It will change along with the seasons, but it shouldn’t usually go far from this range. This is because it takes more moisture to reach the saturation point where it will condense into water.Ī reading of between 40-65% RH would be expected in most homes. The colder the air is in a given area, the higher its RH value will be. RH for a given area may change depending on the ambient temperature and humidity. RH is a relative value of the amount of moisture needed to saturate the air at the current temperature.

Relative humidity (RH) is the term used for the measurement of how much moisture is in the air relative to how much moisture the air will hold before it begins condensing into water. Humidity simply means the amount of water vapour in the air, i.e. To understand how things can go wrong when installing wood flooring, it’s useful to have some knowledge of relative humidity and moisture content. With the right precautions, the movement should be minimal and barely noticeable. These changes in moisture content will cause the wood to swell or shrink this is an entirely natural characteristic of hardwood flooring- it will always move. Wood is a hygroscopic material, meaning it is susceptible to holding and releasing water molecules via either absorption or adsorption. Thankfully, with the right preparation, acclimatisation, and installation of your floors, you can avoid all of these flooring problems. Most problems like these are a by-product of one thing: a significant change in the moisture content of the wood. When having wood flooring fitted, the thought of it shrinking, warping, or buckling is the not always a client’s top concern- until it’s too late.

Emc meaning wood