What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

[Seadooman03]

What a delmma, over a month ago i did some minor repair in my boat. I gutted the floor, and i had to do some sanding of fiberglass. Not a lot, but enough to make a mess...(maybe 15mins worth of actually grinding and not very deep, say a couple yards worth of fiberglass was ground off).

Most of the glass stayed in the boat, but obviously a good amount of it became airborne. I made the mistake of doing it in the garage, ill never do that again. The next day i washed the floor of the garage..(its a pretty big garage--3 car). So, i figured that may have helped. Apparently not. A month and a half goes by..(I seem to be sensitive to fiberglass when i work in my garage now, my throat gets irritated..., and i do wear a good respirator, the big plastic one from Home Depot, with the P-100 filters' meant for asbestos when im moving stuff now.)

Well, the glass is now starting to slowly track threw the house, i can see some particles in the basement, and the stair wells, and entrance were traffic goes. I've completely told no one to access the garage now until i fully clean that out..meaning empty it, and wash the whole area down.


*******
In the house, whats the safest way to clean the fiberglass up. Very minimal amount, i have to look for it to see it..meaning turn off the lights and shine a flash light and i can see the unfinished rough concrete basement floor start to glitter/sparkle a little. I have a shop vac, and i went out and bought the FINE filter and a Fine bag, i plan on combining the both of them. To keep the glass from going threw, and making it airborne threw the house. Or i have a Rainbow vacuum that has the big water dish on the bottom. What do you guys think would work best.

I did do a search, and i only came up with ways to protect yourself, not the aftermath....

Thanks in advance..

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Seadooman I would go with the shopvac. Rainbows dont actually filter the air through the water so much as the dirt in the air flowing over the water hopefully will fall into the water Yes I sold Kirbys .


Rick

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Seadooman I would go with the shopvac. Rainbows dont actually filter the air through the water so much as the dirt in the air flowing over the water hopefully will fall into the water Yes I sold Kirbys .


Rick

Thats b/c your from Ky'town man. haha..Kirbys are huge in the Carolina/mid east section. It's all Rainbows up on the east coast, Both are great vacs, worth every dollar, its 20 years old!.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Thats b/c your from Ky'town man. haha..Kirbys are huge in the Carolina/mid east section. It's all Rainbows up on the east coast, Both are great vacs, worth every dollar, its 20 years old!.

Ha True but I grew up in Fla. and thats where I sold Kirbys . I own an HVAC buisness now . I would still go with the shopvac .


Rick

 

[lowkee]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

One word: leafblower

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJYHUkS83XY

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

yeah, fine filter and fine bag in the shop vac. I wouldn't consider fiberglass to be as bad as like asbestos BUT that doesn't mean not to take precautions

 

[Mark42]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

I agree with the shop vac and leaf blower. When I started to see the glint of glass on the kitchen floor, I used a regular "mighty mite" canister vac in the house. A shop vac on the garage floor to clean up the heavy accumulation, then the leaf blower to get it off all the "stuff" in the garage, like wood pile, etc. Then one final shop vac pass on the floor and I was done.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

I agree with the shop vac and leaf blower. When I started to see the glint of glass on the kitchen floor, I used a regular "mighty mite" canister vac in the house. A shop vac on the garage floor to clean up the heavy accumulation, then the leaf blower to get it off all the "stuff" in the garage, like wood pile, etc. Then one final shop vac pass on the floor and I was done.

Really, thats it? LOL, i have completely emptied my garage out. Tossed out a buncha stuff too tho. Which was good, i intend on washing out the garage. The garage isn't my concern. Im the ONLY one that really walks threw there at all, and ill be much more cautious for a few months and keep it very clean. My concern is in the house. But like i said, its minimal other then the basement, were you generally walk in and out of the garage. So, look's like i'll pull it out with the shop vac and going like a mad man threw my house tomorrow. I've literally by hand cleaned with some 50/50 mix of grease lightning-water, 4 rolls of paper towels.... prolly 300 sqft of the house so far. It does track threw well tho. But, im starting to believe it may not ALL be from this project. There is A/C in the house, im starting to grow a concern regarding the HVAC tubing that is made of fiberglass/insulation and a plastic liner inside of it.


EDIT*..

Out of pure curiosity, how hazardous is ground up fiberglass? I know there are ton's of stuides to show that fiberglass seems to be safe, however what about the resin's used to hadron the actually glass? Now im becoming concerned. I did use a respiratory and proper equipment when i grounded the small areas out of my boat....however what about the after math? The particles that are now everywhere? Over the last month working in my garage i must have inhaled a good amount that have been laying around. That i didn't clean out the 1st time around.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Its not good for you, but most people in a glass shop don't wear any type of mask and they do it for decades without any issues. When the sun shines into a glass shop the air is full of little sparkles even though you don't really see it with in indoor lighting.

