I Hate Lofts !

[Revved Up Sparky]

I spent this afternoon working in various loftspaces, connecting flexible vent ducting for recently installed fans to newly installed vent tiles. The builder, in his wisdom has fitted all the vent tiles in close to the edge of the eaves so I have been literally SWIMMING in loft insulation all afternoon trying to get to each vent tile to connect the duct hose to it. Despite wearing all the proper PPE I still managed to get itchy fibres on my skin and I have just chucked my boiler suit and all the clothes I was wearing under it into the wash and had a bath. I hate lofts ! but working alone without an apprentice I have little choice but to get up there and get on with it !.

Do you go in lofts a lot ? How do you feel about working in lofts ?. Do you always have an apprentice/ mate with you who will go up there for you ?. Have you ever fallen through a celing ?. Have you got any tales to tell about working in lofts ?..... cheers !

 

[m4tty]

I was up in a bungalow loft today swimming in sOme insulation too lol. It's so hot up there but daren't take sweatshirt off or get itchy arms. Also banged head and first thing is thorough inspection of loft for wasp nests or wasps. I run like a girl when I see wasps. Also the timbers looked like 2 by 1 so knelt carefully. Not going to jinx myself by saying anything about feet through ceilings etc lol

 

[Andy™]

i hate lofts. ill do everything i can to avoid going into the eaves etc and stay somewhere with a little more headroom. even if that means extra work in using cable rods etc to get that extra bit distance

 

[oldtimespark]

Baby powder can be used to stop fibreglass itch.

It blocks the pores

 

[nsbs]

I think everyone with a pulse and a small functioning brain hates lofts. Horrible disgusting places.

 

[kernow]

To the labourer - dont go into the loft with your wellies on - dont go into the loft with those great big boots on - come back 1/2 hours later big hole in the ceiling - labourer looked sheepish - you wore those wellies in the loft didnt you? A little squeak - yes - LOL:_|

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

Yesterday I did a partial rewire in a house, got into the loft and my heart sank !- I discovered that it was completely floorboarded in tongue and groove AND eight inches of loft insulation had been laid over the floorboards ! I had to roll a lot of the insulation up and then lift the boards ! headbang

 

[ktguk]

[quote name='Andy

 

[Megaohm7]

I'm over 6' tall and lofts are not my favourite place. A face mask is a must because of the dust and thick layers of insulation and family relics and toys from yesteryear by the ton.

 

[cm304eex]

My boss hates lofts, thats why i end up in them and now I hate them too. will try the baby powder idea though anything to stop the anoying itching

 

[sprocketflup]

Not gone through a loft floor, but have gone through a bathroom floor when taking up a wetroom shower tray. Felt a right tawt, especially as it was my house :blush:

Loft insulation, fibreglass dust etc, always take a COLD shower soon as you can, the colder the better, warm it up slowly after a couple of mins and a thorough soaking. You do eventually get used to the itching/dust if you do it often eneough ( I used to do a lot of fibreglassing)

 

[Sidewinder]

Cold is best as it washes teh fibres off the skin, if the pores open then the get into the skin and itch.

Thing is lofts are warm normally thus you are warm and sweat, thus open pores, thius itch!

BTW, who does a confined space assessment & rescue plan etc. for working in lofts?

Think about it if you are sending employees into a confined space you have statutory obligations to meet.

Just because you are up in the air not underground does not mean it is not a confined space!

I worked in one myself recently where by my torso across my rib cage & shoulder blades would only just enter the loft hatch.

That WAS a confined space!

Also, I cut into next doors ring main if you remember!

 

[Barx]

Dont mind lofts to be fair. Not too keen if the insulation is 2 feet deep. But I can handle a couple of layers easy. I've done so much loft work over the last 6 years (alarm engineers in a previous life with 99% of main units going in loft) I'm pretty much immune to the itching so just jump up with my tshirt and pirate pants on. Only the brown wirey insulation gives me a little tickle.

I'd sooner be in the loft than chopping out all day...

 

[Badger]

went into a customers loft today and found a massive wasps nest 1 foot behind me lets just say i :run outta their

 

[Evans Electric]

How come , winter or summer, when you climb into a loft and switch your task light on , a solitary bloody wasp will wake up and start buzzing round it and your head??????

I too hate lofts with a vengance if they have the latest thickness of lagging or the really old stuff that billows up when you disturb it. If anyone wants loft wiring done neatly when theres lagging .......they can do it themselves TBH.

If there is no lagging I even clip it (a bit) Full thickness lagging , just drop wiring on top , my mate pokes cable rod through light hole for location , shove wires through and get the hell out .

Have to wear a filter mask or my specs steam up .

We have had this before , which is fine, will repeat my warning that you can't keep going in lofts, year after year and breathing that crap in . I had to lie in it once to repair a cable damaged by the builder , against the eaves , didn't have any masks, OK lets get it done .............. must have breathed in a load of the carp , made me really ill , had to use an asthma spray .

Good thing was it stopped me smoking !!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

Deke,

There is so much crud up there it is unbelieveable.

Lofts are one of the main reasons I avoid Domestic work like the plague!!!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Old lofts with high apex and big space between beams and purlins and other timbers don't bother me too much..

Modern lofts with 6,000,000 struts and timbers every meter are a pain up the rear to clamber through!!!!!!

one of the worst things in lofts is climb up there get to where your cables come through....

then get those tools, box, connectors etc.. out to start joining the ends...

and you realise you left your cutters in the your toolbox downstairs!!!!!!

arghhh.. climb back down again... Re-start!!!!

 

[NozSpark]

I've been in one loft that was about 3' deep in boxes and clothes,,, with more clothes hanging off nails from the rafters!!!!!

Lucky their ceiling didn't cave in!

 

[revjames]

"ceilings..... nothing more than ceilings..."

Thats what the rest of the lads were singing after I walked up the stairs and failed to notice 4 boards up right on the landing, carrying heavy toolbox too. Went straight through and grazed my legs finally becoming wedged inbetween 2 joists. Freshly plasterboarded and artexed ceiling needing slight repair. No sympathy, no enquiries as to my well being just lots of laughter and singing of the above song.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 13:12 ---------- Previous post was made at 13:09 ----------

Just remembered another. On the MOD base I was working on, the loft access was over the bath. I had remembered I had left a pair of pliers up there so went back. No steps so climbed on the bath hoisted myself up legs in and arms did not quite lock, lost strength and fell straight into the bath landing on my back. Was winded and could not breathe (very scary) again no sympathy just mickey taking and laughter!

 

[m4tty]

Church lofts are not bad at all. Loads of room. Been in a few of them