The scene of a home renovation can be compared to a battle zone, often with the sounds of hammering, drilling, and stripping going on along with workmen drifting in and out of your life.
It can be quite difficult to go about your daily routine as usual, especially if you are trying to sleep despite the strong paint fumes wafting through your place or trying to watch TV with the sounds of sledgehammering in another room.
It can also be a challenge to cook, clean or even take a shower while your house is being remodeled because sometimes, your essential services like water can also be turned off to accommodate the renovation.
However, one of the greatest threats to your general wellbeing is the diminishment of your indoor air quality. Unfortunately, it is a bad idea to turn on your HVAC system while renovations are going on, as venting systems will deliver dust, mold spores, and fumes to other areas of your home.
Breathing any of this in can harm your health in many ways and cause headaches, dizziness, blood clots, strokes, seizures, a lowered immune system and respiratory problems. Fortunately, there are ways that you can bypass these issues so that you can stay in your home while it is being worked on without compromising your breathing.
Keep the Renovation Areas Sealed Off and Off Limits
Containment of the dust and fumes is essential if you want to keep the other areas of your home livable and free from contamination.
Make sure that all areas that are being remodeled are draped with heavy plastic sheets and tarps, to prevent the dust from floating away in the air and into your living quarters.
Do not allow others into these areas, even for a minute, as it does not take much to rile up the dust and have it escape into the air.
To minimize the amount of dust that is raised during demolition, ask your contract to minimize the problem by misting the area first.
Control the Airflow in Your Home At All Times
During periods of heavy renovation, keep your HVAC system turned off and do not allow anyone to turn on a fan, no matter how hot it is getting.
This is because whirling ceiling fans can suck up the dust, molds, and microbes that are often unleashed during the renovations and send them through your vents. Only turn on your HVAC system when necessary after the dust from working on your place as settled a bit.
Being reticent about turning on these systems as well as making sure that your air filters are clean can help keep the air clean as well as save you money on your energy bill.
Dust Surfaces Often and Use Portable Air Cleaners
During renovations, you might notice the white dust than usual landing on all kinds of surfaces, so make sure to wipe that dust away with a damp cloth. Rest assured too that if you are seeing a film of dust on your furniture, then you are also breathing it. If it looks very thick, be sure to wear a protective breathing mask to filter out any particles.
Practice Preventative Maintenance At All Times
The best way to practice preventative maintenance is to make sure that those air filters in your furnace or HVAC are being changed continuously.
This will prevent clogs of dirt, microbes, and filth from clogging up your air vents and merely recycling the contaminated air pollution through your home.
Even better, Brenham, TX residents might want to consider installing a brand new HVAC system to make sure that they are always breathing pristine clear air.