Increased Heat and Vinyl

In the UK, we have seen record-setting amounts of heat that have affected our way of living and, with our homes not set for air conditioning, our floors have been sometimes too hot to stand on with bare feet.

Your flooring can be subjected to changes during these months – even with luxury vinyl flooring. As heat rises, vinyl flooring expands – and direct sunlight can also cause that expansion to happen. When you have too much expansion, the flooring can curl, buckle or peak.

To lessen the impact this heatwave can have on your luxury vinyl flooring, there are some steps you can take to ensure they are not affected.

Temperature Control

Vinyl plank flooring – such as Luvanto luxury vinyl flooring – performs best in temperature-controlled environments between 15oC and 30oC throughout the year. Any excessive heat to your floor’s surface can result in peaks, where excessive cold temperatures can make your floor stiffer or more brittle.

During the summer, you can protect your vinyl planks or tiles by keeping the temperature inside the home relatively stable. Sliding glass doors and windows can act as magnifying glasses and intensify the surface heat. If you have glass doors or windows, use blinds and curtains during your peak sunlight hours to protect your flooring.

This helps to reduce the heat coming in and also helps to protect the surface of the vinyl floor from fading or discolouration.

Mats

Many other elements can play a direct conflict with your vinyl flooring. During the summer months, more instances of dirt, mud, sand and small rocks can be dragged across your flooring.

Not only does this make your floor look dirty, but it could affect the design and wear layers of your floor if they do not get cleaned up instantly. To help reduce this risk, put down mats at your door entrances so that feet can be wiped upon entry and eliminate a large portion of what can be trampled indoors.

Regularly Check Felt Pads

As you will have been informed upon installing vinyl flooring, deep scratches can occur with furniture feet – which is why you are advised to install felt pads on the feet.

If you have done this, you need to regularly check them to see if they are still effective. They will need to be replaced over time and increased heat can affect their material which may weaken them, which can begin the process of damaging your floor. With more and more outside material tracked into your home, your felt pads can collect a certain amount of dirt over time that prevents them from effectively doing their job.

Having some added consideration for your luxury vinyl flooring during the hot months helps to protect the warranty and long-lifespan that they can provide. Contact the team at Floorbay today for all of your vinyl flooring needs.