Remodeling your home is a rewarding pursuit, but it’s not without some challenges. Something you should keep in mind is how to maintain a healthy atmosphere in your home during the process. Here are a few things to watch out for as you work toward optimizing air quality during your remodel.
Lead – If your home was built before 1978, a major point of concern will be lead-based paint. Lead is especially harmful to children and pregnant women, but everyone should avoid exposure to it. Wear gloves, a ventilation mask and eye protection when dealing with the removal of lead-based paint, and take the appropriate measures to dispose of the waste.
Asbestos – Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has numerous applications within the construction industry, but it can very harmful if inhaled. The most common asbestos-containing materials you’re likely to encounter while renovating your home will be floor tiles, ceiling tiles and insulation. See the federal EPA website for a comprehensive guide on how to stay safe when dealing with asbestos.
Paint – Painting is a part of just about any renovation you’ll do on your home, so make sure you take all the precautions to do it safely. Read instructions carefully, and make sure you’ve got the right paint for the application you’ve selected. Only paint in a well-ventilated area; use fans and open windows to keep fresh, clean air in your work space.
VOCs – VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound and describes a number of naturally occuring substances that can pose a health risk to humans. Formaldehyde is a VOC you will encounter in many common household substances such as paints, finishes and varnishes. Try to avoid products that use it, but if you must use a product that contains formaldehyde, do so in a well-ventilated area and wear a filtration mask.
To speak with an expert about optimizing air quality in your home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. We’ve been serving the Dayton area since 1978, and have the expertise and experience to provide solutions to all your home air quality, heating and cooling needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about optimizing air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
