For crawl spaces and dusty attic runs, the best Tyvek suit is the DuPont Tyvek 400 TY122S: hooded, with attached skid-resistant boots and elastic wrists. If you would rather wear your own boots, the TY127S has the same hood with elastic ankles. For sewage, pick the DuPont Tychem 2000 QC127S instead. DuPont says Tyvek 400 is not the right garment once it is getting wet.
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A disposable coverall keeps insulation, dirt, droppings and drain water off your clothes and out of your truck. It is the first thing to put on before you crawl under a house to replace a drain line or set a pump; see our crawl space sump pump guide for that job.
Tyvek suits compared
| Check | Tyvek 400 TY122S | Tyvek 400 TY127S | Tyvek 400 TY120S | Tychem 2000 QC127S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hood | Respirator-fit hood | Respirator-fit hood | None, laydown collar | Standard hood |
| Feet | Attached skid-resistant boots | Elastic ankles | Open ankles | Elastic ankles |
| Wrists | Elastic | Elastic | Open | Elastic |
| Barrier | Particles to 1.0 micron, light splash | Particles to 1.0 micron, light splash | Particles to 1.0 micron, light splash | Light liquid splash; coated fabric |
| Pack | DuPont case is 25; linked listing is a 6-pack | Linked listing is a 6-pack | 25 per case | 12 per case |
| Best job | Crawl spaces, attics | Crawl spaces in your own boots | Short dusty jobs | Sewage cleanup, ejector pits |
| Exact purchase | Check DuPont Tyvek 400 TY122S on Amazon → | Check DuPont Tyvek 400 TY127S on Amazon → | Check DuPont Tyvek 400 TY120S on Amazon → | Check DuPont Tychem 2000 QC127S on Amazon → |
How to choose a disposable coverall
Hood or collar
Under a house, the hood is the point. Insulation and dirt fall from the joists onto your neck and into your hair. DuPont describes the TY122S and TY127S hood as respirator-fit, with elastic around the face to cover the neck and chin and seal around a respirator. A collared suit like the TY120S is fine in a clean basement but leaves your head and neck open.
Boots or elastic ankles
Attached boots keep the suit sealed at the ankle. DuPont lists the TY122S boots with a skid-resistant coating. They go over your work boots, so they wear through fast on gravel, concrete and cinder block. If you crawl a lot, many plumbers prefer the TY127S with elastic ankles and their own rubber boots. Our work boot guide covers what to wear underneath.
Tyvek vs Tychem vs microporous
- Tyvek 400 is the plain white suit. DuPont says it resists fine particles down to 1.0 micron and light liquid splash. It is not appropriate if it is getting wet, if liquid is dripping or running on it, or if you see spotting on your skin or clothes underneath.
- Tychem 2000 is Tyvek with a 1.25 mil polyethylene coating, per DuPont. DuPont says the fabric gives at least 30 minutes of protection against more than 40 chemicals, and its permeation table lists sodium hypochlorite (15%) and sulfuric acid above 95% at more than 480 minutes. Many solvents, such as acetone, break through immediately.
- Microporous suits from other makers are a third option. Their liquid barrier varies by maker and model, so read the maker’s own ratings on the label before you trust one in sewage.
For liquid-heavy work, DuPont’s own Tyvek 400 page points you to Tychem 2000 or 4000 with taped seams. The garments here have serged seams. DuPont notes that seams and closures can break through sooner than the fabric, and that some strong acids degrade serged seams.
Size over clothes
Measure your chest over the clothes you will wear under the suit and check your height. Buy for both. DuPont’s TY127S chart, for example, fits an XL to a 42-3/4 to 46-1/4 in. chest and a height of 5 ft 8 in. to 6 ft 2 in. Crawling stretches the seat and the crotch, so if you are between sizes, go up one. DuPont says its garments meet ANSI/ISEA 101 sizing.
BEST FOR CRAWL SPACES · HOOD AND ATTACHED BOOTS
DuPont Tyvek 400 TY122S: the full-cover crawl space suit
Choose it when you are going under a house or into an attic and want every gap closed. DuPont lists the TY122S with a respirator-fit hood, attached skid-resistant boots, elastic wrists, waist and ankles, a front zipper with a pin-lock slider up to the chin, and a storm flap. Sizes run MD through 7X, 25 per case. The Amazon listing we link is a 6-pack. It contains no natural rubber latex.
Skip it if the crawl space has standing water or sewage on the ground. The suit will soak through. Use the Tychem 2000 QC127S.
HOOD, OWN BOOTS · ELASTIC WRISTS AND ANKLES
DuPont Tyvek 400 TY127S: same hood, your own boots
Choose it when you want the hood but not the booties. DuPont lists the TY127S with the same respirator-fit hood, elastic wrists, waist and ankles, serged seams, and a pin-lock zipper. The Amazon listing we link is a 6-pack. Pull the elastic ankle over your boot tops and tape it if dust is heavy.
Skip it if you need the suit sealed to the floor. The ankle is open over your boot, so dust and water can get in at the top of the boot.
BASIC COVERALL · COLLAR, OPEN CUFFS
DuPont Tyvek 400 TY120S: the plain clean-clothes suit
Choose it when you just want to keep your clothes clean on a short job, such as cutting out a line in a dirty basement. DuPont lists the TY120S with a laydown collar, front zipper, storm flap, elastic waist, and open wrists and ankles. It is 25 per case.
