Thread: Crawlspace Gear

As you can see in the attached picture I look a little lost. I worked in a crawlspace most of today. I have pretty good knee pads and had some cheap elbow pads and of course a respirator. I also had latex gloves under my work gloves. The rocks were killing my back, legs, shoulders, etc.

I need some padding all over. Front and back. Granted this was not for an inspection even though I got some great pictures which I will post elsewhere. To help supplement my income I am going to be free lancing with a structural engineer which means I may be in the crawlspace more often. What do you wear when you are in the crawlspace?

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I wear a mask, coveralls and gloves sort of like you. This works for the few times I see crawls.
I knew a guy who spent a lot of time in crawls (construction repairs) ... he swore by his 2-3 roll-up yoga mats that he figured out from his wife.
Hope that helps.

Cartridge mask respirator like in picture above

Tyvek coveralls with attached boots, hood and elastic wrists.

Leather palm gloves

Patella-T Orthopedic knee pads FluidForms: Professional Kneepads
Yeah, they are pricey but my knee pain ended three days after I started wearing them a year ago.

Work in the land of crawlspaces. Virtually no basements. A few slabs.

Those of you that wear a respirator, how often are you changing out the cartridges and how are you storing your respirator?

If your not doing these things properly, you can cause yourself as much harm as if you were not wearing one at all.

rick

Tyvek with the hood, dust mask or respirator depending on the situation, gloves and the tools.

I used to use a respirator years ago. Too bulky, didn't like having to buy cartridges, etc. I buy a box of the thicker, two strap white masks. Easy, throw away, cheap.
I just want to keep the dust out of my lungs. If it's bad enough to warrant using a respirator what am I doing in there? Not slamming anyone, I know guys who are really comfortable wearing a respirator like Mitchell in the pic.

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

I know guys who are really comfortable wearing a respirator like Mitchell in the pic.

Mitchell doesn't look real comfortable in that photo to me.

I started out with nothing, went to those white dust masks, then to a respirator similar to what Mitchell has on in that photo.

Sometimes you just need to go in there, especially Mitchell as a structural engineer ... who is he going to put it off onto? Another structural engineer?

I look just like Mitchell with a Petzl headlamp and cheaper knee pads (younger knees?) but same respirator and red kap lookin' coveralls with leather gloves...

No basements here....

I use a real respirator, not the cheap paper masks, because I want a good seal around my intake parts.
I use tyvek booties over my shoes, put on my coveralls (booties make putting on and taking off the coveralls much easier) then put on some high top rubber boots. I use hard cap knee pads, and heavy leather gloves. I also wear a ball cap with a plastic hard hat liner.
The biggest help for me has been the Krawlgear creeper.
I also carry a short broom for cobwebs, and a long screwdriver, along with my flashlight.
My camera and moisture meter are in my coveralls pockets

Thanks Jerry. I am primarily a general contractor. I am going to help a structural engineer. Be more his field technician. It will help me to keep me going since most of my work has dried up on top of the fact that I had to let my help go because a client owes me about $185k.
I have to do everything I can right now to generate cash. It will also help me to branch out. However, at the ripe old age of 48 I am not looking forward to going into any crawlspaces.

I have tried the dust masks too. The problem is that they fog up my glasses and keep shifting around. The respirator did get in the way a couple of times but it kept me from smelling and breathing the crap that was in the there. In the past I would come out with a long coughing spell but not so much with a respirator.

I can not really use a creeper because of the tight proximity as well as trying to do any kind of work. On this particular house I was removing the temporary 2 X 4 legs that were left by a previous contractor. In some parts of the house it was all I could do to turn over. And trying to carry a camera, tools, and trying to navigate around was just too much. Of course the whole time that I was down there I was wondering if something happened to me, would they just shut the door and start pumping some air freshener in there to take care of my ripening!!

Please be aware everyone that just a paper mask can do more harm than good.
A paper mask lets the real fine particulates in that do not make you cough.
Wearing nothing at all you breath in the larger particulates that make you cough that helps bring out all particulates.
This is true for even just mowing your yard wearing a paper mask breathing in the dust.
In a crawlspace with AB be sure and wear a real half face respirator with the approved HEPA filters.
Every time I see someone wearing a paper mask I want to run up and tell them the mask is doing them more harm than good.

Not sure how you are figuring that but OK
I guess I don't worry about it that much anyway since I figure I'll die from asbestos poisoning sooner or later. When I think about it I'm surprised I haven't already.
More on topic, about 3 weeks ago, I was actually in my first crawl in over a year, maybe two. We just don't have that many. I don't know what would have helped handle those two 5' diameter pools of sewerage.

Try ROOLING I stop crawling along time ago.

You can get around faster with less dust.


As for " I need some padding all over. Front and back "

Pancakes can help you with that

Best

Ron

Originally Posted by Mitchell Meeks

As you can see in the attached picture I look a little lost. I worked in a crawlspace most of today. I have pretty good knee pads and had some cheap elbow pads and of course a respirator. I also had latex gloves under my work gloves. The rocks were killing my back, legs, shoulders, etc.

I need some padding all over. Front and back. Granted this was not for an inspection even though I got some great pictures which I will post elsewhere. To help supplement my income I am going to be free lancing with a structural engineer which means I may be in the crawlspace more often. What do you wear when you are in the crawlspace?

Try using a set of umpire knee and shin guards...there great for crawlspaces and low attic spaces.