Q&A for How to Knock Down a Wall

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How can I make sure I'm doing this safely and not going to damage my home?

Kevin Schlosser
Home Improvement Specialist
Kevin Schlosser is a Home Improvement Specialist and the Owner of Home Tech Handyman Ltd. With over 20 years of experience, Kevin specializes in age-in-place installations, flooring, roofing, and general remodeling handyman services. Kevin holds a blend of construction and in-home technology-related certifications including NAHB Certified Age-in-Place Specialist, CEDIA membership and certifications, and a Certification from the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals. Also, he is in training to receive certifications in Construction, Project Management, and other CEDIA qualified system integrator certifications. He is fully-insured in the state of Colorado.

Kevin Schlosser

Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Answer

Before you get started it's very important to investigate to determine if the wall you want to knock out is load-bearing. It's also a good idea to remove each part of the wall individually instead of knocking it all down at once. That ensures the safest removal since it reveals many of the inside parts such as electrical, plumbing, or HVAC that you could potentially damage inside the wall and that need to be moved or mitigated in some way.

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Question

If I take the studs out, will the house collapse?

John822

Community Answer

If you take the studs out of a load bearing wall, the house will collapse if you don't put in temporary supports. If it is not a load-bearing wall, then you can safely remove studs. Consult your house's blueprints or a builder to see if your wall is load-bearing or not.

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Why is water sprayed on demolished buildings?

Community Answer

When a building is demolished, the debris is unstable. Spraying water on the building dampens the dust particles so they will stick to surfaces, rather than being blown into the air by wind, vibrations, or falling, and therefore, prevents atmosphere pollution.

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I have a wall between my living room and a little family room. The rafters go across the house front to back. Can I knock it down?

John822

Community Answer

Without actually seeing the house, this cannot be answered. You need to contact a builder or architect who can look at your house and tell you.

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Is a closet front wall a non load-bearing wall?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Generally, no. But you should still confirm that the wall isn't load bearing before you knock it down.

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Question

I have a walk between the middle of the house between the living room in the kitchen how do I know if it's a load bearing wall?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

You can have a structural engineer inspect the wall to make sure it isn't load bearing. You can also consult the blueprints if you have them to see if it's a structural support wall.

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