Giving your home a new coat of paint is a popular project that makes it feel brand new once finished. Before doing any DIY project, though, you’ll want to research all the methods to help you stay safe. These are the safety tips to consider before painting your house.
Test for Lead
If you’re painting an older home, you may have some traces of lead paint on your walls. Therefore, you’ll want to test surfaces to see if they come back positive for lead. If they do, you’ll want to take the proper precautions before proceeding. You’ll need to spray the area with water before you scrape off the paint. Don’t try to scrape or use heat to strip it without spraying it first. Otherwise, you may expose yourself to the lead.
Have Plenty of Ventilation
Creating a safe environment when you’re painting is a sound strategy. Adequate ventilation is essential when you’re painting your home. Get some exhaust fans to disperse the fumes and never keep an open flame around any painting or primer products. If you forget about these considerations, you may face the consequences. You can end up turning your work area into a hazardous, flammable danger zone.
Don’t Push It With a Ladder
Check that your ladder is in stable condition by inspecting it and ensuring it’s sturdy and sound. If it feels too dangerous, it probably is. So don’t push it and take unnecessary risks. Also, don’t try to overdo it when you ascend your way to the top. Have someone else hand you materials and stay away from the top step.
Use Safe Products
You don’t want to use paint that can damage your health. Therefore, it’s crucial to look for products with minimal VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Low VOC paints don’t give off anywhere near as many toxic fumes as your standard latex paints. They’re also similar in price, so you don’t need to break your budget to choose the safer option. Plus, they don’t require powerful solvents to dispose of properly. Just make sure you wear gloves and protective clothing when you clean.
Dispose of Materials Properly
Paint often contains several hazardous materials that require proper disposal. Therefore, you don’t want to take any shortcuts when cleaning it up. You’ll want to keep paint away from small children and animals because it’ll be bad news if they get into it. The paint also needs to be thoroughly dry before you toss it, so throw some dirt in and let it rest for a week or two before coming back to it. Lastly, you’ll need to clean your tools like brushes and rollers with solvent. There are several non-toxic, natural options available to avoid harmful chemicals.
It’s vital to follow these safety tips to consider before painting your house for a happy and healthy painting project. You never want to wing things when toxic substances may be involved, so stay vigilant to avoid them as much as you can.
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