DIY Painting Hazards to Be Aware of in Hesperia, CA

Most of the time, slapping on a new coat of paint is a completely harmless endeavor. Every once in a while, this basic home DIY brings you into hazardous territory. If this occurs, turn to the experts at Landry’s Painting on how to navigate these troubling situations.

Here are a few painting hazards you might run into.

Check for Lead Before Scraping Any Old Paint

Put. Down. The putty knife. Now back away slowly. If your house was built before 1978 and you don’t know any details about the paint, get down to the hardware store and find a lead paint testing kit.

Have the Proper Protective Equipment

Wear a properly ventilating mask if you are painting in an enclosed space. Paint fumes are not meant to be directly inhaled for hours on end and can leave you feeling nauseated or dizzy.

Proper respirator masks will have space for carbon filters on both sides. These will not only help protect you from fumes but make the space smell a lot better when enclosed with fresh paint.

Watch Where You Leave the Paint Thinner

If you are using paint thinner as part of your painting process, have a plan for how to store it in between use. Paint thinner is highly flammable. Keep it away from any sources of heat. Do not put clothes splashed with paint thinner into the dryer.

Remove Electric Plates Carefully

While painting, you will likely remove your outlet and light switch plate covers to completely paint the wall. While doing so, remain aware of exposed, loose wiring.

This is actually a great time to check that all of your wirings are in good condition, but turn off the electricity before poking around. Otherwise, you might be in for an unpleasant zap.

Second Story Safety

If you are painting the exterior of a second story, making sure that your safety equipment is adequate is extremely important. Before erecting scaffolding, consult someone with experience about making sure it is stable.

Do not remove window screens and lean out of second-story windows to paint trim or exterior siding. The angle puts you at a disadvantage balance-wise. You are much more likely to tip when your center of balance is tilted over the edge of a retaining wall (the window sill) like it would be here.

Instead, safely use a folding ladder or an extension ladder with a responsible buddy footing it.

If you run into any unsafe predicaments while painting, get in touch with us at Landry’s Painting for some seasoned advice. Or consider hiring us right from the start to handle this paint job and all its accompanying hazards for you. Reach out at (760) 617-1051.