Home renovation projects can transform your living space and breathe new life into your home.
However, while the end result is often worth the time and effort, the process itself can take a toll on your indoor air quality.
Dust, debris, and chemicals released during construction can contaminate the air and pose a health risk to you and your family.
If you’re planning a home renovation, it’s important to take steps to restore your indoor air quality once the work is done.
Here are some tips to help you do just that.
Start with a deep clean
The first step in restoring your indoor air quality after a home renovation is to give your space a thorough cleaning.
This means dusting, vacuuming, and mopping all surfaces, including walls, floors, and ceilings.
Be sure to clean all the nooks and crannies, as well as any furniture, rugs, and decor that may have accumulated dust or debris during the renovation.
If possible, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which can capture tiny particles that a regular vacuum may miss.
Change your air filters
During a home renovation, your HVAC system can become clogged with dust and debris, reducing its effectiveness and circulating pollutants throughout your home.
To restore your indoor air quality, it’s important to change your air filters after the renovation is complete.
This will help remove any lingering particles and improve your air flow.
If your system has been significantly impacted by the renovation, you may want to consider having it professionally cleaned.
Ventilate your space
Proper ventilation is key to restoring your indoor air quality after a home renovation.
Open your windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate throughout your space.
You may also want to use fans or air purifiers to help improve your air flow.
If your renovation involves painting or staining, be sure to keep your windows open and use fans to help dissipate the fumes.
Schedule a professional air quality test
If you’re concerned about the air quality in your home after a renovation, consider scheduling a professional air quality test.
A qualified technician can assess the air quality in your home and identify any potential issues that need to be addressed.
This can help give you peace of mind and ensure that your indoor air quality is safe for you and your family.
Whether a minor or a major home improvement project, home renovations can degrade your indoor air quality.
That’s because renovation projects often release a lot of airborne contaminants from sanding, fiberglass, dust, paints, silicates, and other toxins into the air, impacting indoor air quality.
These pollutants and contaminants can linger around your home for days or weeks after the renovation.
The worst thing is that these airborne contaminants can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms and cause other serious respiratory problems.
To avoid putting your family’s health at risk, it’s critically important to find a post renovation cleaning guide like this one, to ensure you perform thorough cleaning after renovating.
Along with removing dust and debris on surfaces, you must also get rid of dust and other contaminants in the air to improve indoor air quality.
Read on to find out some of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality after a home renovation:
Use Air Purifiers and Scrubbers
The quickest and most effective way to improve your home’s indoor air quality after a renovation is by running a commercial-grade air scrubber.
An air scrubber can help keep indoor air dust-free by drawing in construction dust and other airborne contaminants.
To reduce airborne contaminants, consider running an air scrubber inside the room you’re renovating and another outside the worksite until the renovation ends.
Change air filters regularly to remove dust and debris that could clog the scrubber.
To further reduce contaminants in the air, consider running your HVAC’s air purification system or using a portable air purifier.
Use the air purifier throughout your home to eliminate dust particles that could have traveled to other rooms.
This will remove the harsh odors VOCs produce and other pollutants like mold and dander, leaving fresh and clean air inside your home.
Ventilate Your Home
Besides running an air scrubber and purifier, you can also eliminate construction dust and other contaminants in your indoor air after a renovation by ventilating your home.
Providing adequate ventilation throughout your home after a renovation can efficiently and drastically reduce indoor air pollution.
Ensure there’s adequate ventilation throughout your house during and after the renovation.
Proper ventilation is especially important when installing floors or carpets, applying finishes and paints, or performing other tasks that release toxic gasses and fumes into the air.
Once the renovation is complete, open windows and doors to properly ventilate your home and let polluted air out and fresh air in.
Properly Store or Dispose of VOC-Containing Products
Allow any remaining paints containing VOC compounds to off-gas outside before sealing the containers and properly storing them inside your house.
Ensure you keep all paint containers inside a room with exhaust ventilation.
Follow appropriate guidelines and regulations when disposing of asbestos-containing materials and lead or mercury-based paints. Ensure also to wear appropriate protection when getting rid of waste after the renovation.
Construction dust and other contaminants from a renovation project can pose a significant health risk to you and your family, including asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems.
Improving your home’s indoor air quality is crucial to keeping your family and pets safe during and after a renovation project.