About 90 percent of homeowners stay in their homes during remodeling projects.

Some end up regretting it.

Why? Dust, which can permeate every part of your home, from your toothbrush to your dog’s fur.

Here are a few ways you can tell whether your contractor is concerned about a livable environment during a major remodeling project, lasting six months or more.

Does the remodeler:

Have a dust control plan? Not just a fan in a window, but a real action plan that will assure you that dust will be contained on the worksite – not in your kitchen.
Use best practices as part of the plan? For example, top contractors across the country use the BuildClean Dust Control System (buildclean.com) because it takes away up to 90 percent of the airborne dust, even on the most challenging projects. They know the installation of barrier walls and use of vacuums aren’t enough.

Bring up dust control to you before you even ask about it? That’s another good sign. If a contracting company says it is a “clean” contractor, it’s likely you’ll hear about its dust control plan, and why it insists on using BuildClean, during one of its first meetings with you.

Dust isn’t just a nuisance. Remodeling and demolition dust can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions and problems for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Jobsite dust can also have an adverse effect on the health of pets that are in the home during construction. In addition, particles from sawing, scraping and sanding can contain hazardous materials such as asbestos, arsenic or lead.

You and your family deserve the best, which is why you need to make sure your contractor has a dust control plan to meet your needs.