Key home reno safety tips include pre-assessments, proper gear, sealing spaces

Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, January 15, 2014 10:27AM EST

TORONTO -- You may have selected paint colours, tiles and finishes, but plans to gear up for a home renovation can quickly grind to a halt if you haven't ensured key health and safety measures are in place.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control report released earlier this month focused on a case in Quebec where 14 people fell ill with a pneumonia-like infection after the exterior brick of a century-old house was removed as part of a renovation.

Workers, residents of the home and neighbours have recovered after developing symptoms of a fungal disease called histoplasmosis, which is carried in the droppings of bats and birds. Infection symptoms include high fever, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Cases of histoplasmosis infection are rare in Canada and usually involve construction work that stirs up clouds of dried-up aerosolized spores that people end up inhaling. In the Quebec case, workers had been given masks to wear but didn't do so continuously due to hot weather.

Whether homeowners are embarking on a do-it-yourself project or enlisting a professional, here are tips from experts for making health and safety a top priority throughout the home renovation process.

Conduct a thorough assessment

Cory Norris, chief project estimator at Greater Toronto Contractors, said the No. 1 determining factor as to whether there will be problems with the home is its age. They also look at the state of the home, with visible damage among the red flags.

"If you can see water damage, if paint is peeling off walls here and there ... if it hasn't been maintained well, they probably have ignored any kind of problems that have been going on as well: rodents, bats, for example, mice ..."

Norris said workers will go into the attic and lift up some insulation where mice, rodents and squirrels "love to make their home."

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Key home reno safety tips include pre-assessments, proper gear, sealing spaces