Dust allergy during building work?

[SRJDIY]

Hi all! I'm soon going to have my kitchen extended by knocking out the external wall. The work will also involve sanding down an artex ceiling (we've checked and there's no asbestos, luckily). However, I have a dust allergy, and I'm worried about dust from the work in the kitchen getting all around the house. Compounding the issue is the fact that there's no kitchen door.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can manage the dust as best as possible please? I can dose up on antihistamines, but they can only do so much when the house is full of dust, and they tend to lose effectiveness after a while anyway.

 

[bernardgreen]

My trick is a large extractor fan (12 inch ) in a sheet of alloy which I tape in place over an open window to blow air and dust out. This clears some dust but more importantly lowers the pressure in the room so there is no movement of dust and air under doors into other rooms. Air flow into the room from other rooms reduces the amount of dust that can get into other rooms The door can even be left slightly ajar to help air flow to clear dust out of the room through the extractor.

But it does then make a mess then outside so it can upset the neighbours.

 

[cdbe]

Just get it skimmed.

 

[foxhole]

Just get it skimmed.

Much better idea !

 

[noseall]

Hi all! I'm soon going to have my kitchen extended by knocking out the external wall. The work will also involve sanding down an artex ceiling (we've checked and there's no asbestos, luckily). However, I have a dust allergy, and I'm worried about dust from the work in the kitchen getting all around the house. Compounding the issue is the fact that there's no kitchen door.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can manage the dust as best as possible please? I can dose up on antihistamines, but they can only do so much when the house is full of dust, and they tend to lose effectiveness after a while anyway.

Dust allergy?
Don’t, under any circumstances have ANY building work done. EVERYTHING we do produces lots of dust.

 

[Old Salt]

Tape polythene across the opening to limit the travel of dust. You could use 2 layers with a gap between to for an airlock as well if you wish.

 

[JohnD]

You can put a builder's canister vac outside the house, with a hose running through a board across the window. It will generate enough suction to prevent dust spreading through the house, and the vac's filter will trap the dust.

I use a bag as well as the filter, it traps most of the dust and delays clogging of the filter.

It may be rather noisy.

Having it outside the room also prevents the exhaust creating air currents that will blow the dust around.

If you can get an adaptor joint to fit, you can put an extra hose and cleaning tools on the end to hoover the floor. You can get hoses in long lengths and sometimes in 2 inch diameter.

 

[JohnD]

Examples

Flexible 15 Metre Length Hose Coil 38mm Diameter For Goblin Vacuum Cleaners | eBay

Industrial length vacuum cleaner hose coil.

www.ebay.co.uk

5M NUMATIC AQUAVAC HOSE 51MM DIAMETER HOOVER VACUUM CLEANER HOSE 5 METRE 34252X5 | eBay

VACUUM CLEANER HOSE. CAN BE CUT TO REQUIRED SIZE.

www.ebay.co.uk

I believe trade suppliers buy the hose on big reels, and cut it to the required length and fit the end pieces.

 

[noseall]

Tape polythene across the opening to limit the travel of dust. You could use 2 layers with a gap between to for an airlock as well if you wish.

Airlocks don’t work when you are moving large objects in and out of a house.

 

[^woody^]

Allergic to dust ie the faeces of dust mites, or allergic to grains of minerals, wood and paint products?

Anyway, your contractors are obligated to consider and assess all risks and prepare method statements and suitable safe working practices to deal with those risks. You should ask to see these and agree them in advance of any work starting.

BTW, even if you are sure that the textured coating contains no asbestos there are still risks, and sanding it is not the safest way to remove it.

No contractor who let's any dust travel around the house should be allowed to work there in the first place.

 

[noseall]

Allergic to dust ie the faeces of dust mites, or allergic to grains of minerals, wood and paint products?

Anyway, your contractors are obligated to consider and assess all risks and prepare method statements and suitable safe working practices to deal with those risks. You should ask to see these and agree them in advance of any work starting.

BTW, even if you are sure that the textured coating contains no asbestos there are still risks, and sanding it is not the safest way to remove it.

No contractor who let's any dust travel around the house should be allowed to work there in the first place.

Lol.
Zero jobs would get past the customer passing out on the floor, upon seeing the additional costs.
It would be cheaper to house them in a hotel for a month. Five star.

 

[^woody^]

I'm phoning the HSE.

 

[Old Salt]

Airlocks don’t work when you are moving large objects in and out of a house.

He didn't say anything about moving large objects in and out, just how to avoid dust spreading around the house whilst removing the artex. Please try to pay attention!

 

[RepairingDave]

... there's no kitchen door.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can manage the dust as best as possible please?

Are you able to fit a temporary door/sheet of plywood or similar?
If you are, once it is held in place, tape around the edges with masking tape to seal any gaps.

 

[noseall]

He didn't say anything about moving large objects in and out, just how to avoid dust spreading around the house whilst removing the artex. Please try to pay attention!

I know. But I live in the real world where many tradesmen are working upstairs and down, carrying plasterboards, doors, boilers, sofas beds carpets etc. Windows open, drills out, multitool out, ceilings down floorboards up.
To sanitise a job (hazmat style) as Woody suggested would add thousands to a job and take double the time.