Protecting Floors and Landscaping During Install

Dust from a stucco cut travels farther than people expect, and the protection steps described at carlsbad window installers pdc 2015 begin well before the old window is touched. A window job in Carlsbad, CA moves tools and old frames through the house and across the yard, so installers cover everything in the path first.

Floors inside

Hard floors get rosin paper or heavy cardboard taped at the edges, and carpet gets adhesive plastic film under a layer of canvas. A path of plywood or runner is laid from the door to the work area. Old window units are heavy, and a dropped aluminum window can dent tile or gouge hardwood in a second.

Dust walls and furniture

Furniture within several feet of the opening is moved out or wrapped. A plastic sheet taped to the ceiling and floor creates a dust wall, and tape on the sheet is pressed flat so air cannot pull it loose. A vacuum with a filter runs beside any cutting, which matters most in rooms where the wall is plaster.

Landscaping outside

Shrubs and roses under a window are tied back gently, then covered with a breathable drop cloth rather than plastic that cooks them in the sun. A tarp laid on the ground catches nails, foam and glass fragments. In La Costa and Aviara, where landscaping is part of the property value, installers also keep ladders off irrigation lines and drip heads.

Stucco, paint and glass

Stucco around the opening is cut with a wet saw or an oscillating tool, and a hose mist keeps the dust down. Old glass is scored and lifted out in pieces whenever possible. Nothing is dropped from an upstairs sill, since a falling pane is dangerous to anyone below.

Cleaning as the work proceeds

The crew sweeps and vacuums at the end of each opening, not only when the whole job is done. Screws, shims and staples are picked up with a magnet along the ground, since a single fastener left in the grass will find a mower. The floor is walked in bare feet before the covering comes off, to catch grit that a visual check misses. Cover materials are rolled up inward so the dust stays inside the roll and does not spill onto the clean floor beneath.