Five Potential Home Renovation Dangers To Avoid

Renovating your home is fun and rewarding. Plus, you can get involved and save on labour costs.

Choose refurbishment projects that you know you can do well, and if you’re a novice around the house, i.e., you’re more comfortable in front of a computer screen than with a hammer in your hand, there are many dangers to avoid but don’t let them put you off.

Learn what you need to know and do for health and safety at home to prevent accidents from happening.

Projects like painting walls and ceilings are ideal for DIY activities. However, even painting can be dangerous if you’re climbing up ladders.

It is renovating a bathroom or kitchen, digging a dry well, installing a new basement bulkhead door, etc., and getting into territory that requires knowledge of potential dangers to get the job done safely.

DIY renovating has hidden potential dangers, and this blog post has some of the most common you can avoid when renovating at home, including:

Physical Injuries

Renovating often involves using power tools and heavy machinery, which can cause severe injuries if misused. Common injuries include cuts, burns, and falls.

Falling Off Ladders

OSHA says that falling off ladders is the construction industry’s number one death cause. Just because you’re doing a home DIY project doesn’t mean you’re about to put on a hard hat and pursue construction as a career. Still, home ladder use is just as dangerous.

You might use a ladder during a DIY project for something like:

• Cleaning out an attic
• Doing minor roof repairs
• Switching out security camera batteries

Any time you climb a ladder, know that a single misstep can prove costly or even fatal. Go slowly, and if you’re working with a partner, have them hold the ladder steady while you’re up there.

Don’t climb to the very top of the ladder, either. Most of them have warnings indicating the last step that you can stand on safely. Make sure you follow those instructions.

Exposure to harmful substances and materials

Renovating can expose you to harmful substances like asbestos, lead, and mould. If you’re not adequately trained or equipped, you could inhale or ingest these substances and cause serious health problems.

Asbestos

It would be best to watch out for asbestos as you renovate your home. Asbestos is not inherently dangerous if you encounter it. When you break it up, and the particulate matter flies into the air, you must avoid breathing it in.

You might encounter asbestos anywhere in the construction of your home, from ceilings to subfloors.

Construction companies have used it for several decades, so it’s everywhere. The older your home is, the more likely there’s asbestos somewhere.

To avoid it, the thing to do is look online and find examples of its appearance. If you locate some in your home, you should either learn how to remove it safely, or you can hire a company to do so for you.

The government would prefer you not remove asbestos yourself but hire a removal company. However, these companies can charge much money to remove even a tiny asbestos amount.

You can sometimes remove small asbestos sections if you wear a mask, goggles, and gloves.

Dangerous Chemicals

One other thing you should do is wear a mask if you use bleach or chemical solvents. If you use any potentially harmful inhalants, there are masks you can buy that will keep you safe from them.

Electrical Hazards

Electrical work is often involved in renovating, which can be dangerous if not done correctly. You could risk electrocution, fires, or other severe electrical hazards.

Electrocution

You might attempt lots of DIY projects, but if no one has trained you in electrical work, you should be extra careful. Before doing any electrical repairs or additions in your home, locate the fuse box and turn off the power.

In most homes, you’ll find the fuse box in the basement. If you haven’t done so, label each room or house section’s fuses. You can experiment with each one to see the room with which it matches up.

Once the power is off, you can confidently do the electrical work. You should put on gloves when you do so, just in case.

Structural damage

If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could accidentally damage the structural integrity of your home. This could lead to collapses or other severe problems down the line.

Fire Dangers

You should also have a fire extinguisher handy if you’re doing any home renovation work with a possible fire risk. That might involve working with flammable chemicals or solvents.

It would be best to have a charged fire extinguisher on every floor of your home. Have it out and close at hand when you’re starting a DIY project.

If you don’t know how to use it, remember the acronym PASS. It means pulling the pin, aiming the extinguisher, squeezing the trigger, and sweeping it back and forth till the fire is out.

Burst Pipe

A small mention regarding plumbing and pipes: always seek professional assistance when it comes to plumbing. While a burst pipe may not be immediately dangerous, it can be catastrophic if it spills water inside your home.

Water damage can be costly when it comes to repairs to walls, floors, etc.

Poor Workmanship

If you’re not skilled or experienced in renovating, you could end up with poor-quality work that could compromise the safety and functionality of your home.

Follow these tips, and your DIY project should conclude satisfactorily.