Almost always, application-specific vacuums - with the right combination of cfm, lift, filtering and capacity specifications - are the best choice.вЂќ Robb agrees: вЂњMany times, choosing the most versatile vacuum may not be the right choice. вЂњItвЂ™s important to network closely with an equipment vendor to make sure youвЂ™re using appropriately sized and priced dust-collecting vacuum systems for your processes,вЂќ says Turek. Vacuums that are too small result in excess debris left in the workplace, increasing clean-up time and costs. вЂњYou can never have a vacuum that is too big and powerful, but you can definitely have one that is too small,вЂќ he says. SaseвЂ™s Turek says itвЂ™s vital to select the right size vacuum for the equipment it will be used with. вЂњOur DV-E3 model also offers wet cleaning performance with a 27-gallon detachable tank.вЂќ GoodwayвЂ™s DV-E3 model industrial vacuum offers a filter shaker and large filter area to reduce filter clogs, which are often an issue for standard vacuums, notes Robb. The bag, which can hold up to 40 pounds of concrete dust, serves as an additional filtration device. Simply dispose of the bag in any construction dumpster.вЂќДustless Technologies also offers a micro prefilter bag that attaches to the port of its products within the barrel. вЂњYou have to bag the dust anyway, so Longopac is the most efficient system. ThereвЂ™s no tank to empty or barrel to drop down, so no dust to clean up,вЂќ he adds. вЂњThen, you zip-tie the bag, turn it and dispose of it. вЂњBy turning the vacuum off, all dust falls into a bag,вЂќ ErmatorвЂ™s Kelsey says. вЂњEach Dustless HEPA filter is tested, validated, and serialized for 100 percent material and production process traceability.вЂќДЄll Ermator vacuums come with a HEPA filter to trap fine particles, prefilter to collect medium to heavy particles, and cyclonic filtration to move all particles into a drop-down bag system called Longopac. вЂњDustless Technologies utilizes a primary filter made of proprietary material which protects the HEPA filter from direct exposure to small particulates,вЂќ Vain says. The DustBuddie dust shroud from Dustless is designed to capture up to 99 percent of the dust created by a hand grinder easier and safer. He recommends vacuums with at least 120 cubic feet per minute (cfm), which his companyвЂ™s products have. Vain, director of sales and marketing for Dustless Technologies, the amount of flow or suction a vacuum produces is also an important factor. Any vacuum is only as good as its filter system.вЂќД«efore making a purchase, Turek suggests asking manufacturers how many square feet of filtration a vacuum has and how long its filters typically last.ДЄccording to William C. вЂњThis is a must and a standard within our industry. вЂњCustomers make a decision as to what tool to buy first and then look for a vacuum that fits that piece.вЂќД«ut, he adds: вЂњWeвЂ™ve always been specifically about the dust.вЂќДust-collecting vacuums used in the concrete industry for dry applications should have both primary and high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filtration to contain fine particles, says Marcus Turek, Sase Co.вЂ™s North American sales manager. вЂњWhen it comes to deciding on a vacuum, weвЂ™re sort of the afterthought,вЂќ adds Lyndon Kelsey, North American sales and marketing manager for Ermator USA. A vacuum should be considered a capital expense and treated as such.вЂќ вЂњBut, the right industrial vacuum is an investment in your business and will become an invaluable part of your tool set.

вЂњMany contractors think of industrial vacuums as commodity items, available at their local supply store and quickly chosen from the limited selection on a shelf,вЂќ says Tim Robb, vice president of marketing and strategic business development for Goodway Technologies. WhatвЂ™s needed now is for equipment buyers to start thinking of vacuum systems as vital pieces of equipment, not just accessories to attach to other tools. The industryвЂ™s top manufacturers of dust-collecting vacuum systems are more than capable of helping folks meet regulations, advising what equipment is best for a job, and providing top-notch warranties, customer service and training. The philosophy behind purchasing industrial vacuums for controlling airborne dust is changing in the concrete industry, especially with new federal rules now in place concerning worker exposure to these particles (see sidebar). GoodwayвЂ™s DV-E3 model offers a filter shaker and a large filter area to reduce clogs.

Goodway vacuum