(BPT) - Do you ever feel like you're trying to avoid tripping off an alarm as you're carefully tiptoe through your living room? Except instead of an alarm, you're hoping not to trigger that familiar creak or groan of the floorboards. It's happened to everybody, and at times it wakes up the newborn (or anyone else who is asleep), interrupts home-office calls, and lets everyone in the house know about your midnight snack run to the fridge.
Sound familiar? If so, you probably assumed a squeaky floor was something you'd have to live with. Contrary to popular belief, however, a squeak in the floor is relatively easy to repair. One product that makes this home improvement so simple is Squeeeeek No More, a squeaky floor elimination kit that works on carpeted, vinyl and hardwood floors, and is available at Home Depot.
It used to be that home improvement experts advised only going underneath a floor to fix a creaky floorboard. However, second floors cannot be repaired this way, due to the first floor ceiling. Your grandparents probably advised using talcum powder, liquid wax or powdered soap between the floorboards of that hardwood floor to stop it from squeaking.
With new products, all of these old-fashioned remedies can be forgotten. There is no need to lift up any carpet or floorboards and the task can be performed on top of the flooring. All it takes is a power drill and the provided hardware from the kit.
Squeaks occur when shrinks and gaps develop around different flooring elements. For example, in most creaky floors, a nail that was used to fasten the floor has become loose and a squeak happens as a result of the nail rubbing on the sub floor. It's also possible that wooden planks have loosened from the joist below them and are rubbing against one another.
For homeowners with carpeted floors, Squeeeeek No More uses a tool that will find the location of the floor joists from above the floor. After locating the joists, an alignment and depth-control fixture allows you to drill through the carpet with one of the provided screws into the joist where the squeak exists. The screw will tighten the floor planks back onto the joist without ruining the floor or having to go underneath it. The alignment fixture has a screw gripper on one side that will snap off the screw head so there are no dangerous nails or screws sticking out of the carpet.
Doing away with creaky floors can be a big aid when it comes time to sell a home. There is nothing more unattractive to prospective homebuyers than noisy squeaks and creaks coming from the floor. By eliminating squeaks, you'll be able to keep potential buyers' attention focused on the beauty of your home.
Parents with babies or small children will also appreciate giving their little ones a good night's rest, free from loud creaks. More importantly, hungry members of the household will finally be able to reach the refrigerator at midnight without waking up the entire household.
For more information about Squeeeeek No More, call (800) 459-8428 or visit www.stopfloorsqueaks.com.
