tub resurfacing fumes apartment
Is that dangerous as well? It hurt to know that such a good person you loved and cared about so much is now gone. keep blogging~! 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. Our tub was just resurfaced today I was told six hours after they got done we could return to the apartment and stay the night just cant use the tub or take the tape off for 48 hours is that safe? We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. Thanks for your comment. The paint in the bath tub is pealing off after one use. You get enough toxic chemicals in your daily life without adding additional products that harm you by breathing its toxic fumes or being absorbed into your skin. Using methylene chloride products in a bathroom is extremely dangerous as bathrooms are often small, enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation. Bathtub refinishing can be very dangerous indeed, I have seen many poorly trained so called bathtub refinishing specialists using dangerous chemicals to refinish bathtubs in peoples homes without the proper ventilation systems in place and without using the proper protective equipment necessary. The health issues that you can face immediately and also in the future are not worth the risk. I had my cast iron tub reglazed on a very hot humid day. Methylene chloride is extremely dangerous when not used properly, this is an understatement, but Im glad its finally being brought to peoples attention. 22 oz. It is a less costly alternative to replacing a bathtub; however, the process often involves the use of hazardous chemicals including methylene chloride, acids, and isocyanates. If your bathtub is on the older side, then youll need to determine whether its worthwhile to refinish or reglaze it or just replace it altogether. Thorough prep and and cleaning can preventbig headaches down the road. Vapors from this liquid can collect in the bottom of the tub and cause the person refinishing the tub to asphyxiate or even suffer from a heart attack because methyl chloride turns to carbon monoxide in the body, cutting off oxygen supply. The fumes are strong in the bathroom so I have the bathroom door closed, vent on. Technicians have been properly trained to do this type of work. If you are considering refinishing your bathtub or shower, click on Find a Location or call our toll free locator number, 1-888-271-7690 . If you are concerned about the smells, you could seek help from your local health department. She wont fix it since they are going to remodel in the future. Thanks! Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Read more about our comment policy . Until the finishing dries, it is a good idea to leave the house. An expert starts by sanding down the tub's. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. Ms. Scott thank you for your interest in our blog Dangers of Bathtub Refinishing and your question regarding how to assess exposure to toxic vapors. I say this because his co workers where in the other bathroom working. Contractors who handle bathtub refinishing or reglazing are well-versed in the health risks and OSHA (the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Association) guidelines for risky jobs like these, making it an easy choice to bring in an expert for the task. Thanks for the post on this. share Share. I have tried a couple of my wifes lotions to easy the burning, which has only made it worse.. any suggestion on what to take the stinging away.. Concessions return to the NYC rental market as recession fears slow leasing activity, The pros and cons of buying a penthouse apartment, Racism and the lack of diversity in the appraisal business, Making sense of the NYC real estate market with Jonathan Miller, The Brick Underground Podcast: Predators in the NYC rental market, with Hannah Levintova from Mother Jones, The Brick Underground Podcast: Protecting against fire and floods in your NYC apartment, The Brick Underground Podcast: Finding a deal as NYC landlords pull concessions and raise rents, The Brick Underground Podcast: Trading your NYC apartment for a cheap(er) vacation. Agree with your perspective. I have so many friends that are a part of DIY pages that encourage individuals to attempt these kinds of projects on their own, unknowingly knowing some of the real dangers. 21 people who I worked with at that time have all died,one very recently with cancer. Remove the overflow plate from the tub and begin the caulk removal stage.Start by removing the caulk around the tub where it meets the tile surround. Brooklyn resident Emily Gilbert had her familys tub and part of the bathroom wall reglazed four-and-a-half years ago (, Moving to NYC after college? There are exposure limits, but they are not based solely on how long a worker may be exposed to the chemical. I repaired the tile finish as best I could and covered it with 123 primer and latex kitchen/bath paint by mohair brush. Consult the OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert for specific information regarding engineering controls, exposure levels and air monitoring, personal protective equipment, worker training and medical surveillance. I manage a home related business in Australia and we are often exposed to applications that we are unsure of what dangers we could be exposed to. Not sure if it can come through the walls. Stripping products may also contain flammable solvents and flammability may be a concern. After reading this post I think I can live with those scratches until I can hire a professional. It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. Personally the bathtub reglazing odor resembles the aroma of a room after it has been painted and therefore the fragrance will keep within the facility for up to 2 days, this is not body odor we are . Traditional methods used for detecting methylene chloride involve air sampling pumps (calibrated at the desired air flow) and a sampling train with charcoal tubes as the collection media for methylene chloride. print Print. Why is this not part of a home inspection, when you move into a house, built in 1950? A bathtub in our old home was reglazed a few weeks ago. It is a less costly alternative to replacing a bathtub; however, the process often involves the use of hazardous chemicals including methylene chloride, acids, and isocyanates. I have a chipped tub that is built in with tile walls. If youre nervous, leaving your apartment for the duration of the job is always an option. Im not familiar with the Australian occupational health and safety system but you might want to start with Safe Work Australia http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA . Unfortunately, manufacturers tend to play-down the immediate and especially long-term exposure risks from degassing (fumes) that occur perhaps over the next month or more. These chemicals are no joke and need