Balance moisture in your home

Moisture is a key element when it comes to wood products. As we close up our homes and turn on the heat, moisture content goes down in all our wood products. We don’t have days with excessive humidity during winter months—and our windows and doors are closed. Outdoor air has less moisture in it this time of year, even when it’s snowing.

Balancing moisture inside your home can be tricky business. If your furnace has a humidifier, it is adding moisture to interior air and your interior wood products react to it. They naturally take on or give up moisture. They may start to shrink during winter months.

That shrinkage usually isn’t noticeable to the naked eye—unless you have purchased and installed low-quality, inexpensive (read: cheap) wood building products. If you have a severe problem, you may have to install new paneling. Consider kicking it up a notch by purchasing a higher quality product and pre-finishing the wood paneling or wood siding before you install it. If you pre-finish and have some shrinkage, it isn’t noticeable.

If you already have a lot of wood products in your house, here’s the trick: Keep your house at 40 percent humidity (not lower than 35 percent). The wood will adjust to the moisture level. By maintaining the moisture in the air, you’ll reduce shrinkage (movement).

Not all wood products are created the same. If you’re shopping, ask about the drying process. When wood is properly dried, it really minimizes warping or shrinking. We eliminate shrinkage issues because we dry down all of our custom wood building materials to a specific moisture content. Not everybody does because it takes time and attention.

We give our products the time and attention they deserve. So the next time you consider your options for wood paneling or siding, think WoodHaven.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the humidity level in your home or cabin and adjust accordingly.

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