Five Crucial Protections To Take During Home Improvement Projects!

This post is provided by Boris Dzhingarov.

In most cases of major construction or home improvement projects, it pays to hire a professional. While the costs can seem staggering, the guarantee of quality, elimination of any personal risk and the time saved are all valuable factors to consider. Some individuals do decide to embark on major home projects alone, while many others embrace more minor projects with ease.

Nevertheless, those not inherently familiar with these procedures are prone to making innocent but potentially disastrous mistakes. Safeguarding both yourself and your home from any unintended DIY side-effects should be a top priority.

As such, let us look at five crucial protections you should take when performing various home improvement projects.

Put Down A Dropcloth

So many home improvement and construction projects in the home can create an utter mess. For these kinds of projects, putting down dropcloths in the work area before beginning is imperative. Whether you are painting, sanding or spackling, materials and debris can easily fall onto the floor. Protecting your floors – whether they are carpet, hardwood or laminate – from these messes by using dropcloths is well worth the effort, so invest in a one or more of these protective accessories.

Shut Off Utilities

Many construction projects may involve structural elements of the home, such as electrical wires and water pipes. Before working on any socket, installing any fixture or cutting into any wall, it is vital that you turn off the utilities to prevent damage and harm. Not only can one wrong move cause a flood within the home or an electrical fire, but it could also potentially cost you your life. Do not be lazy, and take the extra time needed to shut off utilities before working on vulnerable areas of the home.

Protect Your Eyes, Ears, Hands And Feet

It can be all too easy to feel comfortable when working on projects in and around the home. Unfortunately, luck does not care where you are: one wrong move, and you could suffer serious injuries. As such, any home improvement or construction project should always be centered around wearing proper protection, which includes eyewear, ear protection, gloves and proper footwear (depending on the exact project).

Ensure Proper Ventilation

A variety of construction and home improvement projects ideally need specific ventilation conditions to avoid any damage to your lungs and other organs. For example, ensuring open windows and box fans are present in a room when painting is ideal, but closing off any airflow when cutting through drywall or installing insulation helps prevent tiny particles from circulating throughout the room and being inhaled. Always consider whether your project could generate small forms of debris that are harmful if ingested and make the proper accommodations.

Secure the Ladder

One of the most common household accidents is falling, and a large chunk of these accidents involve ladders. If you are conducting home improvement projects inside or outside of the home, be sure to place your ladder on a firm, even surface and secure it to the wall, tree or other nearby sturdy structure for additional support. Whether you are putting up new gutters or cleaning the chandelier, one slip could cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills – or even worse, your life. 

Many home improvement projects can be made safer and less prone to mishaps by adopting these five tips. While not everyone will be relevant for every occasion, keep this list in mind when embarking on your next construction or DIY project around the house.