Things are starting to feel a little Dexter-esque around here as we prepare to open up a wall. When walls come down, dust follows, so protective plastic goes up. To set the mood I’ve kept these photos a bit dark and moody—very on-theme.
Because I proudly call myself Captain Safety, it’s worth mentioning that older homes can have lead paint, so extra precautions are important—especially if children or pets are around. We followed recommended guidance and had our walls tested for lead before any work began, which is the right order of operations. Our results came back negative, which was a relief. Homes built between 1960 and 1978 have a lower probability of containing lead, but it’s always better to be cautious. Follow lead-safe practices: the regulations are strict for a reason.
Even without lead present, demolition creates a lot of dust. We’ve used the same construction dust-control method before during demolition work: seal the area with heavy-duty plastic drop cloths taped on all sides, leaving a narrow access slit in the doorway so workers can pass through. That limits dust migration to the rest of the house.
To make that access easier to find, we lined the edges of the “walk-through” slits with painter’s tape. It’s a small detail that prevents everyone from flinging the plastic aside looking for the opening.
During the chaos, Clara, Burger, and I will be at my sister’s house for the day. Sherry will stay home to answer contractor questions, manage the blog, and watch the wall come down from behind the plastic—she’s excited, to say the least.
We’ll also close and cover all air vents in the demo area so dust can’t enter the HVAC system. We plan to keep the system off during the one-day job to avoid circulating any particles. In one spot, the vent sits where the peninsula will meet the half-wall, so we invited an HVAC professional to confirm that removing those vents wouldn’t harm the system. With his approval we went into the crawl space, disconnected and capped the ducts, and left the visible vent grille inactive. We used this same approach in our previous kitchen remodel.
Putting up the plastic was as far as my Dexter mood went—besides taking a slightly creepy picture for fun. I promise there’s nothing more sinister happening here than a well-contained demo.
I may have adopted a new ringtone that makes me feel like a badass when the phone rings, which Sherry finds amusing (she has her own favorite ringtone and a signature dance). For now, though, we’re focused on the wall-opening excitement. We can’t wait to share progress photos as demolition and construction move forward.