What Protective Measures Should I Take When Painting My Home?
April 7, 2021
Painting is often seen as a very user-friendly activity. In fact, many homeowners choose to complete this huge task on their own rather than hiring professional painters. While we would love to help you paint the interior or exterior of your home or business, we know that many will choose the DIY route instead. Knowing that, we would like to offer our suggestions on how to take protective measures when starting a painting project either inside or outside your home.
Ensure Proper Ventilation
According to the National Capital Poison Center, exposure to paint fumes from solvent paints can cause dizziness, headaches, and nausea. These problems are most likely to occur when painting a room with poor ventilation.
To prevent problems associated with paint fumes, be sure to open windows when painting inside. If the room has a ceiling fan, turn that on. If you find the smell to be too much, step outside and place a box fan in the room to air it out before re-entering. This is even more important if you or a member of your household is pregnant.
Use Ladders & Scaffolding Safely
If your home has areas such as high ceilings, stairwells that are raised, or cathedral ceilings, you may need to invest in a series of extension ladders or scaffolding equipment. In either case, be sure to follow guidelines when using these.
Be sure to follow instructions on the set up and use of these pieces of equipment so that any members of your family are not involved in an accident related to falling scaffolding or ladders that are not stable.
Use Personal Protective Equipment
Many painting supplies such as solvents, cleaning products, and paint strippers are toxic and can harm the human body, specifically the eyes. Be sure to invest in some simple items such as goggles, gloves, and masks when using harsh chemicals that irritate your eyes, hands, or skin.
Protect Your Furnishings & Floors
Obviously, if you are painting indoors you will want to lay some non-slip floor coverings to protect any furniture that can not be moved as well as floors from any drips or splatters. Be certain that the floor coverings are secure to avoid slipping on it during the paint process. Canvas coverings do a much better job at providing non-slip coverage than plastic tarps.
Secure Electrical Outlets
Do-it-yourselfers often find painting around switch plates and electrical outlets to be difficult. We recommend taking off the plates and storing them in a baggie while you work your way around the room. Pay extra attention to how you take these off and on. Avoid electrocution by placing tape over the exposed openings or shutting off the electricity to the room when possible.
If this sounds like too much to take on, contact our team for a free estimate to paint your home or business. We have all the safety equipment and insurance to protect our team and your home.
Categorised in: Exterior painting, Interior painting, Jerry Enos, Painting Challenges, Safety