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My new $300 dust extractor just saved my lungs on a kitchen demo
Got a call for a full kitchen tear out in an old house, the kind where everything is covered in a thick layer of dust from the last fifty years. I usually just use my shop vac, but I decided to finally pull the trigger on a proper dust extractor with HEPA filters. The difference was night and day. Instead of the whole first floor being a cloud, I could actually see the other side of the room. My nose wasn't full of gunk by lunch, and the client was thrilled they could still use their living room. It felt less like a demolition zone and more like a controlled job. Honestly, it paid for itself in that one day just from not having to do a massive cleanup after. Anyone have a favorite attachment for getting into tight corners with these things?
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rowan9727mo ago
Ever think that much dust is a sign of bigger problems you're just sucking up and ignoring?
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the_david7mo ago
Reminds me of a buddy who kept cleaning dust off his fan blades every week. Finally looked up and saw a huge crack in his ceiling plaster letting in all kinds of crap from the attic. He was so focused on the symptom he missed the cause for months. Your point about sucking up and ignoring stuff hits hard, @rowan972. Sometimes the constant little cleanup jobs are just bandaids. Gotta step back and ask why the mess keeps coming back, or you'll never fix the real issue.
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andrewross7mo ago
My old boss used to say a clean worksite is a sign you're not looking hard enough for the real problem. That extractor is great for the airborne stuff, but @rowan972 has a point about what you might be missing. On a job like that, I'd be worried about what's in the dust itself, like old lead paint or asbestos fibers that settle into the floor cracks. The HEPA filter catches it, but you still have to deal with the settled layer it leaves behind.
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