However no one is to blame, and no one is at fault. Use full-face air-supplied respirators, protective gloves, and other appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) that is resistant to methylene chloride during the entire refinishing process. This is poor. I think people always take safety for too lightly. Your local health department may also be able to provide more assistance or information. How to effectively get rid of bathtub resurface smell in my apartment? Im a Painting Contractor in Anchorage, Alaska and this is a really good post for me to see! THANK YOU! After a few years, she was diagnosed with lung cancer (she never smoked) and died in 1999. I have stripped hundreds of tubs. Methyl chloride has high vapor pressure, meaning that it evaporates extremely quickly and turns into gas that can easily be inhaled, especially in a small bathroom that may not be adequately ventilated. It is really shocking that stripping agents contrain toxic elements in them. A great thanks to you to let us know about the fact. What if your bathtub could be transformed in one day from embarrassing to your bathroom's sparkling centerpiece? Without a thorough investigation of the respirator, process used, and procedures it would be hard to identify the source of this adverse effect. 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. My friend was left to work alone in the small enclosed space, with out supervision. The past three days have been the hardest in my entire life. Surely the proper checks should be taken before the products leaves the factory. Keep posting as I am gonna come to read it everyday! I also have a 6 year oldshould we leave? Thank you so much for this great article and hope that others now are aware of the safety measures that need to be followed. In order to assess whether you may be experiencing health effects due to a toxic exposure, seek a medical evaluation from a healthcare provider. ARE THESE REGLAZED TUBS DANGEROUS AFTER THE PROCESS DRIES? We should all gather together and come up with solutions that are even better than what we are presented with now. Bathtub refinishing is the process of restoring the surface of an old bathtub to improve the bathtub's appearance and repair surface damage. good cotent, i like it. You can review and change the way we collect information below. Coatings suitable for bathtub reglazing include: You can use these materials on several surfaces, including acrylic, ceramic, porcelain, and fiberglass bathtubs. 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. Many post pictures but up close you cant see the brush strokes they leave behind. The Centers for Disease Control has more information on lead hazards on their web site. My tub will soon be refinished and I am glad I have read this article. It is unsafe that s why we recomendto contact a professional to stripit for you. The prep is the most important part of the job, says White. He was formally pronounced brain dead at the hospital, the same day of the incident. What's included in a deal sheet when you buy a NYC apartment? Find them at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Pubs/#General Almost any color or appearance can be achieved, including the look of natural stone or marble. Thanks for sharing such a helpful information. Very interesting. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I personally have never heard of this being such a serious problem. PDF Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers It has one small rust stain and is still moderately shiny. The vapors should subside after awhile and you should not be able to smell the strong odor. Obviously, I would have paid any price to do this rather than suffer these sad consequences. Or should I leave? Why is this not part of a home inspection, when you move into a house, built in 1950? I have read many articles but this is different one. I smelled that horrible smell for nearly 3 weeks after he was doneeven my cigarette smoke couldnt compete. Mimi OConnor has written about New York City real estate for publications that include Brick Underground, Refinery29, and Thrillist. Is there some disconnect between science, policy and legal enforcement? That is a shocking statistic, At least 14 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Since Bathtub Refinishing can also be a consumer issue, another potential resource is Product Safety Australia http://www.productsafety.gov.au. After the surface has dried, it is 100% safe to use the bathroom fixture. Resurfacing is when we paint the counters, cabinets or tubs. $ 89 00. Lowering exposures, even below the permissible exposure limit (PEL), is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. Always wear hand and eye protection. We are sorry to hear about the symptoms that you experienced and hope you are doing better. We do have pets and have young kids. I have personally resurfaced in the past for investment properties, and have smelt the sweet smell, but never was affected , luckily. There may also be substitute stripping products or methods however, please be aware that substitute stripping products may include other harmful chemicals or hazards, so use substitutes safely. Awsome and useful informations too, thanks for sharing this educational post! It is often referred to as dichloromethane and has many industrial uses, such as paint stripping, metal cleaning, and degreasing. I gave my 2 year old a bath a little more came off. Refinishing a bathtub is a less costly . The use of methylene chloride can be reduced significantly by professionals. Bathtub Reglazing Experts. I and my two other friends went to the hospital last night to say our goodbyes. I own a small bathtub refinishing business and we have committed to stay away from M.C. More needs to be done to protect the workers!. Are Bathtub Refinishing Fumes Dangerous? Thank you for your comment. Good to see so much effort going into bringing awareness to bathtub refinishing in Waltham. 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. I am thankful to those who began to get the word out to the general public, you have certainly saved lives by doing so. We need to care when the baths are refinished. After working in retail for many years, my mother retired, began buying and refinishing furniture. I never post anything anywhere. Don't Replace, Renew | Surface Renew Thanks to those whoever posted this article. 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. I was doing some research on tub reglazing when I found this article. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I think our tub would look so much nicer if we had it refinished. My cat was crying and jumping on the door to get out. 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. Kimberly Evans. Methylene chlorides boiling point is just over 100 F, and has a vapor pressure of 350 mmHg. (Obviously, no, but you get the idea.). 