Asbestos
Let us start with the big elephant in the room. The thing an inexperienced contractor won’t bring up, asbestos. If your home was built from 1950 to 1990 it could contain asbestos. Now I’m not saying that your home is dangerous or you have to run out and sell your home. People have lived in homes with asbestos for over 50 years and never have medical issues regarding asbestos. Why am I bringing this up as number one on my list of things you should know about? It’s only during repairs or renovations asbestos is considered a danger. It’s important that you know about this so you can protect yourself and your family. Tests must be done to determine if the house contains asbestos prior to work being done on it.
Patch flashing
Every once in a while patch flashing can occur even when everything is done right. But wait how can that be? I’ll explain. The problem is not the patch, it is the wall. Some walls have an orange peel finish making the surface bumpy and is more common on older homes. To solve this problem the whole wall needs to be made a smooth surface to match the patch. Patch flashing doesn’t show as an issue until the painting stage. So it’s important to catch this problem early to ensure a Level 5 finish on the wall before priming and painting.
Drywall dust can go everywhere
This has to be one of the worst aspects of finishing drywall. There are two types of dust when installing and sanding drywall compounds. Large particles that fall to the ground and small particles that go airborne. These small particles are what can make a small drywall job a big headache. Airborne dust can travel far and wide, leaving a layer of dust everywhere. This dust is very difficult to clean up. The proper professional equipment prevents the need for extensive clean up.
Specialty drywall equipment costs a lot
The job can be done with a handsaw, a taping knife and sanding pad. But for drywall contractors that strive for dustless, fast, drywall repair the equipment costs a lot. On a medium side ceiling repair with texture we use over $4000 in equipment. Dust collecting sanders, dust extractor vacuum, air scrubbing unit, texture sprayer, paint sprayer, it adds up. But this saves time and money in the long run for the homeowner.
Dust will damage furnaces, electronics and vacuums
If proper precautions are not made the mess of dust can travel down the cold air return and damages your furnace and air conditioning. The dust can also kill sensitive and even basic electronics. When drywall dust gets inside electronics, moisture then can wreak havoc on the circuit boards creating shorts and fries the components. A household vacuum is not equipped for cleaning drywall dust. The filter is not designed for fine dust. It will clog, suffocate the motor and will short out the motor. Leaving you with a broken vacuum and an even bigger mess.
BP 