Winter is coming and it’s best to be prepared.  For some, a gentle snowfall brings joy and excitement.   For others, there’s trepidation over perilous driving conditions.  Love it or hate it, cold weather can present significant challenges to your business.   But have you stopped to consider how the interior of your property might be affected?   In a previous post we covered how your carpets can be affected.  This time we’re digging into why you should maintain hard flooring, especially during the colder months.
First of all, What is Hard Floor Maintenance?
Beyond the basics of sweeping and mopping, floor maintenance usually begins with a deep clean. Weighted machines fitted with various pads are used for the scrubbing. Special detail brushes are used on corners, edges, grout lines, etc. Depending on the type of floor, maintenance might involve chemically stripping off the old surface coating. After the floor is thoroughly cleaned, it’s usually given fresh layers of protective sealer.
Winter Weather Brings Unique Challenges to your Floors.
Cold temps paired with heavy precipitation can invite water intrusion. And once water gets in, it’s all downhill from there (sorry). From groundwater flooding to pipe breaks, water can wreak havoc on your business. The downhill cause and effect can be damaging. Freezing temps can cause expansion and contraction of wood around doors, roofs, and windows. This can lead to gaps where water (ever the opportunist) can find its way in.
The popular practice of spreading snow melt and small rocks for deicing and bringing better traction to sidewalks presents more unique problems. This can get tracked inside, where the abrasive salt and rock can cause scratching to your floor. Fun stuff, right? Anyway, you get the idea. We’ll move on as we’re all about solutions…
Tile and Grout Flooring
While durable and often resistant to many types of damage, tile and grout flooring can still be vulnerable under certain conditions. Here are some reasons why tile and grout flooring may be susceptible to damage.
- Grout Erosion: grout is a porous material that can erode over time due to exposure to water. As grout wears away, it can create gaps between tiles, leading to instability and potential tile breakage.
- Staining: grout is prone to staining, especially in areas where spills occur. If spills are not promptly cleaned, the grout can absorb liquids and become discolored. Certain substances, like red wine, coffee, or oil, can be particularly problematic.
- Temperature Changes: extreme temperature changes, especially in areas with freeze-thaw cycles, can cause tiles to expand and contract, leading to cracking or other damage.
- Inadequate Sealing: grout is porous, and if not properly sealed can absorb moisture and stain. This can lead to discoloration and mold growth.
Grout can be sealed and protected with a penetrative, impregnating sealer. 511 impregnator is a barrier against these types of threats. It’s not a top sealer. Rather, it fills up the semi-porous holes in the grout. This product has an invisible finish and is very durable.
Is your grout embarrassingly dirty? It can be restored with a light acid wash and rigorous scrubbing using weighted down floor machines and grout brushes. Note: this deep-cleaning process is best performed by a professional.
Vinyl flooring
VCT (vinyl-composite-tile) and sheet vinyl flooring are generally durable, but they’re not ‘everything-proof’. Here’s why you should periodically check in with the condition of your vinyl flooring.
- Extreme Temperatures: vinyl flooring can be sensitive to extreme temperature changes. Exposure to excessive heat or cold can cause the material to expand or contract, potentially leading to warping or other damage.
- Direct Sunlight: prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause fading and discoloration in vinyl flooring. Or to the flooring’s top sealer. Using window coverings or UV-resistant window films can help minimize this effect.
- Moisture and Water Damage: while vinyl is generally water-resistant, excessive moisture or water accumulation in seams and edges can lead to damage, including warping, lifting, or mold growth.
Where to begin with Vinyl Floor Maintenance
Again, inspect the floor for damage. Tiles that are popping, warping, or cracked should be removed and replaced.
Protect it with wax
Vinyl flooring requires a protective wear layer. The wear layer provides protection against daily wear and tear. Thicker wear layers are generally more durable. Flooring with a thin layer or no layer at all are more susceptible to damage.
Wear layers are sometimes referred to as sealer or a top-coat. The most commonly used product is a water-based wax. Wax will give the floor a beautiful shine, while protecting it against moisture related threats. The wax will also take the hits and scratches that can come from small rocks and boots. Or the dragging of heavy furniture like floor safes or grand pianos (we’ve heard it before!)
Wax is not a durable as polyurethane and other top sealers. Over-time it can discolor. It can also chip away from routine foot traffic.
An annual maintenance service of floor stripping and re-waxing is generally recommended. Depending on the amount of traffic that your floor receives, quarterly machine scrubbing and waxing could also be in order.
For some facilities, such as retail showrooms a monthly buffing and polishing of the wax can be performed to maintain a high-shine look.
Wood Flooring
Many types of hard surface flooring can be expensive, but true wood flooring might land near the top of that list. Hardwood is so durable that it can be easy to overlook the need to properly maintain it. The complete list of wood floor types is lengthy, as are the care and maintenance techniques. For now we’ll touch on the basics. Here are some reasons why wood flooring can be susceptible to damage, especially during winter.
- Moisture: wood is sensitive to changes in moisture levels. Excessive moisture can cause wood to swell, warp, or cup, leading to structural damage and an uneven surface.
- Humidity Fluctuations: wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Sudden or extreme fluctuations in humidity levels can result in the wood moving and, over time, may lead to damage.
What to do
Vacuum and/or sweep the floor often, removing debris and contaminants.
Wet mop using little to no water. Water doesn’t mix with oil, and it also doesn’t play nice with wood.
Lastly, make sure the floor has the appropriate type of sealer applied to it. Some wood flooring requires a protective layer of sealer to act as a barrier against damage and moisture. Depending on the type of wood, and it’s hardness, be sure to follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations. Ever wonder which types of hardwood floors are the most durable? The Janka Hardness Scale is a good place to start.
Winter is Coming and You’re Calm, Cool and Collected with Properly Maintained Floors
We hope this gives you some insight into how to protect your investment in quality hard surface flooring. Winter weather patterns can be unpredictable and you never know when water might strike next. Do you have questions why you should maintain hard flooring? Our Service Consultants can help assess the condition of your flooring and offer maintenance solutions at no charge.