Sometimes, you may need to refinish your bathtub which requires chemical coating with special kind of brush or roller to an acrylic, porcelain, fiberglass, or cultured marble bathtub. In order to assess learn more about the products that are being used for the re-glazing, assess the air quality of your apartment, prevent exposure or remediate any hazards, seek assistance from the building owner or manager. Just trying to speak up for low income and maybe other apartment dwellers too. With just a day or two of work, reglazing the centerpiece of your bathroom with a durable coating and color is an easy way to give your tub a quick facelift without breaking the bank. Is it dangerous to any or all of us? It seemed like this article focused more on the concerns of MC and not ISO is there a follow up article that is just based on Isocyantes? I gave my 2 year old a bath a little more came off. The most dangerous part of the bathtub refinishing process is inhaling the fumes associated with the job. After most fumes and smell went away two days later i still had muscle pain and spasms all over, headache, very sick and weak, skin burned and stung, could feel it in my lungs. Lowering exposures, even below the PEL, is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. We do not have any information about the paint chips that are peeling off of your refinished bathtub. I have no experience in this type of work, my day job is a guidance counselor, but I started thinking about how we might prevent these fatalities from happening going forward, if using MC. But the air looked pretty fume filled to me This is a nightmare for someone with my health issues! Our blog focused on the exposures from methylene chloride to workers during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. In years past, when lead-based paints were used in various home applications, various studies showed that small children (toddlers) were known to ingest (eat) paint chips. Its not bad to ask especially if we dont know anything about something. However no one is to blame, and no one is at fault. I learned a lot and want to ask a question about the dangers. Provide local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and fresh makeup air to exhaust vapors released from the stripping agents in the bathtub. Thetoxic fumesreleased during the processnot only make your apartment smell bad. Bathtub refinishing fumes are dangerous and you do not want yourself or anyone in the home breathing them. Step 1: Remove Tub Hardware Shut off the water supply to your tub and drain any water from the line before you begin. My friends name is Kevin H. The incident happened Thursday April 27th at 4pm. Bathtub Refinishing vs. Liner: Whats Right for Your Home. If the room where it was used is flushed with fresh air, perhaps by using a small fan, it is unlikely that any methylene chloride will be present or continue to leech out days after the re-glazing was done. What that means is that at room temperature, methylene chloride will evaporate very rapidly, much more rapidly than water. But two days later it still bothers me. So, if the concentration were over the PEL, for example at 50 ppm, the workers would exceed the 25 ppm average limit in 4 hours. Thorough prep and and cleaning can preventbig headaches down the road. A person directly outside the door and 30 seconds could have saved our best friends life. I took a shower and a 3 inch or so came off. Keep in mind that alternative products and other stripping agents may pose additional risks. I only use stripper when absolutely necessary. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. There is still a strong smell in my bathroom espicially when it is hot and humid. Methylene chloride is extremely dangerous when not used properly. *By signing up you agree to receive occasional emails on behalf of our sponsors, Copyright 2009-2022 by BrickUnderground | PrivacyPolicy | TermsofService | AdChoices | Login, National Association of Real Estate Editors. Thank you. And, are there any substances that are dangerous and can later leach into bath water and be absorbed by the skin? Takes longer and cost more but the client can pay the labor or feel free to do it themselves. There are exposure limits, but they are not based solely on how long a worker may be exposed to the chemical. Keep up the good work! Contact me via e-mail njtragroup@gmail.com and send me your ideas. Prolonged skin contact may cause irritation and even chemical burns. As owner of a tub refinishing company we have moved away from polyurethane isocyanate systems years ago because of the hazards but, for educational purposes, we provide a dedicated page with links to various articles on our website explaining the dangers of isocyanate coating use in residential markets. I thought it would be a simple spray paint job. Products with these types of known harmful ingredients must require special labeling with clearer health and safety warnings for users. It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. Thanks so much for the info! Products containing methylene chloride should be avoided when possible. I know this because the epoxy finish began peeling away within a couple months of daily use. It was heart breaking. Usually coatings can be removed with a good razor scraper.sure it takes longer but it keeps me from using more harmful chemicals. Unless you have access to all the necessary protective clothing and equipment and are confident in your bathrooms ventilation system as well as your DIY capabilities, you should hire a professional to handle it. Reglazing involves stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub. I think regulators should be aware of these dangers. My puppy also is constantly licking the floor. If I had of done a little research I guess I would of been more informed. I am sleeping in the living room under