Hardwood Floors + Indoor Humidity (in YYC)

[nobb]

I had my 1 year warranty walkthrough on a new home and the guy commented that they typically recommend 30% humidity to maintain the hardwood flooring as he noticed my flooring had minor bowing at the edges. My indoor humidity is about 50% right now and from Googling, it seems most manufacturer recommendations are 30-50% for hardwood.

The house has an HRV system of which I have interlocked with the furnace fan. The humidifier is set at 40% and from my data log, it has never kicked in. The thermostat is an Ecobee which allows me trending and historical viewing of the data.

Looking at the weather trends, Calgary seems to have outdoor relative humidity between 25% and 80% (very roughly) over the year.

http://calgary.weatherstats.ca/metrics/relative_humidity.html

So how is it possible to maintain a 30% humidity indoors for the flooring if the outdoor humidity is usually higher? Or have I configured my system incorrectly?

[lilmira]

Calgary is dry, how do you keep the humidity that high? If it's really that high, just open the windows, it'll be gone before you know it.

[ExtraSlow]

I have my humidifier working like hell to keep up to 30%, and if I have the windows open much, it goes below that pretty fast. I would LOVE 50%.

[roopi]

I've never got higher then about 40-42 percent. Curious how you can maintain 50.

[Darell_n]

Humidity sensors are very unreliable. That being said, if my house gets about 40% in the winter (-10°c) my windows will sweat until water runs down the wall. If you are actually up at 50% start using your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans more and check your closests along the floor for mould.

[revelations]

Originally posted by nobb
So how is it possible to maintain a 30% humidity indoors for the flooring if the outdoor humidity is usually higher? Or have I configured my system incorrectly?


-20c and 50% RH is measured outside, but once you heat that -20c air the RH will drop down to 10-20% inside.

The problems will be more noticeable in the summer when the spring rains start so 20c 60% outside = 20c 60% inside.

[bjstare]

Maybe OP has a shitload of plants in the house?

Grow op? :rofl:

Seriously though, plants. They'll do it.

[nobb]

Did some testing. You guys were right, opening some windows lowered the RH quickly, but as soon as my furnace kicks in it jumps up again. Then I realized it's because the return air circulates from the basement, which is also where I hang dry my laundry. Doh!

[ExtraSlow]

Any idea what the RH is in your basement? You might want to run the furnace fan continuously for a few days with a window cracked to get that to a reasonable level.

Although, 50% isn't a problem in my mind unless you are getting ice build-up on your windows.

[Rocket1k78]

Thats way too high, with a hygrometer im typically at 35%. Is it cupping or crowning?
http://www.wagnermeters.com/flooring/wood-flooring/trouble-hardwood-floors/