Carpet Removal?

I would recommend that everyone wear a mask. At least have your husband wear one, keep everyone else away from the area. Once the dust and other icky stuff in the air settles, vacuum it up. Then open the windows.

When we ripped ours out we didn't wear anything...but we did the job as quickly as possible and removed it from the house ASAP. When my parents ripped theirs out, my dad and brother wore masks because they are both asthmatics. So, similar to Marda's advice, it depends on his health and comfort level.

If you have dust allergies in your family, yes. But if you are worried about chemicals and such, you are more at risk when putting the new flooring in (carpet glues and new carpets often contain some toxins unless you use a specifically green product) than when pulling the old stuff out.

It is not a bad idea especially if he has allergies/asthma. Wearing the surgical mask can prevent him from breathing in the dust. Make sure to vacuum up all the loose carpet pieces and dust as you go so the dust is kept to a minimum. We recently ripped out the carpet in my sons' room and discovered another carpet underneath. After vacuuming the floor, we covered the bottom carpet with laminated flooring. However, when we tore out the carpet in my dtr's room, it was dustier and took longer and I think my husband and bil used masks then. Good luck on your house.

Depends on how much dust is involved. If the air is dirty then yes wear a mask. You don't know what's in the dirt.

Keep the kids out of the room and keep the doors shut. Particles can fly and everytime we have removed a carpet in a rental house my husband ends up with a migraine. He's inhaling something...A dust mask will help. But AC is right that the out-gassing from the new product is probably more dangerous. Make sure you leave the windows open for a week or two before you start living in that room.

M.

We just got done ripping ours out and we didn't wear anything. We didn't have any problems with dust or anything like that though.