Our Newest Development: Falcon Pointe

Falcon Pointe is Charleston Home’s newest development. It features two exciting new floor plans and much more. 

We’re really excited to share with you our newest development here at Charleston Homes: Falcon Pointe. It’s located at 52nd and Capehart and features two models with brand-new floor plans. The Lexington is a ranch floor plan with 1,683 square feet, and the Richmond floor plan is a two-story floor plan with 2,397 sq ft. We’re going to have single-family lots, villa lots, and a community park to make sure there’s something for everyone. We’ll be here Monday through Thursday from 2p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday through Sunday. We’d love for you to come out and see them sometime. 

Q: How Do I Maintain My Wood Floors?

If you have wood floors, you need to properly clean and maintain them.

Today we’re joined by Tom Manley from Manley Floors because one of the questions we hear time and time again is, “How do I clean and maintain my wood floors?” Tom will explain and recommend how to care for your beautiful wood floors.

Any area that may get wet, like the front and back doors and in front of the sink and dishwasher, should have a mat or rug (this includes under pet’s water bowls). Water, sand, and grit are the worst things for wood floors. Also, place felt pads underneath chairs or stools to protect the floor from scratches.

Tom always tells homeowners that they don’t need to do a weekly scrubbing of the floor—just clean it as it gets dirty. You can sweep or vacuum it, but ensure the beater bar doesn’t bang into it. Swiffers and similar products used dry are good for general sweeping; damp is okay, but wet is bad. 
 

"Water, sand, and grit are the worst things for wood floors."

For cleaning, they like to use Woodwise cleaner; it’s pH neutral, and the National Wood Flooring Association recommends only pH neutral products. We sell Woodwise at our shop, or you can buy it on Amazon. It’s for no-wax finishes, and we recommend you buy a ready-to-use spray and the concentrate versions. It’s one of the most inexpensive cleaners, but it works great and leaves no residue.

We sometimes see people using laminate cleaners on their real wood floors, which doesn’t work; it just sits on top of the wood. Then the floor starts to look worn because dust, paw prints, and footprints will start showing.

Also remember: If floors are mopped too often, the water makes the wood want to expand, and it will start de-laminating and pulling apart. Protect your elegant wood floors!

If you ever have any questions about Charleston Homes, please visit our Model Homes or visit our website. We would be glad to speak with you.

Q: What’s Causing My New Wood Floors to Creak?

Here’s how humidity (or a lack thereof) can affect your new wooden floors.

Recently, we met up with Tom Manley from Manley Floors to talk about some great maintenance tips for the wood floors in all of our Charleston Homes. 

Once in a while, we go out to a home for a warranty check and homeowners are a bit concerned with some creaking that they’re hearing. That’s generally a big issue, especially in Nebraska. 

Why? It’s because changes in humidity is what causes floorboards to expand and contract (and squeak.) If it gets a little dry in the winter and they shrink, that can cause a squeak. If it’s too humid in the summer, that also causes a squeak. 

A humidifier or dehumidifier should do the trick.

Tom recommends having your humidity set to between 35% and 45% all year long. It’s tough in Omaha because of the extremes we see, but the extreme humidity (or lack thereof) is what causes 99% of floor squeaks.

Sometimes it might be a missing nail. Although that’s pretty rare, Tom and his team are able to identify that problem and quickly fix it.

A little squeak is not a defect, according to Tom. Any time you have a squeak, you have movement, and even though these floorboards are engineered, they are nonetheless made from living things. 

In the winter, it’s not a bad idea to run a humidifier in the home. The same goes with running a dehumidifier in the summer. They’re great tools as long as you know how to use them. If you have any questions about them, feel free to contact us.

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach hout via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you.