to be taken seriously. When we find a company to do it, Ill be sure to make sure that there is plenty of fresh air. How do I know if this is toxic? Bathtub. They were all exposed to open tanks of Methylene Chloride and cutting up bodies causing carbon monoxide. I recently had our tub sresurfaced as well as kitchen counters done, and the smell was so strong I dont know how these guys can do this every day. I also worry about the health of those doing this kind of work. The following recommendations on respirator use are in the NIOSH/OSHA Alert. I just rented a house. Material data sheets, now referred to as Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are prepared by those who sell chemical products. As a point of comparison, water boils at 212 F and has a room temperature vapor pressure of 17 mmHg. I know this because the epoxy finish began peeling away within a couple months of daily use. We recommend that you consult your personal physician about your health issues, and your local health department for assistance with the building management. The process commonly involves removing the bathtub's existing finish before applying a new coating, usually a synthetic finish such as polyurethane or epoxy. I would really like some reassurance. CDR Hall is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. and it was very helpful for people, In addition to the hazards of strippers, old porcelain bathtubs, sinks and tiles manufactured before the mid-1990s could also have lead in the glaze, which could leach into bathwater, or if sanded or scraped could form a dust that if ingested by young children (who touch it with bare skin) could cause lead poisoning. It took me a little bit to get used to, and while it doesn't look super cool, it's clean and an upgrade from the '90s pink tile for sure.. Bathtub refinishing is the process of restoring the surface of an old bathtub to improve the bathtub's appearance and repair surface damage. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is unsafe that s why we recomendto contact a professional to stripit for you. Even if they come in a spray can unless you really know how to spray a cross hatch overlap pattern then you will have dry edges. theyre dangerous if not dealt with properly. I started reading articles and ended up reading most of the comments in this blog. Bathtub refinishing is the process of restoring the surface of an old bathtub to improve the bathtubs appearance and repair surface damage. It got so strong it burned my throat and eyes. refinish or reglaze it or just replace it altogether. Thank for sharing about bathtub refinishing. The maintenance man telephoned 911 and then a second maintenance man. Melissa. It is definitely a good idea to ventilate the area as much as possible to remove the residual vapors. Without a thorough investigation of the respirator, process used, and procedures it would be hard to identify the source of this adverse effect. There is apparently limited research on this issue, but there are case studies of some children getting lead poisoning from bathing in an old bathtub that was leaching lead. Maybe others reading this blog will be able to help point you in the right direction. In workers with heart disease, an increase in carbon monoxide may lead to early onset heart attacks and arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). "[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. The company who gave me 6 year warranty has disconnected the phone number. We use MC (methylene chloride) in my furniture shop. How to effectively get rid of bathtub resurface smell in my apartment? Thanks for your comment. Fumes associated with bathtub stripping chemicals have taken the lives of those that did not follow the warnings on the product. Mostly problem is that it can broken. I will stress this to home owners wanting to get bathtub resurfacing done. 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. Needless to say, I was shocked, I am taken aback by the statistics. 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. In Europe, the use of paint strippers containing more than 0.1 % methylene chloride is allowed only in industrial installations with adequate controls to reduce exposure. Is it safe to stay???? Sometimes, it's less expensive to replace a tub than to get it refinished, especially if it's a rare type of tub made of an unusual material. We'll put an entirely new finish over the existing tub or tile in your bathroom. I think this blog is very helpful in knowing about the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products.We need to know what all are used while doing refinishing.Thanks a lot for sharing such a helpful information. I am all for saving money and dont wish to come off like I dont appreciate the effort but if your already saving $5000 why not let a pro do it. I have contacted the government,the union head [name removed], and the legal ombudsman but to no avail. I use it in good ventilation and, if Im going to be doing much work, I use a respirator. Keep in mind that alternative products and other stripping agents may pose additional risks. Being relatively poor most of my life Ive always been a do-it-yourselfer. Its good to know that if you have your bathtub reglazed, you much have proper ventilation. I stayed home all day, working around the house because there were two workers and didnt want to leave strangers in my home. ECO-FRIENDLY No Odor Tub Reglazing: Fumes-free and made without harmful chemicals, Ekopel's long-lasting, oil-free glaze never peels! The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride (paint stripper) directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure. The concentration of the exposure is important too. Things just happen and when its our time to go, we go. *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. I had my bathroom resurfaced including the bathtub 4 weeks ago. It was not difficult and required no chemicals; the refinisher evidently did a very poor job of it. Himmelstein McConnell Gribben & Joseph LLP. information posted by individuals on this site is correct, and disclaims any liability for any So, it presents no long-term hazard to the resident. I would also like to issue one other caveat. If you feel you are in danger, you should contact your local emergency services for assistance. Now what about substances that are used in bathtub refinishing as final top-coats such as Aliphatic Acrylic Urethane, or, another, as one company advertises: Porcelain Glaze-a new type of chemical finish. What is porcelain glaze? Dear Mr. Ronald M. Hall, you probably save my life with this article! If the cost of removing the old tub and installing a new one versus reglazing are similar or your tub is particularly old or damaged, it might be better to get a new one. 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.