MAINTENANCE GUIDE

Moisture

Moisture can be both friend and foe to any performance surface/subfloor system, too little and the floor can be a slip hazard, too much and you can have warping of the surface (wood floors) or the subfloor or worse, mold. It is a balancing act that determines the overall performance of your floor, and the ability to maintain it.

Too Much Moisture:

• Causes: High humidity, unprotected concrete slabs, flood mopping; improperly functioning HVAC.
• Results:
  Excessive moisture can cause slippery floors, attract excessive dust and dirt, breakdown tapes and adhesives, and lead to both surface and subfloor failure. When there is too much moisture in a room the humidity of the space will rise above the standard 45% to 60% needed to maintain a good dance environment. The air in the room will hold onto this moisture throughout the day while the rooms are warm and in use. (Typically the HVAC system handle the moisture in the air, but as humidity goes above 60% the system begins to fail.) As the rooms cools down overnight or when not in use, this excess moisture will settle out of the air onto the floor surface - bonding with dirt, dust, body oil, hair products, skin creams, etc. creating a recipe that lowers the co-efficient of friction and will turn any floor into an ice skating rink. In addition, the moisture will also begin to collect in the cool spaces beneath the subfloor, where the moisture can lead to the breakdown of wood, and the growth of mold. Moisture is the leading cause of premature subfloor failure.
• Solution:
  First find the root cause of the moisture. Moisture from concrete slabs is not unusual and can be addressed with a moisture barrier, flood mopping where water and cleaning agents are poured directly onto the floor can cause water to seep below subfloor and evaporate excessive moisture into the room, the solution is simple following cleaning instructions in this manual, and don't ever flood mop. High humidity areas are both a function of your location and the overall health of your HVAC system. If you are in this type of location, have your HVAC inspected and be sure it is functioning properly. If all is good, and the in studio humidity is over 60% you will need to invest in a dehumidifier. (Note: Do not take the humidity below 45%.)

Too Little Moisture:

• Cause: Dry/arid location, upper floor locations, HVAC
• Results:
  Slippery floors from loose dry dust and other contaminants on the floor. Dehydration of adhesive and tapes lead to bond failure. Increased risk of excessive build up of static electricity which can lead to failure of sound system equipment and even possible injury from electric shock. (Have you ever been shocked touch your sound system after walking across your dance floor?) Dry skin and/or nose?
• Solution:
  Check your HVAC to make sure it is functioning properly and not removing too much moisture from your environment. Next, check that the relative humidity is between 45% and 60%. This is critical for a performance floor/subfloor to function properly. In all cases, the solution is the same, the introduction of moisture which is done by one of two ways:
  1. Adjust HVAC to allow for more humidity. This is the solution when the system is running too much and excessively drying out your environment.
  2. Add a humidifier, this can be done with a stand-alone unit or one that is attached to your current HVAC system. Be sure to get the best you can as these will typically function for many years. The best units are ones that allow you to set the percentage you are trying to maintain. Your goal is to get your space 45%-60% relative humidity.

Additional steps to help maintain floor surface and moisture levels:

• Dry mop floor frequently
• Check and change HVAC filters often
• Monitor room temperature and keep steady with large fluctuations to a minimum
• Add blinds or drapes to block direct sunlight
• Take dance shoes on and off in the studio to reduce transfer of outside elements into the room
• Make sure room is insulated properly