If you’ve ever watched any DIY home repair or demolition videos, you’ll notice one glaring detail that has plagued such instructional videos long enough—a lack of adequate protective equipment. Just because you’re tackling a demolition job as part of a weekend project doesn’t mean you should skip the essential protective gear. Even if you’re looking to save money on a project by doing it yourself, here are a few pieces of gear that are well worth the money. 

Hard Hats for Overhead Work

Working in the attic? Tearing down overhead sheetrock? Doing anything else that involves you bring your hands above eye-level? It’s not a bad idea to invest in a solid hard hat. From dropping tools to an overhead tree limb coming crashing down during a pruning mishap, use your noggin and protect your noggin. Don’t buy just any bargain hardhat, either. The more comfortable it is, the more likely you are to use it. Still, even a cheap hardhat is more effective than no hardhat at all. 

Eye Protection For Nearly Anything

For as fragile as your eyes are, there are few projects where only “safety squints” (being a tough guy and thinking squinting through the project will save your peepers) suffice. Invest in some quality-rated safety glasses. Fortunately for those concerned with looking like you’re in high school Chemistry, safety glasses come in an array of comfortable and even stylish models. Pick up a pair and keep them close. You’ll thank us when debris starts to fly in your face during your next project.

Breathe Easy With a Respirator

Most demolition jobs are messy—not just in debris that hits the ground, but also what is kicked into the air. Though you may not see it, that wall you just knocked down may have left immense dust and debris floating in the air. Do yourself and save your lungs with an adequately-ceiling facemask. Your lungs will thank you. 

Sturdy Work Gloves

Though some consider calloused hands a sign of a job well done, a sturdy pair of work gloves can save your digits and palms from tons of abuse. From allowing you to have a much less slippery grip on your tools to keeping a fingernail where it should be, make friends with a set of work gloves

Knee Pads For Jobs Down Low

This recommendation is less of a safety feature and more of “believe us, you’ll want these” pieces of gear. From fixing floors to laying tile or even just deep cleaning, your knees weren’t made to fill the role of your feet for any extended period. Pick up a sturdy pair of kneepads on your next trip to the hardware store. You never know when they’ll save your leg-elbows. 

Protect Your Feet: Shell Out For Toe-Protecting Boots 

It doesn’t matter if you’re not a construction professional, but rather more a one-weekend-a-month-warrior, get some sturdy workboots with adequate toe protection. A robust set of workboots will more than pay for themselves in ankle support, toe-protection, and all-around comfort. If you so much as have to hold a hammer for any household project, you should have your dependable workboots on your feet. 

Don’t feel like donning the essential protective equipment? That’s fine—we’ll do it for you. For all of your demolition needs, you’re invited to learn more about the professionals from Expert Dumpster.

Source: http://dtwreckit.com/blog/posts/view/248/5-pieces-demolition-safety-gear-diyers-can’t-afford-to-skip