Tips to minimize the dust during renos

Getting a home remodeled can mean a bright, clean, new area for your home. But what about the rest of your house? During a renovation, a lot of dust is made, and despite best efforts by contractors, no renovation is ever dust-free. Here are four things your contractors should be doing to keep the dust away and six things you can be doing both during and after to help out.

Your contractor should:

1) Haul out debris as it’s being taken down. Things like old drywall or pieces of wood should be removed as soon as possible. Left alone they could be bumped around, creating more dust or, broken, which amounts to the same thing.,

2) Sweep the floor.This goes without saying, but it should be done as needed, instead of at the end of the day.

3) Cut material outside, if possible. Most materials can and should be cut outside to prevent sawdust in the home. If materials need to be cut indoors, either use hand tools to prevent lots of dust or use power tools in conjunction with a vacuum cleaner (we hold the nozzle of the vacuum close to a reciprocating saw when trimming drywall, for example).

4) Place drop sheets to and on the work area. This helps getting dust and debris on the floor, and it also helps workers from tracking dirt throughout the home. These drop sheets should be folded up and shaken outside periodically.

You can:

1) Take your vacuum for a spin. Carpets in other areas of your home will collect some of the dust. When the work is done for the day, a quick vacuum will do wonders. For general tips on extending the life of your carpet, check out this blog post, by Rob McLeod from Eko Carpet and Upholstery Care:

http://ekocarpetcare.ca/vacuum-vacuum-vacuum/

2) Close the doors, please. Rooms not affected by the renovation should have their doors closed. One client of ours went as far as putting towels along the bottom of the doors to help keep the dust out. It worked great for the dust, but after a few days, the air in the rooms was a little stale. If possible, open the window in these rooms.

3) Clean up and clear out. Putting away things near the area being renovated will prevent them from being covered in dust. People often forget to take down family portraits and other mementos from the walls and shelves.

4) Cover things that can’t be moved with sheets. A few old bed sheets over your furniture will help keep them dust free during the renovation process. As well, if it’s heating season, cover up your return air vent so that any dust created from the renovation is not drawn throughout the heating system and blown all over your home.

5) Get your carpets cleaned after the renovation is done.It might be a good idea to get your carpets professionally cleaned, especially if they haven’t been done in a while. For more info on carpet cleaning, visit http://ekocarpetcare.ca/

6) Get your furnace cleaned. It might also be a good idea to get your furnace professionally cleaned right after your renovation.

If you want to view other blog posts from Robert & Michael at Nord Alta Construction, visit our blog on our site by clicking here.

If you’re in Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, or the surrounding area and are looking for a contractor for you renovation project, visit our website at www.nordalta.com/contact/ to find information on how to contact us. We’d be happy to speak to you about what we can do to get the ball rolling on your next home or office project. You can also leave comments with us at robert@nordalta.com.

Michael Breault is a project coordinator for Nord Alta Construction. You can find the company website at www.nordalta.com. You can also find Michael and Nord Atla Construction on facebook at www.facebook.com/NordAltaConstruction, on twitter at www.twitter.com/Nordalta, and on LinkedIn.

Robert Breault is the president and owner of Nord Alta Construction. You can find the company website at www.nordalta.com. You can also find Robert and Nord Alta Construction on facebook at www.facebook.com/NordAltaContruction and on LinkedIn.