During the winter, with all of the dirt, snow and ice that gets tracked through your home, your floors aren’t just susceptible to damage — they can become potentially hazardous. With a bit of preparation, you can make sure to keep your family and guests safe. Here are a few simple ways to stay safe this winter:
1. Add floor mats to entryways
One of the best and easiest ways to help make your floors safe this winter is to prevent dirt and water from tracking into your home. Place doormats at all of the entryways where people will be coming in from outside, such as garages and front doors, so they won’t track any debris or moisture into your home that could make your floors slippery.
2. Don’t leave space heaters unattended
It’s a good rule of thumb that you never leave space heaters unattended, but this is especially true on certain types of flooring. If you use a space heater that sits on carpet or a rug, always make sure you’re keeping an eye on it. Leaving it unattended for any period of time could present a fire hazard, especially around flammable materials such as carpet fibres.
3. Consider area rugs to prevent slipping
Area rugs aren’t just an aesthetic accessory that add style to your home. You can use area rugs strategically during the winter to reduce potential slipping hazards. Place area rugs in hallways, or in the kitchen and living room, just in case any moisture gets tracked into your home that could make hardwood and laminate floors slippery. Just be sure that area rugs are secured and don’t become slipping hazards themselves!
4. Seal natural stone
If you have natural stone floors in your home, you should make sure they have been properly sealed. Sealing natural stone has many benefits, from enriching the colour of your stone to protecting it from damage and discolouration. Choosing a penetrative sealer (rather than a sealer that sits on top of your natural stone) will help to keep your stone from becoming slippery and is a great option for winter months when the danger of slipping is increased.
At Bigelow Flooring, our experienced team has the knowledge to help keep your floors looking great, no matter the time of year! Contact us today for all of your floor installation and maintenance questions.
