If renovating your home is one of your top priorities this year – look no further because we’re here to help you out! Here are four useful DIY home renovation tips that will help you stay safe and sound no matter what, so all you have to do is to keep on reading. Check them out and get down to business!
Make sure that the room you’re painting is properly ventilated
In case you weren’t aware of that fact, different kinds of paints, silicones, adhesives, and cleaning agents can release quite unpleasant and toxic fumes, which is exactly why you should keep the room you’re renovating properly ventilated. Apart from keeping you safe, opening the windows and doors to let the fresh air in will help the paint dry faster as well, which is an advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked. Of course, if you’re still afraid of those potentially harmful fumes, you can always use a protective mask when painting. Better safe than sorry, right
Don’t leave the equipment scattered everywhere
Pieces of equipment and tools that are scattered all over the floor are a hazard to everyone, so do your best to keep your renovation site as tidy as possible. First of all, you should keep your equipment in one corner of the room – especially when you aren’t using it, as it can minimize potential accidents caused by your renovation tools left lying around. The same goes for cleaning up the walkways and getting rid of dirt, debris, and offcuts, so be sure to vacuum up accumulated dust and debris at the end of your working day. A wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner with high suction power is probably the best option, so get one if you don’t own it yet. Apart from cleaning up materials and putting away tools when you’re done, you should also disconnect power tools when not in use.
Protect yourself with safety wear
Safety wear is absolutely essential when it comes to DIY home renovations, so start with protective eyewear that will keep dirt and debris out of your eyes on a renovation site. Shatterproof eyewear is always a good choice, as well as polarized eyewear which is perfect for working outside. On the other hand, goggles should be your top choice if you’ll be working with liquids of spraying water. When it comes to your ears, a quality pair of noise cancelling headsets is crucial as it will protect your ears from potentially hazardous noise. And guess what? These don’t just cancel noise, but they also enable a complete communication for people who work in a high-noise environment, which is exactly what makes them so awesome! Of course, protecting your hands is also vital, so pick either a pair of quality waterproof gloves for mixing liquids or snug-fitting ones with grip for carrying things. Disposable gloves are also highly required, especially when it comes to applying paint and varnish.
Take extra care when using the stepladder
Last but certainly not least, a stepladder is an inevitable part of any DIY home renovation, but you know what? You need to be extra careful with it, so make sure that it’s fully extended at the hinges before you start using it. Besides that, you always need to ensure that the ladder is placed on the even ground, so that you can safely climb it, without fearing that you might fall down. Remember that standing on the very top of the stepladder actually isn’t recommended, but if you need to do it, just be super careful. If your ladder tends to slide when you start climbing it, you should better secure it at the bottom so that you can prevent a potential accident.
There are a lot of ways to protect yourself and stay safe during a DIY home renovation, and these four are undoubtedly the most important of them. So, if you’re planning to renovate your house on your own, just stick to our safety tips and you won’t make a mistake!
Author Bio: Zara Lewis is a regular contributor at ripped.me, a traveller and a mother to two. Originally from Chicago, she found her place in the sun in Perth, Australia. Passionate about creating a better world for the generations to come, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with others.