Clearing The Air: A Sure Way To Stay Safe During Home Renovations

Sometimes, your home will start to feel outdated. It’s horrible living in a house that no longer suits you, and if that happens, it won’t be long before you want to make changes. It may be that you need to extend, or that you want to create the perfect kitchen. Or, the change you make may be as simple as a little redecoration. Whatever you choose, it’s easier than you think to bring your home back up to speed.

But, as with any home renovation projects, making a change isn’t without its risks. If you have a baby around the house, you’ll want to do everything possible to keep those risks to a minimum. For one, you’ll need to keep the noise down so that the work doesn’t affect your baby. You’ll also want to do everything possible to reduce the effects of any dangerous chemicals you use. Whenever we decorate or do work, we turn to strong chemicals, like paint, which can cause damage if inhaled. And, with a baby’s tiny lungs to consider, this can be a real worry. But, fear not. This list should help you reduce damage in every way possible.

CONSIDER STAYING SOMEWHERE ELSE

None of us like the idea of leaving our homes. There’s no knowing how long home improvements might take, and you could have to stay away for an extended period. It makes sense, then, that most of us try to avoid this eventuality. But, with safety in mind, it may be worth staying away for the duration. This is the only real way to ensure you and your baby don’t inhale anything you shouldn’t.

But, where can you stay? You could opt for a hotel, but the costs will soon add up if work takes a while. To save money, you could always ask friends and family if they have a spare room for a few nights. If it makes you feel better, you can return as soon as the main paintwork and so on is complete. That way, you should be able to return quite soon. If you’re doing the work yourself, there’s no getting around the fact that you’ll need to be at home. But, that doesn’t mean your baby has to suffer along with you. Either work on the house while they’re in playschool or let your loved ones take care of them during the day.

VENTILATE THE AREA

When it comes to ridding your home of strong fumes, it’s important to keep the place ventilated. With paint fumes and such, it’s crucial that you take things to ventilation extremes. Open windows and doors whenever possible. It might even be worth investing in a fan to keep the air moving through. Depending on what renovation you’re working on, try keeping things contained in one space, too. Work on a room at a time, and make sure to keep the door of that room closed, and the window open. That way, the fumes will clear faster, and there’s no chance of them reaching the rest of the house.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU PAINT

Paint fumes are some of the strongest you’ll encounter during the decoration process. In confined spaces, they can become extremely harmful. The good news is, how many fumes you’re all exposed to depends on how you apply that paint. Using a traditional paintbrush or roller means applying thick quantities of paint which take a long time to dry. And, they’ll keep releasing fumes until the drying process is complete.

With that in mind, it may be worth thinking about other ways you can apply paint. Using something like a paint spray gun means that you’ll apply a thinner layer. As such, the paint should dry faster. Bear in mind, though, that this option means the paint will spray through the air and all around you. As such, the painting process itself comes with more risks. You’ll need to stock up on goggles and a face mask to ensure your safety. But, short-term safety is much easier to get a grip on. If you’ve never considered this option before, take a look at this Graco Truecoat 360 DSP comparison at Tool Nerds, and others like it. Looking at comparisons like these allows you to pick out a sprayer which suits your needs. While searching, remember safety is your top priority. Look out for a thinner spray, and more direct nozzle.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS

Of course, paint isn’t the only risk. The materials you use could also prove a problem. Man made products like plastic release harmful chemicals when cut or heated. And, if you’re fitting them into your home, the chances are you’ll need to do both. Instead, it might be worth sticking with more natural materials. An option such as wood, for example, can be cut and shaped in any way without causing any damage to little lungs. Bear in mind, though, that varnishing that wood will cause even more damage than plastic might have done. If you’re not aiming for a natural finish, this option won’t work.

Fumes aside, cutting and shaping materials can leave dangerous cuttings around the place. While these don’t pose much of a risk to lungs, they could do damage in other ways. If your baby’s crawling, there’s a real danger they’ll ingest shavings, or cut themselves. Again, the material you choose makes a difference here. Sharp metals and plastics will cause a lot more damage. Though, it’s worth taking care, even when using natural materials such as wood.

KNOW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE USING

If you don’t know the damage your chosen apparatus can cause, you may not take every prevention necessary. To ensure you’re staying as safe as possible, do your research. Find out about the risks related to everything you’re using. Then, see what you can do to reduce those risks. While the above points are good in general, certain equipment may need special handling. Make sure you know everything possible before jumping in.