Dust Mask Manufacturers

There are many different types of dust masks. This is due to the many different dust and vapor conditions that may exist in a construction site. Before purchasing a dust mask, try to anticipate all future needs. Consider purchasing a dust mask that will filter a wide range of particle sizes. Think of the uses you may have for the mask in the future.

Some masks are disposable, while others have cleanable or replaceable filters. Disposable dust masks may work for you if you feel that you only need them for a small period of time. Dust masks with replaceable filters are generally designed for long term continual usage. They also are usually constructed so that you get a much tighter fit around your nose and mouth. Obviously, a tight and comfortable fit is important.

Be sure that the mask you purchase will filter the dust particles which you will be subjected to. Not all masks filter the same size particles effectively. The manufacturer can usually provide you with this data upon request. Don't hesitate to request this information if you are dealing with hazardous dust particles such as asbestos or lead.

Some masks will filter dust and harmful vapors. These masks can be used while spray painting or applying products which generate harmful fumes. These masks are also very specific. Make sure that the mask you purchase will filter the fumes you will be confronted with.

• Direct Safety Company

• Moldex

• Survivair

• Louis M. Gerson Inc.

• 3M

08/2008

Column B7

Dust Control Tips

Following are some helpful ideas to minimize the spread of dust when building or remodeling around your home. You may be familiar with some of these techniques.

Avoid sweeping with a broom. Use a shop vacuum cleaner if at all possible. Change the filter regularly. Install a damp sponge over the exhaust port as a secondary filter. Be careful of the potential for electrical shock hazard. Clean the sponge regularly and make sure it remains damp.

Secure the area where the dust will be generated. Tape plastic over all openings, including doors leading into and out of the area. Tape plastic over heating supply and return air ducts. Do not carry debris through the house. Safely discard debris out a window if at all possible.

When dust generating activities are outside, close all windows and doors so that dust will not be carried indoors. Clean up dust as soon as possible to avoid tracking it indoors. Rinse areas with water if possible.

Use tools that have vacuum attachments whenever possible. Change filters regularly.

Consider setting up a 'negative' ventilation system to suck the dust out of the work area. This is an effective method when using a high CFM fan and proper cross ventilating techniques. This type of dust control system is somewhat easy to setup. Seal off the work area. Install the fan at an exterior door or window and seal the remainder of the opening with cardboard. At the opposite end of the work area, provide an opening through which fresh air can enter the work area. When you turn the fan on, it creates a draft across the work space. This air movement generally takes much of the airborne dust and exhausts it through the fan. If you employ such a method, be sure that the dust is not drawn back into the house. Pay attention to wind direction.

For additional reading, consult with your local library. Look for books concerning "Dust Control" and "Negative and Positive Ventilation Techniques".

Column B7

Renew Cedar Closet Smell | CLICK or TAP HERE to get fantastic cedar oil that will renew the smell in your cedar closet or chest.

This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my September 6, 2020 newsletter.

Renew Cedar Closet Smell - Sand & Saturate with Cedar Oil

Guess what? My mother gave me her cedar chest last week! I was thrilled. It is the same cedar chest that I used to open to get a quick cedar high as a child. I opened it up and sure enough, the magic was still there. The cedar needs to be rejuvenated however, but what would you expect after 40 years! It was very interesting opening the chest for the first time in 30 years. My eye was immediately drawn to a beautiful brass flexible strip. Should it be a surprise that the craftsmen who built that chest knew that air infiltration robbed the aromatic cedar of its fragrance? I guess not!

The Magical Wood

All cedar trees are not created equal. There are approximately eight trees in the USA that are commonly referred to as cedar. One that is very popular is Western Red Cedar. However, of the eight trees, only one, the Eastern Red Cedar, is known for its true aromatic qualities.

This species has great rot and decay resistance. Native Americans called the Eastern Red Cedar the Tree of Life. Farmers like to use the tree for fence posts. Mother Nature once again has given us a multiple-use gift.

Insects and Clothes ...Yummy!

Adult moths do not damage your fabrics. Blame the kids! Certain insect larvae - moths, fleas, crickets, silverfish, and carpet beetles - like to munch on clothing fabric. Most people seem to think they have a limited diet, that being woolen clothes. This is not true. The insect larvae have large appetites as they are growing. It is not uncommon for them to eat holes in cotton, linen, blended fabrics, and even some synthetic fibers. Hundreds of dollars worth of damage can be inflicted by a single season of infestation.

Think in terms of wool suits. What did you pay for that last one? Was it $350, $500 or more? What would happen if you got it out after summer storage and a small hole was present? Do you think a $500 to $750 investment in aromatic cedar is worthwhile? Especially if the aromatic cedar will last a lifetime? I thought so.

Methods of Protection

You have many alternatives to protect clothing. You can construct a full-size cedar closet. You can line the inside of a chest or armoire. You can even line the inside of a drawer or a complete chest of drawers.

If these options are too much of a challenge, you can protect individual articles of clothing by inserting a piece of aromatic cedar as you pack the clothing in a tightly sealed plastic bag or box. Your clothing investment can be protected using 100 percent natural products. There is no reason to use chemical products that are toxic if ingested. A little work and effort on your part will enable you to protect your favorite or most expensive garments.

Restoring Aged Cedar Closets

Do you have an old cedar closet or chest that has lost its aroma? Do you think it has to be trashed? Wrong-o! That is the beauty of Eastern Red Cedar. It can easily be restored. Air and sunlight work together to clog the tiny pores of the cedar. This stops the natural evaporation process of the cedar oil. It is this oil in the air that acts as a natural appetite suppressant to the insect larvae.

