Renovating a home is a dream for many parents. Maybe you’ve always wanted a larger bathroom or are getting frustrated while navigating a small, outdated kitchen. Ranging from simple to complex, home renovations provide homeowners with an ideal living space. But, if you have children in the home during the renovation process, the idea of ongoing construction may raise concerns. To keep children safe during a home renovation, there are a few important steps parents should take.
Address Health Hazards
During a home renovation, the air in your home can become polluted with dust and harmful particles. To keep you and your family healthy, discuss appropriate safety measures with your renovation specialist to ensure the home’s air quality remains intact. Often, using a HEPA-filtered vacuum and sealing off ventilation systems can help reduce dust and debris that can circulate in the air during a project.
Establish New Common Areas
With children in the home, it’s important to establish new common areas prior to starting a home renovation to keep children from roaming into kitchens, living rooms, or other areas out of habit. Simply relocating the refrigerator or microwave to another room, for example, is a good solution that can keep children out of harm’s way.
Access to Power Tools
Whether you have one child or multiple children, the lure of new and interesting “toys” can be irresistible. Unfortunately, many power tools, with their many buttons and loud noises, may seem like play toys. To prevent children from accessing power tools, plan to keep them well out of reach. When the renovation crew is done for the day, make arrangements to have tools removed from the property or secured in a way that prevents unwanted access.
Keep Children Away from Work Areas
It’s always a challenge to keep children out of restricted areas, whether you’re in the middle of a project or just want some time alone. During a home renovation, however, access to a work area can result in serious injury. If possible, try to schedule renovations to occur during times when children are at school or day care. Otherwise, it’s important to let workers know when children are in the home and to monitor children at all times to ensure they do not enter an area that is under construction.
Proper Waste Disposal
Renovating a home produces a variety of waste products, including nails, pieces of sharp metal, and chemical containers that can appeal to a curious child. To prevent children from accessing these harmful materials, discuss proper waste containment and disposal with your renovation specialist. Temporarily installing a waste disposal container on your property is a simple step that may prevent access to waste material and potential injury.
Renovation Follow-Up
After you and your family have safely completed the home renovation process, make sure to reward your children for following the rules and staying safe. Spend time reviewing the changes that have been made and ask their opinion on your new living space.
Are you looking for a renovation specialist that puts the safety of your family first? Contact RH Homes today for a free consultation.
