Replacing a floor is a heavy investment, which is why it shouldn’t be done without careful consideration beforehand. If your floors are looking worse for wear, a simple refinish can bring them back to their full glory. Small imperfections can also be remedied by minor repairs, which are often not that expensive.
However, there will come a time that you would have to replace your flooring entirely. Not sure if this is the right time? Here are the signs to look out for.
Compromised safety
If your floors are getting more and more dangerous as time goes by, it’s a clear indication that it’s time to get them replaced. Tripping and slipping hazards should be fixed as soon as they arise, but if they are high in number and are spread throughout the entire house, it might be more cost-effective to replace the floor entirely.
Old age
Floors are not meant to last forever; most can only last for around 50 years even if they are made from durable flooring materials such as engineered wood. If the floors in your house are nearing the end of their lifespan or have already surpassed it, it’s time to get them replaced before they cause further issues for your home, such as warping, rotting, and structural problems.
Cracks
Apart from being aesthetically unpleasant, cracks in floors pose a serious safety risk. This is especially true if your house has very young children or elderly living in it. More than that, cracked floors can also land you in major trouble if they cause an injury to a guest. Since you are responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone who enters your property, you may be sued for being negligent about your obligations.
Excessive stains and wear
Stained and excessively worn carpets can make your home look older than it really is. You may not need to replace the original flooring, but replacing your carpets can make your home look newer and cleaner than before. And if you’re planning to sell your home soon, retaining worn and stained carpets can make it harder for you to get a good offer.
Outdated style
Just like every other part of a home, floor design trends come and go. So if your floors look like something from two decades ago, it’s a great time to replace them with material that is more modern.
Odd noises
Most homeowners ignore strange noises coming from their floors, thinking that it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Floors creak and groan all the time, right? This may be true, especially in older homes, but that doesn’t mean you should pay it no mind.
Strange noises can denote rot in your subfloor. Obviously, rotting anywhere in your home should not be taken lightly, as it can cause further issues down the road. It’s best to fix the issue right away as rot tends to spread quickly, and the longer you ignore it, the worse the damage will be. So even if your floors have been making odd noises since forever, it’s safest to have them checked out by a professional.
Water damage
If your house has gone through major water damage recently, you can expect to have your floor replaced soon. Water damage can cause all sorts of problems for your floors, rot being the most common one, and it’s better to replace your floors entirely than to wait for the damage to develop even further.
To determine if you really need to replace your floors, get a professional to examine the extent of the water damage in your home. They will be able to tell you if the damage can be repaired or if your floors are past the point of saving.
If you see one or more of these signs, it’s a good idea to look into flooring replacement as soon as possible. While some of these floor issues can be repaired at first, it might be safer and more practical to install a new floor entirely.