The restoration process is simple. You merely have to sand the cedar wood with coarse sandpaper. Sand until the aroma returns or the wood turns red again (sunlight and air turn it brown.) Never seal cedar with anything! The only restoration liquid you should ever apply is natural cedar oil extract. It will soak into the wood and give off an intoxicating aroma!

Renew Cedar Closet Smell | CLICK or TAP HERE to get fantastic cedar oil that will renew the smell in your cedar closet or chest.

Column B134

Cedar Wood Products

If you want to construct a cedar wood protection device (closet, chest, etc.), you have three choices. You can buy solid cedar planking, cedar veneer plywood or cedar chip flakeboard. All of these products use the same wood. They deliver the same results. The cedar flakeboard is the most economical approach. It is followed by the cedar plywood. As you might expect, the solid cedar planks are the most expensive.

I highly recommend a cedar clothing protection device in your home. It creates a unique aroma, adds value to your home and does a fantastic job of protecting your clothing investment. Take the time to install a good one!

Sources of Aromatic Cedar Products

• Cedar Fresh
  
  This company makes a wide variety of aromatic cedar products. They make solid cedar moldings for trimming cedar closets. They make solid aromatic cedar moth balls, solid cedar blocks to insert in clothes drawers, cedar shaving bags (that look like tea bags), pure natural cedar oil extract, solid cedar shoe trees and cedar lined clothes storage bags. Check out this web site if you are looking for innovative uses of aromatic cedar!

• Columbia Forest Products
  
  This company manufactures aromatic cedar veneer plywood. It is 1/4 inch thick and available in two sizes: 48 x 96 inches and 48 x 32 inches. Their web site has a search tool to locate a dealer or distributor near you. Here in Cincinnati we have a company called Paxton Fine Lumbers. They deal in exotic woods and products. They happen to stock this cedar veneer product.

Column B134

Cedar Closet Construction Tips

An existing closet space can be converted to a cedar closet with some effort. If you are building a new home, the work can be significantly reduced. Existing closets have shelf standards in place which must be temporarily taken down. Baseboard is almost always present as is door trim. The cedar products should be installed behind all of these things. You will need to remove them for a really good looking job.

New home construction is much easier. You simply need to provide a suitable nailing surface over the wall studs. I would install 1/2 inch or 3/8 inch plywood inside the closet in lieu of drywall. In addition, I would caulk all seams between the plywood walls, and ceiling, and floor. Air infiltration is your enemy. You want to minimize air entry and exit. Don't forget to install an exterior type door! Be sure to account for the finish flooring material. If your floor is to be hardwood, set the metal threshold up 3/4 inch from the subfloor. If you plan to carpet on either side of the closet, elevate the metal threshold 1/2 inch from the subfloor.

Basement cedar closets built against foundation walls need to include high quality vapor barriers. You do not want the cedar or wood framing to come into contact with the bare concrete walls. Install a high density cross laminated polyethylene vapor barrier product on the concrete or concrete block before you nail furring strips or construct a regular partition wall.

Cost Estimates for Cedar Products

You have three choices of material for aromatic cedar closets: solid planks, cedar veneer plywood or cedar chip flakeboard. The solid planking is by far the most expensive. Here in Cincinnati I priced it out at $23.75 per bundle. A bundle contains enough 1/4 inch by 3 3/4 inch planks to cover 15 square feet. Cedar flakeboard, however, is available in 4 x 8 foot sheets at a cost of $20.95 per sheet. Aromatic cedar veneer plywood is available at a cost of $58.18 per 4 x 8 foot sheet. I have estimated the following costs to line a standard 2 foot deep by 6 foot wide closet (8 feet high.) The total labor and material costs for each of the three materials is as follows: Cedar flakeboard = $270; Cedar veneer plywood = $435; Solid cedar planking = $750.

For your benefit, here are the costs per square foot of area covered: Cedar flakeboard = $2.10; Cedar veneer plywood = $3.39; Solid cedar = $5.85.

Column B134

Aromatic Cedar Do's & Don'ts

Aromatic cedar is an environmentally sound product. The species is renewable and currently grow abundantly throughout the USA. In addition, most lumber companies are planting more new trees than they harvest. There are sound environmental policies in place.

Do's

Use aromatic cedar in any location where you want to protect clothing or subdue a musty odor. Closets, chests, drawer linings, bathroom walls, etc. are all good locations to use aromatic cedar.

Construct the closet or area to be protected so that air infiltration and sunlight are kept to a minimum. These are the two things that extract the aroma from the wood.

Plan on protecting many of your garments. Insect larvae can damage wool, cotton, linen, blended fabrics and even synthetics!

Don'ts

Do not seal cedar products. Sealants will block the natural oils from getting to the surface.

Do not throw away cedar wood that has lost its aroma! It can be easily restored by sanding and/or coating with pure cedar oil extract. New aromatic cedar is usually very red in color. As it is exposed to sunlight and air it turns a medium brown color. Sand with 60 grit sandpaper until the cedar turns red. You will instantly notice the restoration of the fragrance.

Do not build a closet or chest without weatherstripping or tightly sealed doors. Air infiltration will significantly shorten the life of the cedar products. Store small pieces of cedar with clothes in tightly sealed plastic bags. Be sure the clothes are dry before you insert them into the bags.

Column B134