Safety First in Home Renovation Projects
If you undertake any home renovation projects, you should think over the safety issues first.
Home accidents can happen at any time, but they’re much more likely if you’re in the middle of renovating your home. In our post today, we have some tips on staying safe.
Safety tips for home renovations
So, you’re thinking about renovating your house, or a part of it, and are planning to do the projects yourself. If you’ve never done it before, check out our safety tips first.
1. Working with electricity
Are you planning on installing more outlets or adding more lights to your ceilings? First and foremost, cut the power to make sure that the electricity isn’t live while you work on the wires.
You should also use thick-soled shoes and make sure that the wires aren’t wet. If possible, use work gloves as well when working with electrical wires.
2. Working on plumbing
Home renovation can get a lot more complicated if you have problems in your pipes or other plumbing installations.
If you have to do something with your plumbing, shut off your water valve before starting anything. By shutting off the main valve, you won’t accidentally flood your house as you change a faucet or valve.
You should also take precautions if you’re working with toxic materials, like lead pipes. Use a mask to stay safe.
3. Painting
Accidents can also happen when you’re painting. For example, you could fall from a ladder or scaffold. If you have to paint your home exteriors or go on the roof, try using a harness or something similar.
Make sure that your ladder is sturdy and that it won’t move or fall out of position. And when you’re climbing up and down, be extra careful not to fall. Ladder injuries could be worse than you might think!
Another important safety concern is keeping paint from getting into your eyes and causing irritation.
So use protective goggles! Use them to sand walls or other surfaces as well. You can also use a mask to keep your nose and mouth protected.
4. Treating walls and old ceilings
Be extra careful if you’re working on buildings that are very old or are at risk of crumbling. For example, if the basement is in poor condition, the ceiling plaster could fall on your head.
In addition to using a hard hat, we recommend taking precaution and working slowly. And if possible, look for a professional to help you with more dangerous tasks.
5. Leaving materials outside
Some cities prohibit leaving construction materials outside a home being renovated because they present potential dangers for passersby. They could, for example, slip after stepping on sand or wet stones.
Construction materials could also be a danger for children and pets if they play around the area. Or, they could find dangerous materials in bags that haven’t been disposed of properly.
6. Fixing something onto the wall
Believe it or not but these are the most common causes of domestic accidents. If you’re renovating your home, be careful with the hammer or drill. Not only might you make the hole deeper than it should be, but you could also hurt yourself in the process.
7. Moving
After you finish renovating your home and if you haven’t moved in yet… it’s time to get started putting everything in! The same goes if you’ve bought your furniture. Be careful not to break any mirrors (and wrap them well for safe transportation). And also try not to harm your back by lifting too much weight.
If you can handle your home renovation yourself, we still advise that you hire qualified professionals to help you at least with the bigger or specialized projects. This can save money in the long-run