Are Squeaky Floors Dangerous? – Should You Worry?

Are squeaky floors dangerous is a good question to ask for safety purposes. Maybe you have been getting home lately to squeaky floors.

And because you return tired and dusted, you haven’t really been paying attention to your squeaky floors.

But recently they are squeaking loudly with each step you take. You start to ask yourself, ‘should I be worried about squeaky floors?’.

Then you start contemplating replacing the whole of it.

You are afraid they could even be dangerous to you and your family and can't take it anymore. The time has come, you need them off.

Be still, I got some good news for you in this blog post. Should I be worried about squeaky floors?

Are squeaky floors dangerous? No. Squeaky floors aren’t dangerous. There always are reasons behind a squeaky floor that is not a sign of a very serious threat.

Why Could Floors Be Squeaky?

Squeaky floors are a result of minor problems that you can fix yourself without calling in an expert.

You wouldn’t like treading on that floor that way even twice. You may even begin tiptoeing and nobody enjoys tiptoeing in their own home.

So, while you can fix this yourself, first you must discern the root cause of the problem.

Here are the top reasons that the floor could be squeaky:

Reason #1. A Shift In Temperatures Or Humidity

Now, even before we get any further, it is worth noting that most of these squeaky floor problems are common on hardwood floorings.

While they might show on other types of floors such as laminate, vinyl, and tile. Floors made from wood experience more squeaks than all other floors.

So, one of the reasons you are likely to be experiencing a squeaky floor is a shift in seasons.

When summer comes, hardwood floors will expand, and shrink in winter.

The changes in temperature, are a result of these seasonal variations. These shifts in temperature, either expand or contract the floor.

It also renders it loose from the subflooring. While it is wintertime, your hardwood floors will be dry.

This dryness causes the shrinking and the gaps in the wood floor.

And when summer sets in, the wood will swell, and so you will most probably still have the squeaking sounds.

Tip: The hack here is, the installation of a humidifier.

Reason #2. Poor Floor Installation

If your floors just started this behavior after installation, then most probably, this is an installation fault.

The flooring and subflooring should all be fixed into their position correctly. However, during installation, there could be two things that will cause squeaky floors.

Firstly, maybe the woods are not laid down in position immediately before the glue dries.

This will cause the glue not to hold the flooring and the jolts well.

That is to say, the glue should not be left to dry before the wooden floors are fixed.

On the other occasion, if an automatic nail gun is being used to pin down the floor, the nailing might occur too fast.

And this might result in some of the nails not holding down, hence creating a relative gap.

Note: Poor installation could be dangerous. It must be rechecked in good time and all errors fixed.

Reason #3. Shifts In Foundation

With time, very long after construction and installation of the floor, foundations begin to shift.

This could be a result of the increasing and expanding soil around. The floor’s support is pit to taste when these movements start to occur.

The movement of the soil and the stress altogether makes the floors weak.

The subfloor and floor might begin to rub against each other as you walk hence the squeakiness.

These problems and cracks in flooring should not jolt you for they can be fixed.

Are Squeaky Floors Dangerous?

If your question is ‘are squeaky floorboards dangerous?’ then you do not have to panic.

Usually, squeaky floors are hardly dangerous, but because they are bothersome, you need them fixed.

However, to some extent, squeaky floors could become an accident or even in some cases a death trap.

If the squeaks are in an old room, they become very dangerous. Such room might have become old as a result of the floor being fed on by termites.

This can be highly dangerous especially when they are on staircases or on higher floors.

Most floors squeak, but hardwood floors and staircases are the most rampant squeakers. 

Most commonly, squeaky floors are just a result of the shrinking of woods, or them rubbing against each other. 

Unless otherwise, squeaky floors should not worry you. You might be experiencing squeaky floors seasonally, especially during winter.

Then there is no cause for alarm. The dryness that comes with winter makes floors contract.  Hence audible movements in between floor components.

How To Fix Squeaky Floors

Squeaky floors could turn your home into hell. Especially when your mind needs to be relaxed and the floors are squeaking at every moment.

Squeaky floors become a lot annoying, particularly in high-traffic areas.

And because each one detests being annoyed and bothered, you must find a way to stop the floor from squeaking.

How would you fix floor squeaks?

Calling in flooring experts is in order if you lack the relevant skills needed to fix them.

We have two sure-fire ways for fixing your noisy floors. You can either do it from below if your floors are in a basement.

Or by doing it above the floor if there is totally no space you can maneuver in below.

Best Methods to Fix Squeaky Floors from Below:

Method #1. Using Carpenter’s Glue

This method is a little enjoyable, it needs two of you. You or the partner you will be doing this with.

So, one of you goes below the basement while the other stays on top to walk on the floor.

The one below carefully listens to pinpoint where the squeaks are from. Then the carpenter’s glue is used to gently fill in the space between the joist and subfloor.

It’s that simple, the idea here is to just fill in the gap between the joist and subfloor.

Tip: Always mix the carpenter's glue with wood shim for filling up the space.

Method #2. Purchase a Squeak Ender

Those squeaks can really get into your head and you are tired at the very sound of them.

Using the squeak ender, a commercially available hardware tool can work fast for you.

It is an easy-to-install tool positioned directly between the subfloor and the joist with the squeaks.

Can It Be Done Above the Floor?

If there is no space for you to go below, there are still ways for you to fix that noise from above.

You can purchase the squeak-no-more kit which is cheap. It sells between twenty and thirty dollars for the counter-snap kit.

These are easy-to-use tools that will have those squeaks fixed in an hour or less.

Conclusion

In this article, we sought to answer the question ‘are squeaky floors dangerous’. And we have discovered in 9 of 10 times, that they are not.

Squeaky floorboards are only dangerous when they have been eaten up by termites.

Or when they have started rotting due to water or are breaking from below.

So, even though you should not throw caution to the wind, you shouldn't be so afraid of the squeaks. 

If you should, then that should be because of those noises no one likes. Fix those squeaks today and enjoy the calm that usually is in your room.

You can either do it yourself or call in a woodworker to fix them for you.