Renovating a house is an exciting time; it’s the perfect opportunity to expand the functionality of your house or just commit to a major makeover. However, it can also be dangerous, because various renovation activities have potentially serious health consequences.
Thankfully, a handful of strategies are all you need to stay safe during a house renovation.
Start With a Plan
Everything starts with the plan. If you’re doing the renovation yourself, that plan may not go exactly as you expect; you have to build in some tolerance for the unexpected. However, the more proactive you are, and the more upfront research you do, the more likely you’ll be to anticipate and prepare for the most complex and most dangerous parts of the renovation. You’ll also have plenty of opportunity for purchasing and securing all the safety equipment you need to make the renovation safe.
Rent a Dumpster
Renting a dumpster is both convenient and safe for your home renovation. Dumpsters are collection receptacles designed to handle most of the trash generated by your renovation activities. Just be aware that you can’t throw everything into a dumpster; toxic and hazardous materials, and materials that are legally required to be recycled, will require a bit more attention.
Understand the Process
What is the process of the renovation? Even if you’re hiring a contractor to do the renovation work for you, it pays to know which phases of the renovation will happen and when, and what possible safety hazards are associated with each of those phases. Thanks to Google, you can usually figure out the process in a matter of minutes.
Buy the Right Materials
If you’re doing the work yourself, or if you’re an active part of the material buying process, pay close attention to the materials that you’re getting. Some older materials may contain ingredients or components that are hazardous for human health.
Understand Your Home’s Materials
In line with this, make sure you understand the quality and potential safety hazards of your own home’s materials. For example, old houses sometimes contain paint based on lead, which is highly dangerous for human beings. If you chip this paint, or sand it, it could be released into the air and present a breathing hazard to everyone in the room.
Separate Your Internal Spaces
If possible, consider separating your internal spaces. If you’re focusing on one room for the renovation, close the doors and windows so that dust and debris don’t make it outside the room. If the room doesn’t have doors, like if you’re renovating the kitchen, you can set up a plastic screen or another type of barrier to separate this area from the rest of the living space.
Check Your Safety Equipment
Always check your safety equipment before you begin relying on it. For example, you’ll want to test your fire extinguisher to make sure it’s still operational and reliable. You’ll also want to check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
Wear Protective Equipment
If you’re going to be around the renovation area, whether you’re doing the work yourself or you’re just a bystander while contractors do the work, you’ll need to wear the appropriate protective equipment. Not all protective equipment is required for all types of renovations, but these are some of the most common additions.
- Goggles. Goggles will protect your eyes from debris and other hazards.
- Hardhats. If there’s any risk of something falling on your head, you should wear a hard hat.
- Masks. Different types of breathing masks can protect you from different hazards that are released into the air.
- Gloves. Protective gloves can keep your hands safe while you’re working with hazardous materials.
- Boots. Tough boots can make it harder for your feet to be injured by things like nails.
Keep Things Clean
As much as possible, try to keep the renovation site clean. When there’s a spill, clean it up. If there’s debris on the floor, pick it up. Cleaner renovation areas are much less likely to present safety hazards to the people moving through them.
Be Mindful of Stress
Don’t forget about stress! Stress can have devastating health consequences if left unchecked. Home renovations can be very stressful, especially if you hit a snag or if the renovation is prolonged. Have a plan in place to keep your stress at manageable levels; this could include taking frequent breaks, leaving the house occasionally to partake in another activity, or even venting to friends and family members. The most important part is to remain mindful of your stress, so it remains under control.
With these strategies in place, you should have a much higher likelihood of staying safe, healthy, and comfortable during your home renovation. In just a few weeks, you’ll have a much more impressive home to look forward to.