If you stay you’ll be able to monitor the progress but you’ll also have to deal with things getting pretty messy. That means the lives of your family will have some interference and sometimes staying out of the way helps the workers to finish on time. On the other hand, moving out will cost you extra – hotel bills and restaurant food don’t pay for themselves. Furthermore, there are always some minor problems that come up during the remodeling, and being in the vicinity to address them quickly guarantees the quick fix.
Most of the homeowners decide to stay put. If you’re among them you need to know what to expect so you can make sure your family is safe during the remodeling process, especially if you have kids. All the things in the construction site – holes, dirt piles, cinder blocks, lumber, etc. – will seem to your kids like one giant playground, making them hard to control. Also be aware that the wall you’re planning to tear down could contain some hidden dangers that could hurt their growing bodies.
1. Lurking Beneath
If your home is an older one, there is a great chance that its renovation might uncover mold. It can cause wheezing, eye irritation, and respiratory irritation, especially if your young ones have respiratory issues like asthma or underlying allergies. Uncovering the mold could make it end up in the indoor air, so it’s important to put the source of moisture under control and clean up the mold to evade any symptoms. If you’re already suspecting increased mold or moisture before remodeling it’s recommendable to get an air humidity meter. You should also check is your home is in a radon zone – this naturally occurring gas can seep into your home from the ground and the exposure to it increases the risk of lung cancer. If you are in a geographic region where radon is present, it’s mandatory to perform the tests for its detection.
2. Buried Inside
If your home was built before 1978 it probably contains lead in the exterior, but also interior paint. Lead is known to affect almost every system in the body, being especially harmful to the developing nervous system and brain of a fetus or a young child, so the effect of the exposure to it and poisoning could be devastating. You don’t want your family near paint chips and led dust (especially if kids are small or wife pregnant) so you need to make sure that your contractor follows the EPA-required lead guidelines.
Another common material to be buried inside older homes is asbestos, which was used in vinyl flooring, popcorn ceilings, and siding. Its small fibers could get lodged deep in the lungs, increasing the risk of lung disease and cancer. If you have it you probably already know since it should’ve been disclosed when you’ve purchased your home. The smartest thing to do is to leave it alone since disturbing its fibers could make them disperse all over your home and become almost uncontrollable. If you decide to remove it during remodeling keep in mind that this process requires a special respirator and much experience, so it’s mandatory to hire trained asbestos abatement experts.
3. Shapeshifting Floors And Walls
Despite the fact that there are many ways to protect floors and decorations during remodeling, some things always tend to slip away, and your homes will get messy no matter what you do. That’s why the first step should always be to seal off the construction-free zones. You need to keep the distance between the remodeling work and your kids (also pets, if you have them), so make a good plastic seal. The dust is the least of your problems, just remember to turn off HVAC because it will fly if the air is flowing through your home. The real problem is the other debris – no matter how good you cover your floors you can never be sure what’s on the ground during the construction. Luckily there is a rise in safety awareness and high-quality work boots in Sydney, London, Los Angeles – practically anywhere on the globe – have become a substantial part of every shoe cabinet. Proper footwear is not only important because of the various small sharp things scattered around you, but it will also protect yours from water and potential electrical shock. Furthermore, your wall decorations could become equally shapeshifting as your walls – remodeling could look like the occurrence of paranormal activity when things seem to fall down for no apparent reason and, while the protective helmet is mandatory, a steal-toe is very efficient when they tend to fall on your feet.
As you can see, remodeling can turn your family home into a haunted mansion in a blink of an eye. But if you follow the safety tips discussed above you’ll be able to chase away those hazardous ghosts in no time, like a natural-born Ghostbuster.