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Remodeling during winter - safety?

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Snav 
#1 ·
I'm getting ready to dive into the glorious fun of remodeling my bathroom. I've gone over thing in detail to avoid problems and complications - I've spent months reading and planning and asking questions - and reading and planning some more.

However - it is winter and I usually don't do my remodeling projects when it's cold. My central heat/air doesn't work (will be replacing after DIY is all over) so I use space heaters (electric) instead.

Well - I'm fully intent on NOT freezing to death during this winter-remodel (I'll be replacing the subfloor and all walls - including insulation) and can't help but be worried about having a space heater near the dust from demolition and fumes from sealants and so forth.

So - what's a good safety precaution? Run an air-filter in the room while I work the entire time? Keep the heater 10' away from the work area?
 
#2 ·
I've redone 2 bathrooms & a kitchen in the winter, plus other rooms

My last house had an unheated crawl space - heated with wood mostly, plus gas forced hot air heat
I took the bathroom floor up & put in new joists & sub-floor
Less then a day & it was closed back in...rug for warmth until I tiled

I also gutted the kitchen down the wall studs & floor joists
I did the walls 1st & insulated/sheetrocked/mudded
Then I did the floor
I again had the subfloor ready to go in
Probably took a weekend to do that

I work in the cold usually...I let the heat drop to 60 so I don't sweat
Then once it was closed back in I'd fire up the wood stove more

Dust can be combustible
I'd keep it as far away as possible & use it sparingly
Wear a sweatshirt, long underwear if needed
What sealants will you be using ?

I used to use a back bedroom as a cutting room
I'd shut the door...basically an unheated room
 
#3 · (Edited)
See - this is why I ask these kinds of questions!

I didn't even think about crawl-space comfort. I'll be doing structural work the first week (unhopefully - maybe 2 weeks) - and after that it'll be under house for the plumbing, in the attic for the electric.
So I'll plan to buy some water and weather tolerant clothing - maybe even some wader-boots - and definitely long unders.

I'll just play it completely safe and keep the heater out of the area - I'd rather be cold than crispy.

*edit*
I'll put up a temporary door so I can close the bathroom off easily when not working on it.
Currently the master bath is just wide open with some curtains hanging in the doorway. I sized it for french doors but I can do a temporary wall with a narrow cheap door for the time being - the french doors will be the last thing I install.
 
#4 ·
I'm getting ready to dive into the glorious fun of remodeling my bathroom. I've gone over thing in detail to avoid problems and complications - I've spent months reading and planning and asking questions - and reading and planning some more.

However - it is winter and I usually don't do my remodeling projects when it's cold. My central heat/air doesn't work (will be replacing after DIY is all over) so I use space heaters (electric) instead.

Well - I'm fully intent on NOT freezing to death during this winter-remodel (I'll be replacing the subfloor and all walls - including insulation) and can't help but be worried about having a space heater near the dust from demolition and fumes from sealants and so forth.

So - what's a good safety precaution? Run an air-filter in the room while I work the entire time? Keep the heater 10' away from the work area?
If you're using the oil filled space heaters, you shouldn't have an issue. If you're using the electric units that glow orange, the danger level is bad enough without adding dust to the mix.
Ron
 
#6 ·
Well - I went looking, today, for some coveralls that would fit me.

HAH
HAH
HAH

I went to several different stores and found NONE in my size - or even a smidge too big.

I'm just too small for any of it - I went to 7 places looking for appropriate attire and found nothing. Not even boot-overalls that would fit.
Not a dang thing.

I'll just bundle up with some layers - odds are I'll be sweating like a pig and stripping them off, anyway.

I couldn't even find galoshes - They had them for little kids but nothing that would fit me. They had some knee-high waders that were men's size 6 - the smallest I could find and they're enormous on me. I have a pair of water-shoes that I can wear with them to make them fit a bit better.

Oi! Sometimes I wish I was taller and fatter(er). :)

But none the less - I'm diving in, today. I picked up a respirator (something I didn't have before and remember regretting) and I managed to actually find some gloves that do fit - so that's good.

Ron - I have a Honeywell cool-touch 360 space heater, it's not a classic heat-box and it does have several safety features to switch it off when overheated or shorted out ,etc - but I still don't trust it that much.
If it doesn't ignite something - it'll likely get clogged with junk easily.
 
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