What are two four letter words that strike major concern into any homeowner’s mind during the remodeling process? The double D’s, “Dust and Demo”! The demolition process is a separate project in and of itself and should be a conversation addressed between you and your contractor prior to demolition day. A good contractor will have a dust containment plan and be able to tell you exactly the measures he/she will take to protect your property and contain the dust to the area that is being renovated. We, at A-Team Construction pride ourselves on our dust containment plan and make it a point to give you a clear idea of how the construction area will be cordoned off from the rest of your home.
No matter how large or small the remodeling project is, dust will inevitably find its way far beyond the work area, traveling on shoes, clothing, the slightest breeze, and even through ductwork. The dirtiest work takes place during demolition and drywall sanding, however, every phase of construction produces dust. For this reason, it is important that the dust containment system is maintained through to the very last days of the project.
A good dust containment plan will save you money on repairs and long hours of cleanup. Keep the following in mind when speaking with your contractor prior to any work beginning:
- Prior to starting the job, it will be a good idea to discuss with your contractor the entry point for the renovation area. It is best to designate one entry and exit point and to seal off the rest of the doorways. On the entry/exit doorway, plastic should be sealed with tape on each side of the door jamb with a slit down the middle of the outside plastic to create plastic skirts to help keep the airborne dust from traveling. Another option for containing the area is to install a temporary dust door. These plastic doors open and close with zippers.
Seal off the area with Plastic – Dust can fly everywhere air flows, so the best way to keeping the dust contained is to make your construction zone as airtight as possible. Not only does the construction area need to be sealed off, but the areas that will not be demolished need to be sealed. Plastic sheets should be hung on all doors and windows and completely taped on all sides. For doorways that open into other rooms, both sides of the doorway should be sealed.
- A good contractor will suggest that any loose items be removed
from the construction zone. This would include picture frames, drapes, vases, etc. They will also suggest that any items on walls or shelves in adjacent rooms be taken down as they can also fall from all the hammering. If these items cannot be removed completely from the area, then make sure they are out of the way of the work being done and completely covered and sealed from the dust just as the doors and windows are.
- Make sure the contractor fully covers any registers in the construction area with kraft paper and tape. It is a good practice to not run the HVAC system while the construction work is being done. Doing so while the registers are covered could damage the whole system.
- It is also good practice to depressurize the room that is being worked on. To do this, a window fan is place in a designated window blowing areas of the house.
- Cleaning as we go is a great practice that A-Team Construction follows. At the end of each day, the crew sweeps and cleans the area of any obstacles. Thorough vacuuming is done several times a week.
