Work done during a recent remodel generated lots of concrete dust in my mother's home. The house has a concrete slab foundation. New vinyl wood flooring was installed, and the installers had to grind down uneven spots on the concrete slab during installation. The concrete dust travelled through much of the house, including new carpet that had been installed just prior to the grinding, and the dust is also on the walls and surfaces throughout the house. I believe the workers had some sort of dust-collection device on the grinder, although the dust was still significant. She didn't realize that the grinding work was going to take place, nor the extent of the dust and its possible health impacts.
My mother is concerned about her safety, given that components in concrete dust can be carcinogenic. She was able to vacuum thoroughly with vacuum with a hepa filter several times. The flooring company that did the work was contacted and the owner said the carpet should be clean and safe now (although they of course may be biased).
How big of a concern is this type of situation? Is there an efficient and effective way to clean the walls and other home surfaces? Are there any other considerations relevant to mitigating concrete dust?
Best Answer
My layperson's view:
The link between silica dust and lung cancer exists primarily in industrial settings (mine, refinishing, construction).
The people who grind down the concrete in their usual workday are the ones who are at risk. It's a occupational risk.
After proper cleaning, as you have done, the risk is low to the resident. Concrete dust settles well: keep wiping surfaces regularly with a moist cloth, while airing the home.
Keep using a vacuum with a two or 3-stage fine dust filter to prevent vacuumed dust from re-entering the space.
Also, upgrade the furnace filter to one with fine dust rating. Inspect it every month for the first year: you may need to replace it monthly first, then perhaps every 3 months, but keep inpsecting it monthly.
The amount of dust collected will diminish over time.
There are no toxic fumes that are being released slowly.