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. Bathtub Refinishing vs. Liner: Whats Right for Your Home. Using methylene chloride products in a bathroom is extremely dangerous as bathrooms are often small, enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation. Most tubs can be reglazed if they are not overly damaged, but the process is generally recommended for steel, cast iron, or fiberglass tubs. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. It always falls on us, to make sure, inspections we pay for, cover areas of higher hazard. tl;dr: Accidentally fell in the bathtub so hard it left a hole. We do not have any information about leaching of polyurethane/acrylic bathtub finishing. Its highly toxic Teri. Great article. As far as we are concerned, 2k urethane systems should not be allowed in residential use. Employers must ensure that workers are not exposed to levels above OSHAs permissible exposure limits (PELs) of 25 parts per million (ppm) over an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) and 125 ppm over any 15-minute period (short-term exposure limit or STEL) (29 CFR 1910.1052(c)). Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. However, we have no information about the risks that might arise to the resident from exposure to the flaking surface of the refinished tub. However, products are more dangerous when they are sweet smelling, and as your article states your are already exposed once you smell it. These chemicals are no joke and need to be taken seriously. Its better not to use methylene chloride for the safety of everybody. Is that smell dangerous for children? Hello If the chemical you are using is marked as flammable then you can be sure that it is not 100% MC. After the bathtub has been stripped and resurfaced how long is the danger from the Methylene chloride still in the air? Leave the room immediately after applying the methylene chloride-based stripping agent to limit exposure to methylene chloride vapors. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers. We have had a terrible experience. I have asked for the list of chemicals they use but have not heard anything. ive found a majority of the time the diy kits people use never adhere well. Bathtub refinishing fumes are most certainly dangerous during the application process and immediate curing process. Bathtub refinishing fumes are dangerous and you do not want yourself or anyone in the home breathing them. 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. Thank for sharing about bathtub refinishing. The paint in the bath tub is pealing off after one use. But if we get together as a group of experienced bathtub refinishers I am positive that we can come up with a simple solution that will keep us safe. Did you know that the fumes from the chemical used to refinish or reglaze your bathtub can be hazardous to your health? Last night I went to bed with a headache, then vomited on and off throughout the night. When the door is closed for a while it gets very strong and when its open one can hardly smell it but that does not mean it is not there. Great amazing blog post I really love such lovely blog posts. And if we can afford it, let the pros do their jobs. We are in a rental and I had to stop allowing my daughter to take baths because its everywhere. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. 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. The process commonly involves removing the bathtub's existing finish before applying a new coating, usually a synthetic finish such as polyurethane or epoxy. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Theres no such thing as excessive safety precaution. Proper ventilation and a proper fitting organic vapor respirator are an absolute requirement for DIY bathtub refinishing. As a research agency, we do not have regulatory authority over the labeling or regulating on how methylene chloride is sold. 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. Thank you. Ive asked for a materials data sheet and nothing. Thanks. If you just bought a Mercedes, would you put a rubber mat on the roof? White asks. For example, if you have a beautiful clawfoot tub made from heavy cast iron, refinishing is absolutely the way to go. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products. This may be an ignorant comment, so please accept my apology preemptively if so. A fresh air system is critical. I own a home built in 1940 and have been considering getting my cast iron bathtub refinished. 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. 21 people who I worked with at that time have all died,one very recently with cancer. discovered that the fumes were coming through the vent in her bathroom. There is a lot of toxicological information available on the Internet which can be found by joining the term MSDS with as specific a description of the product about which you are interested in knowing. How to get your plans past the board, 3 NYC apartment bathroom renovation veterans on what they learned from the process, How to read a NYC co-op or condo buildings financial statement. Thanks! I opened my windows, all four. Thats perhaps the number one reason trying to DIY it is not advisable (kits are available, but just leave it to the professionals). These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. The concentration of the exposure is important too. Thanks so much for the info! Their cost is at least twice as expensive as Miracle Method refinishing and can take up to 3 to 4 weeks from ordering to installation. Your local health department may be able to provide assistance. 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. We use MC (methylene chloride) in my furniture shop. You may want to ask the installer for the products safety data sheet which may have useful information on curing times and precautions. Wow this is kinda hard to believe that even a thing such as messing with a bathtub can be so dangerous. I started reading articles and ended up reading most of the comments in this blog. IT IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.I LIKE YOUR POST BECAUSE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME AS WELL. When the project is complete, you can take a relaxing soak in your new tub, knowing it was refinished correctly and safely. Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. I believe in situations like these, two or more workers would be present in the bathroom, when proper ventilation is impossible. Methylene chloride cannot be smelled until the level in the air is higher than OSHAs permissible exposure limits (PELs). I had to keep the windows shut with the air on all night. This post was helpful to me too. Based on this information, I think I can live with a less-than-perfect finish until we are able to get the tub professionally refinished.
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