immediately and clean your floors on a regular basis to keep them free of snow, ice, dirt, and rock salt. Other preventative measures include installing protective mats and rugs in high-traffic areas to maintain pristine floors.

If you need new flooring this winter or any other time, find what’s perfect for your home at Georgia Direct Carpet Outlet. Located in Hamilton, OH, this superstore features the largest flooring selection in the Tri-State area. Choose from a wide range of carpets and rugs as well as ceramic tile, hardwood, vinyl, and laminate flooring, all of which are from top manufacturers such as Shaw and Mohawk. Call (513) 894-7700 today with questions or review the inventory online.