Dust Collection

[JasonW]

Just wondering how many of you Contractors are making a conscious effort to keep a cleaner, safer, healthier job site.

I remember when I got in this industry about 24 years ago it was never high on the priority list with any of the companies I worked for. Be it Commercial or Residential work. In today's world it's almost expected.

I have a Festool Vac for all my Festools, a PC Vac for the shop sliding miter saw, and have a 2 HP D/C made by Jet for all our shop equipment. The smaller vacs can be moved out to the field with ease when we need to work on an interior or when we have to set up on someones driveway. I don't usually worry about it for siding jobs where we work on the lawn and move periodically.

What do you folks do? How and when do you use it?

[WarnerConstInc.]

Same deal. I have been pushing a near dust free remodeling experiance for the last couple of years.

I always close the work area off from the rest of the house.
Got one of those auto on outlets for the table saw and shop vac.
Just make a consioucs effort to keep their houses clean.

I have thought about having a professional cleaning service come in afterwards. I am sure I could charge for it easily.

[Winchester]

I've just got the Fein Turbo II vac you can plug your tools into and some zipwalls.

I'd like to eventually get into those big boxes w/filter you can make yourself and 8"+ wide flexible hoses to connect into the zipwall plastic and blow dust outside as well as a workshop with dust collection but this is a long ways off.

[Mike(VA)]

Gonna half to learn how to do proper dust containment when the new lead abatement rules kick in. That is unless you refuse to work on houses built before 1978. :confused:

[fez-head]

I've just got the Fein Turbo II vac you can plug your tools into and some zipwalls.

I'd like to eventually get into those big boxes w/filter you can make yourself and 8"+ wide flexible hoses to connect into the zipwall plastic and blow dust outside as well as a workshop with dust collection but this is a long ways off.


We use the zip walls as well and 20" flat duct (500 feet for $60 I believe) attached to a regular air mover that we had sitting around.

[Silvertree]

I used to work in the fire, smoke, water restoration industry.
I got rid of a Hepa unit that would do the whole house. $6,000 I think it retailed for. Gave it away it was about the size of half a refridgerator.

We'd get the reverse atmosphere thing going and it was great, worked with a huge hose and the unit stayed outside the home.

I think Mike brings up a good topic, the new lead rules. Another fiasco waiting to happen. We'll do it and the lowballers won't.

[Allrounder]

Gonna half to learn how to do proper dust containment when the new lead abatement rules kick in. That is unless you refuse to work on houses built before 1978. :confused:

I've been getting better at the dust containment, with both the lead rules and customer satisfaction in mind. Still have a long way to go though.

[CreteCoater]

Dust control was my main reason for buying my new OnFloor concrete grinder. Grinding concrete indoors without dust collection isn't a fun experience. I have been getting by with a RIGID Vac but would like to step up to a PulseBac or similar concrete dust vac when I can justify spending over a thousand dollars for a vacuum cleaner!