Skip it for crawl spaces. There is no hood, and the open wrists and ankles let debris in. The Amazon listing we link is a 25-pack sold by size, so pick your size there.
BEST FOR SEWAGE · COATED FABRIC, 12 PER CASE
DuPont Tychem 2000 QC127S: when the suit will get wet
Choose it when the job is a sewage backup, a failed ejector pit, or anything where you will kneel in wet material. DuPont lists the QC127S as a yellow hooded coverall with elastic wrists and ankles, a pin-lock zipper, a storm flap and serged seams, in MD through 7X, 12 per case. DuPont gives a working range of -13 to 165 F and warns that heat stress is a concern in high heat.
Skip it for dry dust jobs. It is hotter than Tyvek 400, and you do not need the liquid barrier. Skip it for solvents too; DuPont lists acetone and toluene as immediate breakthrough.
Sewage jobs: suit, gloves, eyes and when to stop
A suit is only one layer. DuPont’s pages say other PPE, such as respiratory, eye, head, hand and foot protection, may be needed based on a hazard assessment. OSHA’s general PPE rule, 1910.132, requires employers to do that assessment and pick PPE that fits the worker.
- Gloves. Wear a reusable nitrile glove with a long cuff and tape the suit sleeve over it. Our sewer machine guide covers the machine side of the job.
- Eyes. Use sealed goggles, not open safety glasses, when sewage can splash.
- Breathing. A dust mask is not a respirator. If you are in insulation, mold or a closed pit, use a fitted respirator and follow the maker’s instructions.
- Taking it off. Unzip, roll the suit down and inside out, and peel your gloves off last. Bag it at the job.
Call a licensed plumber for a main line that keeps backing up, and a restoration company for sewage that has soaked flooring or drywall. If the problem is a pump, our guide to sewage grinder pumps covers the replacement.
No torch work in a Tyvek suit. DuPont says Tyvek 400 is not flame resistant and will ignite, burn and melt, and Tychem 2000 will ignite and keep burning. Do not solder or braze in either. Take the suit off, or wear flame-resistant clothing for hot work.
Wear, reuse and disposal
- One job, one suit. DuPont designs Tyvek 400 for limited use and does not recommend washing it.
- Stop when it tears. DuPont says to stop using the garment if it is torn, abraded or punctured, or if seams or closures fail.
- Inspect first. OSHA’s PPE booklet says to inspect full body protection before each use when it is guarding against toxic substances.
- Hi-vis disposables exist. If you work in the street, ISEA’s 2020 high-visibility standard added criteria for single-use disposable coveralls. A plain white suit is not hi-vis.
Tyvek suit FAQ
Is a Tyvek suit waterproof?
No. DuPont says Tyvek 400 resists fine particles and light liquid splash, but it is not appropriate if it is getting wet or if liquid is dripping or running on it. For wet work, DuPont points to coated Tychem garments such as Tychem 2000.
What Tyvek suit should I wear in a crawl space?
A hooded suit with elastic wrists and either attached boots or elastic ankles. The DuPont Tyvek 400 TY122S has a respirator-fit hood and attached skid-resistant boots. The TY127S has the same hood with elastic ankles, worn over your own boots.
Can you wear a Tyvek suit for sewage cleanup?
Plain Tyvek 400 is the wrong suit once it gets wet. Use a coated suit such as the DuPont Tychem 2000 QC127S, plus long nitrile gloves, sealed goggles and boots. Large sewage backups that soak flooring or drywall are a job for a restoration company.
What size Tyvek suit should I buy?
Measure your chest over the clothes you will wear underneath and check the maker chart for both chest and height. DuPont fits an XL TY127S to a 42-3/4 to 46-1/4 inch chest and 5 ft 8 in to 6 ft 2 in. If you will be crawling, go up a size.
Can I reuse a Tyvek suit?
DuPont designs Tyvek 400 for limited use and does not recommend washing it. Stop using it if it is torn, abraded or punctured, or if a seam or the zipper fails. On a sewage job, bag it and throw it away.
How we chose
This is a document-based comparison from a licensed plumber’s point of view. We read DuPont’s product pages and spec sheets for the exact linked models, OSHA’s general PPE rule and PPE booklet, and ISEA’s note on the 2020 high-visibility standard. We chose garments with published design features, barrier data and sizing, and we put sewage work in a coated suit because DuPont says plain Tyvek 400 should not be worn wet.
Sources and linked listings were read October 14, 2026; sellers and availability change. We do not publish prices or claim hands-on testing. More about our selection method and Plumbing Picks.
Primary sources
- DuPont Tyvek 400 TY122S (dupont.com): hood, attached skid-resistant boots, elastic cuffs, 1.0 micron barrier, not for wet use, not flame resistant, limited use, sizes, ANSI/ISEA 101 sizing
- DuPont Tyvek 400 TY127S spec sheet (dupont.com): respirator-fit hood, elastic wrists and ankles, serged seams, sizing chart
- DuPont Tyvek 400 TY120S spec sheet (dupont.com): laydown collar, open wrists and ankles, sizes, 25 per case, discontinue if torn
- DuPont Tychem 2000 QC127S (dupont.com): 1.25 mil PE coating, chemical permeation data, serged seams, 12 per case, temperature range, flammability
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132 General requirements (osha.gov): hazard assessment and PPE selection and fit
- OSHA 3151 Personal Protective Equipment (PDF) (osha.gov): disposable suits for dust and splashes; inspect full body protection before use
- ISEA: ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 (safetyequipment.org): adds criteria for single-use disposable coveralls