When renovating or remodeling a house, one of the most common problems is musty, dusty air. Sometimes, it’s even worse. Add the infuriating smell of construction products like paint, epoxy, plaster, etc.
Whether you are having a minor repair or a major renovation project, it is not easy to maintain quality air flow in your home. The worst thing is, indoor air pollution can linger even a few days or weeks after renovation. Some of the airborne contaminants that are usually present during home renovations are wood dust from cutting, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in paints, primers, adhesives, and surface finishes, dust from sanding and drywall cutting, and off-gassing of foam insulation.
Restore Fresh Indoor Air after a Home Renovation
Check out the following tips to maintain good-quality air inside your home during and after renovation:
1. Observe worksite containment at all times.
Renovating a house can be an exciting time for any homeowner. But it can also be a stressful one. During the entire process, contractors could be coming in and out of your house, bringing in a huge amount of dust and other pollutants.
A great way to lessen the amount of indoor air pollution during home renovation is to contain the worksite. This can be done simply by installing plastic barriers. You can find some in a local home depot. You can also use a tarp but a clear plastic with zipper is a more convenient use.
2. Use air purifiers and scrubbers.
You might consider renting a commercial-grade air scrubber during the renovation. This might be an additional cost but is definitely worth the price. Air scrubbers can effectively get rid of dust and other pollutants in the air, keeping your home interiors smelling clean and fresh.
This tool is specifically designed to draw in construction dust. Place one air scrubber inside the worksite and another outside and leave them turned on the whole time until the renovation is complete. You may need to change the filters from time to time to unclog dust and other particles. You should also run air purifiers in your bedroom and other areas where no renovation work is being done. Dust can easily travel to different places so it is a smart idea to purify air throughout your home.
3. Clean daily.
It may feel like an added task but cleaning your house every day during the entire renovation project is necessary to maintain quality air. You will require some high-level disinfection especially if you and your whole family (kids and pets included) are staying in the house while it’s being renovated. You can use disinfecting wipes for kitchen surfaces and items like forks and knives. Sweep the floor and vacuum carpets. Don’t forget to change or clean the filter of your vacuum after each use.
Contractors recommend using HEPA vacuum filters which exhaust much less dust back into the air. Cover air vents and clean your HVAC air filters regularly as well. You may need in-depth duct cleaning service especially after the renovation has been completed to ensure that your HVAC system is clean and remains functional.
4. Ventilate your home.
You want to ensure proper ventilation around your home during and after the renovation, especially when applying paints or finishes, installing floors or carpets, or doing any other tasks that eliminate toxic fume or gas. After the renovation work is done, open doors and windows to allow fresh air in and polluted air out of your house.
5. Employ proper storage and disposal of VOC-containing products.
If you have remaining paints and other construction products that contain chemicals, make sure to store them properly in sealed containers. If you don’t think you will need them soon enough, consider selling or giving them away.
Otherwise, keep them in storage areas that are equipped with exhaust ventilation. Always follow the manufacturer’s guideline when disposing of such products.
6. Deep clean your Kitchen
Keep your Family safe during a Renovation project
Ensuring quality indoor air is essential to keeping your family and pets safe during a renovation project. Air pollutants can cause a significant health risk, ranging from allergy to asthma and other respiratory problems. Hopefully, by following these tips and suggestions, you can maintain quality air inside your home during and most especially, after renovation and won’t have to wait until a couple of weeks or months.
Keep the Air Pure
There are many ways to improve your home through renovation. making sure the air is clean is important during this entire process. If you meed an air purifier for renovation you can check this list of good air purifiers.
