If you have planned a small or large renovation project, you will find a strong partner at your side in us. With many good tips and the corresponding know-how, but above all with our brand-name quality tools, the practice-optimised PowerTools from Trotec, we are happy to support you to the best of our ability in each of your projects. Right at the start we would therefore like to draw your attention to the underestimated risk of allergenic substances that can be released during renovation work. With our tips, you can protect yourself from undesirable consequences – so that your renovation is a success right from the start.
As some substances don’t just trigger allergies, but are also harmful to health, allergy sufferers as well as every ‘do-it-yourselfer’ or handyman and craftsman in general should protect themselves during renovation work. It is therefore best to obtain the protective materials and solutions presented below first, before you reach for the hammer. And what is also very important: particular health risks, including an incalculable risk of cancer, occur when renovating objects are contaminated with mould and asbestos. For this reason, any work to remove mould or asbestos should be left to specialist companies.
Tip 1: Necessary preparatory work
Often only one room needs renovating while the other rooms remain occupied. Make sure no dust gets into these rooms. For example, simply hang damp sheets in the door openings or tape the opening with foil and leave only a small gap to walk through. Seal the door gaps with blankets. Stretch another sheet across the bedroom door to prevent the substances released from getting into the bedroom.
Tip 2: Necessary investments
If you are renovating a room on a larger scale, with a corresponding output of dangerous fine dust and similar substances, you should consider using a professional air purifier from the Trotec’s AirgoClean® 250 E series. Of course, this applies even more if you are allergic to released substances. We recommend, for example, the AirgoClean® 250 E air purifier for rooms measuring up to 88 m²/220 m³. Your advantage with this purchase: the AirgoClean® 250 E air purifier monitors and cleans the air fully automatically – and is ideal for home and office even after renovation is complete.
It protects you and your environment with HEPA-filtered clean air that is 99.97% free of harmful suspended particles and pollutants. Fully automatically thanks to the latest air quality sensors. Because the ‘’air quality sensors’’ of the AirgoClean® 250 E continuously measure the air quality and fine dust pollution in order to clean the air with intelligently controlled performance.
Tip 3: Removing old wallpaper
Removing old wallpaper and floor coverings is particularly problematic for allergy sufferers as it causes harmful substances to get into the air and in contact with skin. For this reason, wallpaper should be soaked thoroughly with water before it is removed so that it can be taken off the walls more easily and so that less dust gets into the air. Because mould spores on wallpaper cannot be seen with the naked eye, it is imperative, especially for people with allergies, to wear full-face masks with a filter performance of 99.5%, which protects against these substances. People with contact allergies should also ideally wear a protective suit to stop dust settling on the skin.
Tip 4: Removing old paint
We recommend wearing a breathing filter even when removing emulsion paint which is actually considered harmless. This is because dispersion paints often contain substances such as isothiazolinones as preservatives, which should also not be inhaled. If you would like to remove paint by sanding down furniture, you should ideally do this outside. You can remove paint from wood indoors using a scraping tool such as a knife without too much dust pollution being released into the air. Nonetheless, you should still wear a protective breathing mask. If you want to use paint stripper to remove paint from wood, you should also wear protective glasses, clothing and gloves as the paint stripper solution can burn the eyes and skin.
Tip 5: Removing old floor coverings
You should also wear protective clothing and breathing masks when removing old floor coverings. Vacuum clean carpets and wet them before taking them out to avoid dust getting into the air. Allergy sufferers should also always remember to remove glue residues from floors. Wallpaper and residues from paints, glues and carpets that have been removed are best taken out of the room straight away, otherwise they will continue to release their allergenic substances into the air. If you sand down floor coverings, always use a sanding machine with a dust collection bag.
Tip 6: The right choice of new paint, wallpaper and flooring
When choosing new paints, wallpapers and floor coverings allergy sufferers should pay particular attention to materials that are not hazardous to health. They shouldn’t contain any solvents or resins. However sometimes even mostly natural or ecologically safe paints and other materials sometimes contain other substances which can trigger or worsen allergies. Products with the “blue angel” eco label are generally much better for your health. Alternatively you can rely on the TÜV stamp “suitable for allergy sufferers” when choosing paints and wallpapers.
Wood-chip or plain wallpapers are more suitable for allergy sufferers than those that contain plastics or preservatives. After putting up wallpaper or painting walls you should heat the room well so that the wallpaper and paint can dry out thoroughly. After this you should let the room air fully so that all of the chemicals and odours can escape.
Those who suffer from allergies should also think carefully about selecting a suitable floor covering. For those allergic to house dust, smooth, wipeable floors are only recommendable if they can be wiped wet every two days. Allergy sufferers who prefer carpets should make sure they have not been treated with moth repellents or other harmful substances before they buy them.
Tip 7: The right choice of new furniture
When buying new furniture, make sure the chipboard panels do not contain any substances that are harmful to health such as formaldehyde. You can easily detect formaldehyde by its pungent odour. It is best to steer well clear of such purchases because this substance doesn’t just irritate the airways, it is also carcinogenic.
Extra Tip: Find out more about the comfort air purifiers of the AirgoClean® series
If you want to renovate your home yourself despite having an allergy, or simply want to be on the safe side, you should use a professional air purifier. The modern air purifiers of the AirgoClean® series remove the harmful mix of renovation and house dust, pollen, allergens and animal hair from the air in workrooms, living rooms, bedrooms highly efficiently and fully automatically.
Find out more about the advantages that our AirgoClean® series comfort air purifiers offer you: AirgoClean® 10 E, AirgoClean® 11 E, AirgoClean® 15 E, AirgoClean® 100 E, AirgoClean® 110 E, AirgoClean® 150 E, AirgoClean® 170 E, AirgoClean® 200 E, AirgoClean® 250 E, AirgoClean® 350 E and AirgoClean® One – now in the Trotec shop!
If you have any questions on this topic, please do not hesitate to contact us on +49 2452 962 400.
Renovation tips – we will inform you promptly about the following topics:
1/9 Renovating: Protection from allergenic substances
2/9 Renovating: More light for renovation work
3/9 Renovating: Tips for the perfect socket installation
4/9 Renovating: Fatigue-free drilling, hammer drilling and chiselling
5/9 Renovating: Milling, sawing, cutting, rasping and sanding on just one device
6/9 Renovating: Jigsaws, reciprocating saws and circular hand saws from Trotec
7/9 Renovating: Which sander for which application
8/9 Renovating: Tips for the perfect façade painting
9/9 Renovation: Quickly completing construction and repair work
