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Debate: Should we push for HEPA vacs on every job or are shop vacs still fine?
I was over in Denver last month cleaning a big commercial flue for a restaurant, and the owner flat out asked me why I wasn't using a HEPA vac like the other guy. He said the other sweep swore by them for dust control. But I've been using a regular shop vac with a good filter for 10 years and never had complaints. On one hand, HEPA traps more fine particles and keeps the air cleaner for everyone. On the other, they're expensive and bulky for a small crew like mine. What's your take on this? Do you think it's worth the upgrade or just a fad?
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verab283mo ago
You mentioned the shop vac working fine for 10 years, and that's pretty much my experience too. I finally switched to HEPA after a customer complained about dust settling on her baking equipment, and it did make a difference in the fine particles we couldn't see. But for standard residential jobs, my old shop vac with a quality filter still got the job done without breaking the bank.
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the_henry3mo ago
That thing about the dust settling on her baking equipment really shows how we don't always see what's floating around... @verab28 it's funny how a customer's complaint can open your eyes to something you've been breathing for years without thinking about it. It's like the whole microplastic thing where you just assume something is fine until someone points out the invisible stuff. Makes you wonder what else we're missing day to day that we just take for normal.
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