many blankets with the balcony door wide openis it safe? What if your bathtub could be transformed in one day from embarrassing to your bathroom's sparkling centerpiece? The blog is not designed to provide personal medical or emergency information. i like it. Now its already peeling. They were wearing some gas mask type stuff while they were doing it, but I have noticed even after spraying the fumes were strong; and I was outside when they did this. I never post anything anywhere. Using methylene chloride products in a bathroom is extremely dangerous as bathrooms are often small, enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation. Bathtub. Our blog focused on the exposures from methylene chloride to workers during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. I have never thought of this before! I had to keep the windows shut with the air on all night. He came home and seemed fine for a few days and then suddenly died. A bathtub in our old home was reglazed a few weeks ago. (273) Questions & Answers (148) +3. I would also like to issue one other caveat. For example, if your pipes have burst, spilling water into the unit, a day or two may be reasonable, assuming that the landlord can employ a qualified repair person within that time period . Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. I had no choice but to return home. Thanks. We tried to open our window a bit. I think there are actually regulations on workers on how long they may be subjected to this chemical during a work day. Thanks to those whoever posted this article. Tub and tile were original to the 1957 home and were actually not in bad shape. Even if you hire a professional to reglaze or refinish your bathtub, you and your family or other residents should leave the property during the entire process, including while the epoxy coat cures after application. I do home remodeling in Dallas, and many homeowners want to try to salvage some tubs, which is cost effective for some, but certainly a chemical risk for the workers and I would think the homeowners need to be made aware of this type of chemical being used in their home. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. The specific effects of methylene chloride exposure will vary depending on several factors, such as the amount of methylene chloride the worker is exposed to, how long the exposure lasts, and whether the worker has a higher susceptibility (for example, having a preexisting heart condition). NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Our apartment building had the next apt tub realized these morons did this in winter and there was no windows open. Not worth it. I went to clean out the tub to take another shower myself and by just barely cleaning it a whole bunch of paint came off, like over a foot and I was just barely scrubbing! I use it in good ventilation and, if Im going to be doing much work, I use a respirator. tl;dr: Accidentally fell in the bathtub so hard it left a hole. IT IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.I LIKE YOUR POST BECAUSE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME AS WELL. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Dust masks do not protect you from bathtub refinishing vapors. (323) 396-1030. sales@reglazinglosangeles.com. Many stripping products (including those that may also be available to consumers) contain high percentages of methylene chloride. I very much agree with you, that safety and health is a very important thing in our lives, Your new bathroom's finish won't have any . Your blog has provided useful information for the work. This is great information to share to hopefully make us more aware and careful. If you've been considering a bathroom remodel, then replacing an older tub might just make sense. You should contact 911 and move to an area with fresh air (outside), or if possible open an window to let fresh air in. How much should you renovate your NYC apartment before selling it? Its worth looking into how long a company has been in business andits rating with the Better Business Bureau to get a sense of their track record before commissioning a job. Bathtub refinishing is the process of restoring the surface of an old bathtub to improve the bathtub's appearance and repair surface damage. The second method uses no chemical stripper but relies instead on scraping and mechanical sanding to remove bathtub finishes. The bath was not stripped just resurfaced with a very thin layer of the napco product paint. Gerda. Use long-handled tools (e.g., scrapers, brushes) to avoid leaning into the bathtub. Thanks for your comment. Even if you hire a professional, let the area air out and keep it ventilated after the work is complete until you can no longer detect any unusual or chemical odors. I was weak though and shaking, felt faint and nauseated. The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure. I think this should not be happening after 4 weeks but dont know what to do about it. The fumes are strong in the bathroom so I have the bathroom door closed, vent on. We can ask questions and be well-informed. It feels toxic, but no one has instructed me to leave, so am I to assume that I am safe? Even with treatment, lead poisoning can permanently affect a childs development. Is that smell dangerous for children? It hurt to know that such a good person you loved and cared about so much is now gone. Brooklyn resident Emily Gilbert had her familys tub and part of the bathroom wall reglazed four-and-a-half years ago (read more about that here), and overall, is pleased with the results. Does anyone know if I should be worried? Thank you so much for this great article and hope that others now are aware of the safety measures that need to be followed. There are bathtub refinishing companies out there, [company name removed] are using safe processes for refinishing