Sellers : Advice

How to Renovate without danger?

You are renovating your home? This kind of work can entail certain well-known dangers such as electrical cords underfoot, unsteady scaffolding... The Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) suggests that you be very attentive to hidden dangers like paint, solvent or glue fumes and to gases released by some combustible materials like particle board and to dust. All these elements can affect your health.

The people who do the work are not the only ones exposed to these dangers. Family members can suffer from them just as much, in particular those who suffer from allergies or asthma, young children, the elderly and pregnant women, due to their lower resistance to emissions from toxic chemicals.

It is important to well ventilate rooms during and after carrying out the work. Construction materials known to give off emissions should be covered with a sealant. It is preferable, however, to choose materials with a low emission level. As for dust, there are several things that can be done to limit dust.

Eliminating Dust
Young children are most susceptible to dust. They often play on the floor where dust accumulates and put their hands in their mouths. Since dust can contain paint with high levels of lead, this is a risk to your children's health.

Here are some tips from the CMHC to eliminate dust and the effects it may have.

• Isolate the area being worked on from the rest of the house using plastic sheeting and tape.
  
  
• Seal heating conduits and air returns to avoid reintroducing dust into the house afterwards. Ventilate the room by opening a window or a door and use a fan if necessary. Insure that the outdoors will not be affected by the dust either, the garden for example.
  
  
• Cover carpets and rugs that stay in the work area. After completing the renovations be sure to remove any residual dust before occupying the room.

Source: Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
- Québec Business Centre - 1 800 668-2642