Demolition can be a large project that must be done right. Before you begin, you should have the right tools, make sure you are aware of the piping and electrical systems in the house, and take the proper safety measures to ensure that the job is done correctly.
Tools
A crowbar, pry bar, scraper, mallet and a hammer are the main tools that you will need when you are working on demolition projects. Make sure you have all of the tools you will need so that you can complete the work as quickly and as easily as possible.
Clean-up as you go
There are two main steps when you’re doing demolition work in a house: the destruction and the cleanup. It is easy to get carried away with tearing down walls, but don’t forget to pick up and take out the debris as you go. If you don’t, you’ll be left with a room full of debris that will pile up and get your way. As you work on the demolition, take breaks and remove the debris from the room every so often. This will prevent you from wearing out and you won’t have to worry about falling over any obstacles.
Control the Dust
Tearing down a wall will kick up a lot of dust. Before you begin the demolition, close off any doorways with tarps so that the dust will be trapped inside the room. This will save you the time of having to dust and vacuum your entire house afterwards. If you have two windows on opposite sides of the room, you can make a ventilation system that will carry the dust out. Take the screen out of your window and put a fan on exhaust in it. Open the window so that it creates an airflow that will push most of the dust out of the house.
Know where the Pipes and Electrical Wires Run
The last thing you want to do is bust a pipe open or cut through an electrical wire. Before you begin your demolition, check the schematics of your house so that you do not accidentally break any pipes or cut any wires. Causing any damage like this can be costly to repair so you should double check to make sure everything is safe before you start. Make a hole in the wall and use a flash light to peer through to make sure there are no pipes or wires in a way.
Turn off the Water and Electric
For safety reasons and to protect your house, you should turn off the power to the room you’re working in and the water in your house. If you break a pipe, you will not have to worry about water damage to your house. If you cut an electrical wire, you will not have to worry about being electrocuted if the electric is shut off beforehand.
Safety Goggles and a Dust Mask
You don’t want to breathe in dust or have to stop every 10 minutes to wipe it from your eyes. Wearing safety goggles will keep the dust out of your eyes and protect you from any falling debris. Wearing a dust mask will filter out the dust that is kicked up, as well as any potential hazardous particles like asbestos or lead based paint. These hazardous particles are more common in older houses so be careful if you are doing demolition work in one of them.
Boots, long sleeves and pants
When you are doing demolition work, there will be pieces of drywall, wood and sometimes metal that can fall on you. It won’t cause serious harm, but you can protect yourself from scrapes and cuts by wearing long sleeves and pants. You should also wear boots to those case heavy objects like demolition tools fall on them.
Mark is a passionate DIY and works for a demolition company in Perth.
Knowing where the pipes and electrical wires run seems important to know before doing any renovation work. You’re right about how that could help to avoid breaking pipes and cutting wires. Preventing any of these costly repairs seems like a good reason to have plumbing and your wiring system included in your schematics before starting demolition work. Thanks for the tips!