If you're worried about hardwood floors being cold on the feet, don't be; they're actually better for keeping your home warm. Hardwood floors help heat move through your home.
The bottom line is that wood is a conductor, and the carpet is an insulator.
Carpets stop heat from moving, but wood absorbs heat and allows it to circulate. People have a wrong perception that carpet holds onto the heat when it only reduces the energy flow in your home. This means that your heating has to work much harder to push heat through the carpets and warm up your whole house. On the other hand, hardwood improves your home’s heat circulation and allows heat to pass through it.
Wood Floors Provide Heat
Hardwood floors also maintain heat longer than carpets because they have a higher thermal mass. Solid materials can significantly reduce the temperature fluctuation in your home because they store and absorb heat, while carpet fibers simply represent a barrier. Materials with high thermal mass save money on your utilities because your house won't have to work as hard to keep its cool during the heat of the day or maintain its warmth late at night. The temperature will stay more constant.
How to Keep Your Feet Warm in a Home with Wood Floors
While wood floors may make your utility bills smaller and make your house warmer, what about cold feet? If cold feet are an issue for you, there are ways you can make your floors warmer underfoot.
- Get a Rug
Rugs are a great way to keep your feet warm in many different areas of your home. From an entryway and bathroom to the kitchen, a rug is an easy way to manage the cold wood floor.
- Get a Space Heater
Inevitably, some parts of your home will be colder than others. You can find an affordable space heater to tuck in a corner or put under your desk.
- Put On Socks
It may be obvious, but a good pair of fuzzy slippers or wool socks can work wonders. Be sure you wear something with treads or grips on the bottom to prevent skidding.
- An Easy Fix
If only some areas of your floors are cold, you may just have a circulation issue. To fix it, you can buy a few air deflectors. An air deflector attaches to a grate by magnets to redirect the heat flow.
Would you like to talk with us about hardwood floors? We’re here to help. Contact us at 920-984-3383, 800-354-9902 or info@ralphshardwood.com. Showroom appointments are available.
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