Safety Tips for Home Renovators
The post Some Safety Tips for Home Renovators appeared first on Allkind Joinery & Glass Pty Ltd written by Rob Schneider.
Allkind Joinery & Glass Brisbane has been in business since 1970 and its roots go even further back. As home renovation specialists, the experts at Allkind are well aware of the unsafe building materials that were used in the past and the precautions homeowners need to take when renovating older homes. If you are a DIY home renovator, these are some things you need to know.
Asbestos and Renovating
Many Australians are snapping up older homes and renovating them. Most of us are now aware of the dangers of asbestos, but not everyone is aware of the numbers of ways asbestos was used in Australia or when it presents a problem.
It is well know that old “fibro” houses were clad in asbestos sheets. Many home buyers don’t realise, though, that asbestos was commonly used in building materials up until the mid 1980s and was only totally banned at the end of 2003. According to the The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing , the risk of having asbestos in your home increases exponentially the earlier it was built.
Many home renovators come to Allkind Joinery to buy timber windows and doors for older homes. If the walls around the windows and doors are going to be cut into, that’s when asbestos poses the greatest risk, because that is when asbestos fibres will be released into the air. If you are renovating an older home, download and read Asbestos: A guide for householders and the general public, a free PDF offered by the The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. By all means, go ahead with your renovations, but let a qualified tradesperson do your installation for you if you suspect asbestos is present in your internal or external walls.
Lead Paint and its Risks
Prior to 1950, interior and exterior paints contained as much as 50 percent lead. “White lead” was the reason for this, because it was used as the white pigment in both white and tinted paints. After 1950, lead levels were reduced to one percent, but by 1970, even that was considered too high. Today, only trace amounts of lead can be found in some paints and many others are completely lead-free.
Lead poses the greatest danger when you are stripping old paint off of timber windows, walls and other surfaces that may still have their original paint on them. A PDF published by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Lead Alert, goes into detail about lead and includes detailed instructions for its safe removal.
Timber Window Glass
Older homes often have timber windows. The older the home is, the less likely the windows will have safety glass. The old 3mm glass that was used in making timber windows can be extremely dangerous. Consider replacing the glass in the windows. If there are signs of rot or your timber casement windows are hard to open and close, consider having Allkind Joinery Brisbane replace your timber windows.
Helping homeowners renovate older homes is one of Allkind Joinery’s specialities. Nothing improves the appearance and value of a home like quality timber windows and doors. To help make them more affordable, Allkind has introduced their Renovator’s Range of timber doors. Their standard sizes of timber windows, too, are far more than standard quality, but are still competitively priced. Check out their photo gallery for inspiration or better yet, visit the Allkind Joinery Brisbane showroom and speak to one of their customer service representatives in person.
The post Some Safety Tips for Home Renovators appeared first on Allkind Joinery & Glass Pty Ltd written by Rob Schneider.
Timber Sliding Doors 