I’ve noticed some technicians don’t do a very good job protecting vehicle interiors while they’re making repairs. What can shops do to protect vehicle interiors from dust, fumes and sparks throughout the repair process?
Jacques Andres, owner of Clean Green Collision:
It’s critically important for technicians to protect vehicle interiors during the entire repair process. Collision repair can be dirty work, so precautions have to be taken to ensure customers don’t go home with a filthy and smelly car. Without any safeguards, the polyesters and solvents contained in dust and fumes will be release_notesd into the vehicle and stick in the car’s headliners, rugs and seats. Those things attack the body, and make some people very sick.
There are a few simple things technicians should do to protect vehicle interiors no matter what type of repair they’re making:
• Cover heating and air vents. Every car has heating and air vents for the climate control system. All air vents should be taped off.
• Cover windows and doors. If a door or window is taken off the car during the repair, technicians should make a false window and door to cover the void. You can quickly do that using paper or plastic and tape. Make sure you tape those areas off to a measure where no interior is exposed.
• Suck out gases. If you’re welding inside of the vehicle, use a ducting system with a small carbon filter to suck those gases out of the vehicle during the welding process.
• Wear clean clothes. Nobody should be allowed to get inside the vehicle if they have dusty clothes on.
Insurers likely won’t reimburse you for these practices, but they will speed the cleaning process, and allow you to avoid using scents in the vehicle to mask the smell of fumes. Customers will notice, and you’ll be rewarded with high customer satisfaction.
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