Along with the autumn cooling, all construction and repair work is on the decline. If you did not have time to finish the repairs in the summer as expected, the cold season is not a reason to postpone work until the next season. Naturally, it is not recommended to carry out exterior finishing at temperatures below +5 degrees C, in rain and snow. However, some interior work can and even should be carried out during the off-season in order to significantly reduce the amount of work in the spring and complete the alteration of the premises faster. "RСС ALBA" experts tell you what kind of work should be paid attention to in the cold season.
What materials can be used in the cold season?
The quality of work directly depends on the selected building materials. Winter cold makes the process of choosing building materials especially important. Therefore, before proceeding even with the repair work recommended in winter, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Many building materials intended for interior decoration lose their properties when they are in sub-zero temperatures, in conditions of high humidity, and even more so under precipitation. When buying materials, make sure that they are not stored outdoors, but in heated warehouses, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
- If you are laying materials in freezing temperatures, make sure that this is allowed (indicated on the package).
- Correct transportation. If you have chosen the materials correctly, made sure of the appropriate storage conditions, but transport them for a long time in an unheated or completely open box, all efforts may be in vain. Even a short stay in such an environment of paints and varnishes, adhesives and other building materials can adversely affect their characteristics.
Preparing the house for renovation
Regardless of whether you are going to make repairs in a private house, a brand new apartment in a new building or in your current home, the following conditions must be observed:
- According to the recommendations of the manufacturers of most building materials, internal work should not be allowed at temperatures below +5 degrees C. It is recommended to make repairs inside the premises with a working heating system or maintain the required temperature with the help of heating devices.
- Windows and doors must be installed in the room. The presence of drafts and high humidity is unacceptable for most interior work.
- Availability of engineering communications. The lack of sewerage, tap water, electricity will significantly complicate the repair work for builders, and may also affect their quality. If communications have not yet been carried out, it is better to postpone repairs until spring.
What can you do in winter?
In the cold season, due to a number of technological issues, it is allowed to start far from all types of repair work. Facade work, replacement of roofing materials, pouring the foundation is not prohibited, but it is almost impossible to ensure good quality work in such conditions.
On the other hand, the lack of demand on the building materials market in the winter allows you to more carefully and carefully approach the purchase, and more often than not, it’s also a good idea to save money on it.
The winter season is just the best period for interior decoration. If it is possible to guarantee sufficient heating of the room, and the walls will not freeze through, then there are practically no restrictions on interior decoration. It is especially effective to work with dry building mixtures. During heating operation, the air becomes drier than even in summer, due to which the mixtures dry out faster, and their effective consumption is somewhat reduced.
If you did not have time to complete the repair during the season, in the cold season you can safely carry out the following types of repair work:
- Wallpaper pasting. In the summer, wallpapering can be a real torment for the master. The need to close windows, high temperature and humidity significantly complicate the work. In winter, if there is heating or electric heaters in the premises, the optimum humidity and room temperature will be maintained in the absence of drafts, since the windows will be closed. This minimizes the risk of blisters and other defects.
- Painting and plastering. Thanks to hermetically closed windows in winter and stable indicators of humidity and temperature inside the heated rooms, it is easier to work with paints and varnishes and dry mixes. Surfaces dry evenly and fairly quickly.
- Screed and floor finish. For the same reasons, it is easy for craftsmen to carry out work on floor screed and laying tiles. Heat guns help maintain a stable temperature, which has a positive effect on the speed and quality of work.
- Furniture restoration. When else to assemble and restore furniture, if not in winter, during the break between repairs. The presence of heating in winter will allow you to maintain wooden furniture in good condition until the material is completely dry and does not “sit down”.
- Electric installation work. It doesn't matter what the weather is outside the window. This will not affect the complexity and quality of electrical work. In winter, you can safely do the replacement of wiring, pulling new sockets and installing lighting elements.
Previously, building materials made it possible to carry out repair work only in the warm season. However, modern adhesives, building mixtures, wallpaper, ceiling and floor coverings can be used in almost any conditions, the main thing is to prevent the temperature from falling below +5 degrees C and sudden changes in humidity. At the same time, it is not even necessary to have central heating, an autonomous heating system or even electricity. The problem of providing a comfortable temperature for work is achieved by installing a generator and heat guns even at remote sites.
