Exposure to moisture can be bad for your home’s interior – and yet, it’s such a prone area for it. The risks vary greatly from expensive repairs to health issues for your family.
Which is probably why we’ve seen a recent breakout in the popularity of waterproof flooring. And just in time too – industry innovations have resulted in a variety of styles and colors for waterproof selections across virtually all flooring types and materials.
Here, we’ll take a quick look at a few ways that waterproof flooring can benefit your home in both the short-term and long run.
Reduced Mold
Historically, carpet earned of reputation of easily soiled, difficult to clean. But cleaning carpet wasn’t just about removing a spot; if any liquids soaked through the backing (which they often did), mold could develop in the subfloor. Even worse, this mold couldn’t really be discovered until it was too late to avoid costly repairs.
Fortunately, even carpet can now be engineered to be waterproof. Specifically, we’re referring to the engineering process of its backing and fiber strands. For example, carpet using Anso® nylon with R2X fibers (such as Levade) is designed to prevent absorption. Even better, the LifeGuard® Waterproof Backing found on such carpet selections as Understudy prevents any fluids from soaking through the backing to the subfloor.
Another benefit of waterproof carpet: it keeps allergens, pet dander and dust under the fibers (thereby keeping them out of the air), yet prevents it from becoming embedded. So with a weekly cleaning of your floor, you are effectively filtering your home’s air! Just be sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Greater Structural Integrity
Mold is the only consequence of a moist subfloor. Over time, this can soften and sometimes even disintegrate your subfloor. For hardwood flooring, it can also cause the planks to warp, expand and buckle. Sadly, you can’t always be home in time to prevent accidental spills and leaks from damaging your home’s flooring. And if a leak is particularly severe, it just may seep its way down to your home’s foundation.
Fewer Stains
By its nature, waterproof flooring repels stain. Needless to say, this makes it much easier to keep floors pristine and well-maintained for the long run. It also means fewer calls to professional floor cleaners (although we still recommend this every 18 months for carpet).
Reduced Odors
This is especially great for pets: if your flooring (especially carpet) gets soiled, the odors won’t become embedded in your floor. Eliminating them is as simple as wiping the mess away, usually in a matter of seconds. As we mentioned earlier, you also won’t have to worry about the odors (or more dire consequences) caused by mold.
Learn More
As we’ve seen, it’s often difficult to detect damage caused by excess moisture until it’s too late. If you’re unsure of the current state of your home’s flooring – or if you’d like to browse the many options of waterproof flooring – visit the flooring experts at Aumsbaugh Flooring in Columbia City today!