your bathtub, you just have to ask the tough questions. Extraction during the process is everything. If this could be dangerous, government should put strict in purchasing this kind of toxic to avoid casualties for workers and even consumers. I am ok with both tub and tile appearance until I can afford a replacement/bath remodel. We are not familiar with the finishes you mention. Publication number 81-8b-2012, Successful bathtub stripping using sanding as an alternative to methylene chloride If you are referring to paint strippers (which is what methylene Chloride is used for) one consideration would be using alternative methods, such as sanding. Also, you may want to ask the installer for the products safety data sheet which may have useful information on curing times and precautions. Very good to know, Ill let the pros do it from now on, and let my readers know the same. Second tub went smoother because I had a window to open for air circulation. Wow, great article on the dangers and Health Effects when methylene chloride is used. Ive spoken with many other tub resurfacing company owners and employees, and most of them do not use or even own full-face air-supplied respirators. If methylene chloride is used, ensure that the room is adequately ventilated during the entire refinishing process. Thank you for sharing this useful information. Thank you for your comment. "[The problem area] now takes up about a third of the bottom of the tub, because every time the water runs, more comes off," she says. Wow this is kinda hard to believe that even a thing such as messing with a bathtub can be so dangerous. Right now, I am surrounded by vacant apartments, and the new owner is reglazing all of the tubs. At high enough levels, it can stop breathing. The Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) program at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has profiled two businesses that successfully strip bathtubs without MC. She and her contractor agreed to wait until the weather cooledto remedy the situation. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. I just bought this old house that has this beautiful tub if only it can get restored back to new. Your local health department may be able to provide assistance. If safety is not enough to discourage the DIY Kits then maybe aesthetics will. good cotent, i like it. You should always wear protective clothing and use the appropriate safety-rated equipment whenever you are doing any household repair or remodeling work, and reglazing a bathtub is no exception. (Fun fact: You can make it any color you want, so if youve ever wanted a purple bathtub, that dream can be realized.). Coatings suitable for bathtub reglazing include: You can use these materials on several surfaces, including acrylic, ceramic, porcelain, and fiberglass bathtubs. I just rented a housing association flat with an unsightly, badly marked tub. Thank you for this post. Real time instruments such as Photoionization detectors (PIDs) can be used to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I wonder if it healthy & ok to use the tub for baths after a certain period of tome (days?). I had a tub refinished with epoxy that had a bad smell, but nothing like this. These chemicals are no joke and need to be taken seriously. thank you. You also want to keep shampoo bottles and other products off the surface, aswell as a mat with suction cups. I will stress this to home owners wanting to get bathtub resurfacing done. Also my bedroom windows are both open, and that door is closed as well. If you know the name of the product that was used, you may be able to find it by searching on the Internet. Eyes, skin and residual in clothing adsorbption can also be significant and detrimental. Its either not portable or cost prohibitive. Almost every technical field has harmful effects but its on the company or professional person that how they can deal with it. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. NIOSH analytical method 1001 is typically used to sample for methylene chloride in a workers breathing zone. White advises keeping away fromcleansers likebleach oreven Soft Scrub. Pacific Reglazing provides high quality, affordable kitchen and bathroom repair and refinishing services throughout the Greater Los Angeles area, the San Fernando Valley, Ventura, Orange County and Riverside County. After doing research on reglazing chemicals typically used for bathtubs, we found that it's strongly suggested to (1) not be in the home for at least 48 hours after the reglazing and (2) that leaving windows open is not enough, but you must bring in some kind of ventilation gear such as hurricane fans or powered tubing to clear the area out . I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects of such dangerous products.I think this type of finish should be banned.This is great information to share to hopefully make us more aware and careful. CDR Hall is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. In September 2011, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to strip the glaze from a bathtub collapsed in the bathtub and later died. She wont fix it since they are going to remodel in the future. We refinish or "reglaze" bathtubs, showers, wall tile, bathroom sinks and counters as well as . We have had a terrible experience. I live in low income housing, a few years ago they said my tub need to be refinished. This is a great article. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. We were told when we did it that it only lasts about five years and I'm finding that to betrue, she says. This is in Australia. Bathtubs should be refinished every seven to 10 years, or more frequently if there is significant damage, stained, or you (or your homes previous owners) havent been cleaning your bathtub the right way.
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