Removing Damaged Drywall and Insulation From a Utility Room, Under Full Containment
The walls of a narrow utility room, next to the water heater, needed to come out down to the insulation and framing. The rest of the house was finished and lived in, so the work had to stay sealed off from it.
Project snapshot
- Client
- Homeowner, finished home
- Location
- Greater Toronto Area
- Service
- Mould Removal
Scope of work
- Floor protection laid from the entrance to the work area
- Zippered containment door on the utility room
- Crew in protective suits and respirators
- Drywall removed from the walls
- Damaged insulation taken out and bagged
The challenge
The damage was in a tight utility room with the water heater and the plumbing inside it, at the end of a finished living area with hardwood stairs and furniture.
Taking out drywall and insulation releases dust and fibres, and none of that could get into the rest of the house.
Our approach
Protect the route in, seal the room, and work inside it in full protective gear, so everything that came off the walls stayed inside the containment.
What we did
- Laid protective floor runners from the entrance, across the living area, to the utility room.
- Sealed the utility room doorway with a zippered containment door.
- Suited up in protective coveralls and respirators.
- Removed the drywall from the walls around the water heater.
- Took out the damaged insulation and bagged it inside the containment.
The result
- Damaged drywall and insulation out of the house
- No dust or debris in the finished rooms
- Floors and stairs protected the whole way
- Framing exposed and ready to be checked and treated
Know-how from our crew
What a containment door does
A zippered containment door seals the work area but still lets the crew in and out. Dust, fibres and spores stay inside instead of following people through the house.
Why the suits and respirators
Old or damaged insulation and mouldy drywall release fine particles when they are disturbed. Protective coveralls and respirators keep the crew safe and stop them carrying anything out on their clothes.
Protecting the route in
Floor runners from the door to the work area keep the existing floors and stairs clean and scratch-free while equipment and bagged debris go in and out.
The job in photos
