How To Keep Dust Out Of Your House During Nearby House Demolition

17 November 2014

Eugene Vargas

Unfortunately, neighbouring demolitions are unavoidable, both for you and your home. If you decide to relocate during the work without taking precautions, you might come back to piles of dirt and debris that into your home. Unless you want to clean up the nearby house's earthly remains from your carpets, you should take all possible measures to seal off your house from the outside world during the demolition. 

Seal every entry point

If wind can come in, so can dust and debris. Make sure to seal all windows and doors:

1. Close all doors and windows

2. Seal the sides of the doors and windows with sealing tape, to prevent dust coming inside via the crevices at the joint from where the windows/doors are attached to the wall

3. Add a draft snake. Underneath the window or door there can sometimes be a space that lets draft, or in this case dust, in. The easiest way to stop this is to add a draft snake, which is a foam tube applied at the bottom of the door, in the crack between door and floor. It's fairly cheap and can be found at most hardware stores. If you don't want to spend the money on it, you can stuff the underneath of the door with spare rags, but make sure they're air-tight!

Document everything

A nearby demolition might cause damage on your property accidentally. Things like fences, sidewalks, poles and other such items are susceptible to being knocked down or otherwise damaged. The drywall on your house can also get cracked at the seams and corners. You need to take extensive and detailed before & after photos of the exterior of your property, your basement walls and foundation walls. It's also advisable to take photos of all your exterior and interior walls, as well as corners that are facing the demolition.

If damage occurs because of the demolition and you have proof to show it, you will get compensated for the damages. If not, you will have to pay for the repairs yourself.

Beware of asbestos

If the house was built before 1989, when the asbestos ban really came into full force, the house being demolished might still contain asbestos-based building materials. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in the 20th century for many domestic and industrial applications. It's very toxic, and inhaling it has been shown to lead to numerous health risks, including asbestosis, mesothelioma cancer and breathing issues. If the house being demolished has asbestos materials in it, those might get inside your house as well if you don't seal it off.

Have an expert look at your property

Since a demolition can cause damage to nearby properties, you should also have a building inspector come take a look at your home before and after the demolition. It might be more costly, but this way you'll have an expert's opinion in case something happens. This way, you can also catch pre-existing issues you never even knew of!

A nearby demolition is an inconvenience, but you can avoid most hassles by preparing before-hand. If you're careful enough, the only bother you'll incur might be just be the noise! For more tips, talk to a demolition expert, such as Magill Demolition.

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