Question:
Any tips or warnings about working in my attic full of fiberglass?
I need to lift it to run wiring. Just being in the attic feels itchy
to me. I hate the feeling of the fibers in my hands. Would thin rubber
gloves help? Will it wash out of my clothes? wearing long pants and sleeves
sounds tough in the 100 degree heat up there. Any help is appreciated.
Answer:
Wear the long pants and shirt.
Wear a hat. If your head can get hit on rafters, etc or there are nails
protruding, make it a hard hat!
But *most* importantly, consider a dust mask. There is increasing
evidence that the tiny fibers you breathe in working with that stuff
are not so benign after all.
Don't use rubber gloves -- use cloth or leather work gloves.
There are two approaches to clothing: Full body armor and "let it all
hang out". I prefer just light clothes, both due to the heat and because
the insulation can get into your clothes and be worse than on bare skin.
I go straight from attic to shower.
There are health hazards to fiberglass, but they aren't extreme. You
don't want to inhale the stuff, but it doesn't tend to get into the air
too badly anyway. Getting it on your skin is irritating but not a serious
health hazard, especially if you only do it occasionally.
Go to your local painting supply store, and ask for TYVEK coveralls. These
are thin (paper thin) coveralls that will protect you from the glass fibers,
but are still light enough not to bake you in the attic.
Wear a respirator! Surgical type rubber gloves for the hands will keep them
free from the fibers, and still allow some pretty good dexterity.
Think about taping all the areas that join together (gloves to the sleeve
area, pant legs to the tops of sneakers / boots) with duct tape. That will
keep any stray fibers from getting under the coveralls.
Also consider a hard hat if there are any exposed nails from the roof.
