Handling Hazardous Materials
If you’re planning on putting new flooring in your home, there are a few inherent risks involved in removing your old tile flooring. Homes built in the 1980s and earlier likely contain hazardous materials, particularly asbestos. In order to keep yourself and others in your home protected, here are a few tips for the flooring removal process:
Look up your local laws. Because of the hazardous nature of working with asbestos, there are a lot of laws surrounding its use and disposal. Before getting started, make sure to familiarize yourself with your current locality’s laws on the subject. You may find that you have to apply for one or more government-issued permits in order to even get started on the removal process.
Wear protective clothing. You won’t need a full-on hazmat suit, but according to DoItYourself.com, gloves, disposable coveralls, a respirator and safety goggles should be enough to protect yourself from loose fibers or dust that might fly up while removing the tiles.
Use heavy plastic barriers to contain dust and debris. To keep any bits of material that might be hazardous from getting into other parts of your home, make sure to cover walls and especially doorways with heavy plastic dust barriers. Using such partitions will prevent potentially harmful dust and debris from leaving your work space.
Make sure the floor is wet. Take a bucket of water and dump it on your floor. Use a mop to make sure the tiles aren’t excessively slippery, but keeping the tiles wet will further contain any dust or fibrous debris that might get kicked loose while you’re tearing up the floor. It should also make removing the tiles in one piece easier.
Do your best not to break up floor tiles. While it may be difficult to get every tile up in one piece, take as much care as you can to make sure that tiles aren’t breaking into bits as you go. Tiles that are loose should be easy to handle, but those more strongly attached tiles can be difficult to manage. Dry ice can also be used to remove floor tiles in one piece, but this method will not be very friendly to your wallet.
Dispose of materials properly. When your floor tiles have been detached from the floor, it’s important to take care when disposing of them. Use a sealed plastic container, or line a cardboard box with plastic and duct tape it shut once the tiles are inside to prevent others from being exposed to any hazardous material. Make sure to label the container so that others know to handle it with caution.
Whether or not your home contains asbestos, it is important to take proper safety precautions before pursuing any kind of home renovation project. Dust and debris containment is something to always be conscious of, especially when it comes to protecting your family’s health during home renovations. Remember that if you are dealing with hazardous materials, consult a professional before deciding on a course of action for removal. Although replacing your floor might not seem risky, you never know what might be hiding underneath.
Disclaimer: YourFlooringExperts.com offers general best practices tips and is not responsible for any issues incurred. Always consult a professional before starting any remodeling project.