The best way to vacuum up the dust is to use a swimming pool vacuum hose on the shopvac and put the S/V outside. This way any dust that gets past the filter won't settle back down inside again. My pool hose is 25ft long, it works great for any type of fine dust like from dry wall or F/G.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Seadooman if your ductwork in the house is Flex duct then thats not an issue unless something got into it and tore it up somehow . The other fiberglass issues I will leave up to other members who know more about the boat glass .


Rick

 

[valor_7]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

good ole fashioned shop vac with a micro filter. make sure it doesn't get wet and try not to pick up anything big or sharp that would puncture the filter. You might even want to some kind of filter over the exhaust valve. Follow up with a good wipe down of the room with a wet rag.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Its not good for you, but most people in a glass shop don't wear any type of mask and they do it for decades without any issues. When the sun shines into a glass shop the air is full of little sparkles even though you don't really see it with in indoor lighting.

The best way to vacuum up the dust is to use a swimming pool vacuum hose on the shopvac and put the S/V outside. This way any dust that gets past the filter won't settle back down inside again. My pool hose is 25ft long, it works great for any type of fine dust like from dry wall or F/G.

That is an EXCELLENT idea, thank you that really takes out a good amount of concern using a long hose like that, i do have one and it's pretty long.

Seadooman if your ductwork in the house is Flex duct then thats not an issue unless something got into it and tore it up somehow . The other fiberglass issues I will leave up to other members who know more about the boat glass .


Rick

Thank's rick, im not sure if anything has got into it yet, its rather new, maybe 5 years in? I think im gonna take the time in the near future and using real duct work just to avoid any kind of problems, B/C its' very hard to keep mice out of the attic in the northeast no matter what you do.

good ole fashioned shop vac with a micro filter. make sure it doesn't get wet and try not to pick up anything big or sharp that would puncture the filter. You might even want to some kind of filter over the exhaust valve. Follow up with a good wipe down of the room with a wet rag.

This exhaust valve comes out from under the handles..kinda sucks. But, i do have 1 filter..(its a genuine shop vac) So, i bought the best filter they offered for protection, and also the highest grade of bag as well that are meant for "fine" particles. So, i can run both the bag and the filter, and ill keep the vac outside.

Gentleman, i really appreciate all this. And i hope no one ever has to use the search for this.

 

[lowkee]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

...This way any dust that gets past the filter...

It has been a good month since I finished grinding my boat's hull and cleaning up the mess and my shop vac still gives a good 'poof' of fiberglass dust out the exhaust every time I turn it on.. I kind of like it, makes it seem more powerful

 

[Mark42]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Really, thats it? LOL, i have completely emptied my garage out. Tossed out a buncha stuff too tho. Which was good, i intend on washing out the garage. The garage isn't my concern. Im the ONLY one that really walks threw there at all, and ill be much more cautious for a few months and keep it very clean. My concern is in the house. But like i said, its minimal other then the basement, were you generally walk in and out of the garage. So, look's like i'll pull it out with the shop vac and going like a mad man threw my house tomorrow. I've literally by hand cleaned with some 50/50 mix of grease lightning-water, 4 rolls of paper towels.... prolly 300 sqft of the house so far. It does track threw well tho. But, im starting to believe it may not ALL be from this project. There is A/C in the house, im starting to grow a concern regarding the HVAC tubing that is made of fiberglass/insulation and a plastic liner inside of it.


EDIT*..

Out of pure curiosity, how hazardous is ground up fiberglass? I know there are ton's of stuides to show that fiberglass seems to be safe, however what about the resin's used to hadron the actually glass? Now im becoming concerned. I did use a respiratory and proper equipment when i grounded the small areas out of my boat....however what about the after math? The particles that are now everywhere? Over the last month working in my garage i must have inhaled a good amount that have been laying around. That i didn't clean out the 1st time around.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I took life insurance policies out on the wife and kids.....

 

[The_Kid]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Get one of THESE and hook it to your shop vac with the fine filters. Between the two of them nothing will end up back in the air. It's designed for trapping dry wall dust and I can testify it does a great job.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: What works best for vacuuming fiberglass, saftey problem, concerened?

Seadooman not to go off topic but if you change over to metal ductwork keep the flex duct as it will usually slide over the metal pipe and insulate it if your duct is in the attic or a crawl space you will want it insulated . I also understand the Mice issue we get field mice here in the fall and the spring .


Rick