Relative humidity for a house
Q: What is the recommended relative humidity for a house in mixed climate (heat & Air condition)? The house is equipped with a humidifier to regulate the RH during the heating season. The house is equipped with forced air heat but, at night, the owners shut down the forced air and heat with wall radiators with hot water circulated from a gas fired boiler. The *** Pine flooring is shrinking, leaving unsightly cracks between the boards (some, but not all).
A: The issue of relative humidity is an interesting one. Pre finished manufacturers tell us to keep the humidity level at about 45-50%. Quite frankly, that is too high in the cold winter months. You would have water running down your windows.
If you keep it above 30% in winter, say best is 35-40% and in summer not more than 65% you should be fine. I have been told that a big factor in this: try to keep the floor near to the relative humidity at which it was installed, but keeping the above facts in mind. If you can avoid huge swings in humidity there shouldn’t be a lot of floor movement, although pine seems famous for major shrinkage in the first season or so after it has been installed.
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