Remodeling Safety: How to Keep Your Kids Out of Danger During a Renovation

views

Have you just bought a new home or finally decided to refurbish your current place? This is great news, but the responsibilities that come with a remodel are just as daunting as the demolition process itself.

Before embarking on this long journey, several things have to be considered: from ensuring that there’s no mold or lead risk to keeping your family and, particularly, children safe. Dust, chemical substances, moldy spots, old wires, asbestos, and contact with electricity are just some of the most common things that can be harmful to your health. Thus, you should pay careful attention to ensuring a safe area while workers do their best to make your dream home.

Childproofing during renovation is, without any doubt, challenging, especially when you have to live in the construction zone. But don’t fret; there are plenty of ways to ensure your site is safe for the young ones.

Have a look at this article to find out some practical childproofing tips that will make the renovation process a less stressful one:

Have the “talk”

It might seem nonessential, but talking to your children (of course, if their age allows) is one of the most important things you could do before getting started. Try to make them understand what a home remodel implies, tell them which rooms should be avoided during this process, and warn them of the tools and equipment that must be avoided. Once you make them aware of the dangers, keeping the situation under control would be much easier. Just because they are younger, it doesn’t mean you have to keep them away from responsibilities. You probably know that children are curious to touch things and explore places, but it’s paramount to discipline them in this regard to help them feel comfortable throughout the remodel.

Create a child-zone room

If you’re remodeling the entire house, be sure that the project will be long-lasting. That’s why it’s imperative to ensure your kids have a room that separates them from the work zone. This is vital, especially if you’re working on core rooms like the bathroom or kitchen: children won’t be distracted from walking around if they have a room to play, watch television, or have fun with toys. Also, it’s essential to talk to your contractor in this respect and make a clear distinction between the refurbishing spaces and temporary living areas. This way, workers will know which rooms they should avoid and where not to leave gear or equipment that might put children’s safety at risk. Leaving one area of your house untouched ensures children’s safety and keeps them out of harm’s way.

Ensure good-air quality

As you may know, a home remodel comes with a lot of dust and debris that are annoying and health-threatening. Thus, if you don’t have the possibility to live in another place during the renovation project, make air cleanliness a priority. It’s not enough to cover your entryways and furniture with plastic liners, although it will significantly minimize the dust transfer; you also have to open doors and windows as often as possible to ventilate the remodeling area properly. Air purifiers are a great deal, as these help against asbestos, mold, lead, and dust. They’re also a long-term investment because you can use them to improve the indoor air quality for many years to come.

Arrange for the renovation to take place when kids are not around

Taking your children to grandma looks like the simplest way to complete the bulk of your remodel. But this is often easier said than done. You have to make sure your kids are supervised by someone who can pay proper attention to their needs and supervise them while playing, and these are not really the easiest tasks you can give to an old adult. Someone must also be disposed to take care of your kids for a longer period, not just a couple of days. Fortunately, there are solutions you can unhesitatingly trust, like, for example, summer camps.

Not only do these camps offer your children incredible activities such as sports and tech programs and a unique learning experience with a lot of fun, but they also keep them safe from the hazards of a renovation project. Thus, consider sending your kids to a summer camp to give them an extraordinary experience and keep them away from the remodel’s chaos. Besides, you should have plenty of possibilities when it comes to summer camps, and whether you opt for Brooklyn day camps or Queens day camps, take your time to search for one that best suits your and your children’s needs and have no second thought: enroll them!

Designate alternative areas

Is your kitchen that has to be first remodeled? Then consider moving essentials like a refrigerator or microwave to another room or the garage if you have one. You can also improvise a kitchenette in an untouched zone to continue your day-to-day activities without worries. The same is with the children’s bedroom – once you relocate their stuff to the child-zone area, they’re less likely to venture into areas of the house that are under construction.

Supervise

Although supervision is already included in the equation, it doesn’t hurt to remind you of it. It’s worth knowing that younger children tend to wander into the construction zone to discover new tools in their line of sight. That’s why you should be preoccupied with always having an eye on them. If your children are big enough to understand the potential risk of certain equipment, you can try to satisfy their curiosity and show them how it works. You can also allow them to watch a part of the renovation process from a distance, but make sure there’s no risk of dust, mold, or toxic substance exposure. Eventually, they’ll get bored and return to their play.

Other useful child safety practices include:

  • cover electrical outlets and cords
  • collect waste in containers so that children can’t reach it
  • keep dangerous chemicals away
  • watch for tripping hazards

As you can see, renovations are not only about exciting changes but also about safety. But if you take the right measures, your family can enjoy a smooth remodel.

Share this
Tags

Recent articles

More like this