I am thankful to those who began to get the word out to the general public, you have certainly saved lives by doing so. I was weak though and shaking, felt faint and nauseated. Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and would fully evaporate shortly after a project is completed. Reglazing a tub doesnt actually take that long to do. 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. Who cares what a bathtub looks like as long as it works? Ask Sam: Will the U.S. Supreme Court end rent stabilization? It has one small rust stain and is still moderately shiny. Ill mention it to my readers on my real estate site. 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. Thank you. I wish I had read this blog before the procedure. I live in low income housing, a few years ago they said my tub need to be refinished. It was a cold day, so I went back inside. Some healthcare providers specialize in assessing environmental exposures (see http://www.aoec.org/index.htm). I think this type of finish should be banned. Lowering exposures, even below the permissible exposure limit (PEL), is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. Very good info. I did not use any safety precautions, but I was in the garage with a fan and the garage door opened. Capital region housing in edmonton is the worst. Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and will fully evaporate shortly after the project is completed. While NIOSH research and prevention efforts typically focus on workers, worker representatives and employers, the readers of this blog may be able to help us reach the do-it-yourself community who can face the same risks. My husband and I have been thinking about getting our master bathtub refinished so we will have to keep this information in mind. I have actually replaced a dead refinisher who has lossed his life stripping a bathtub. It is now 5:30 p.m., and the fumes in the apartment are too much to bear. 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 . Id thought of using a refinishing kit, but after reading this, I guess Ill just live with the chip. I had my tub reglazed recently. I will stress this to home owners wanting to get bathtub resurfacing done. Bathtub refinishing is being used more by hotels, apartment complexes and homeowners because of a housing downturn, a mortgage-meltdown, and overall depressed and depressing economy as a way to save money in their bathroom renovation. Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and would have fully evaporated shortly after the project was completed. What a Useful Post and great shared to Plumbing Service, Thanks author your Awesome tropic and Excellent Content. Also you should understand between difference between Refinishing (without removing the old layer first) and Reglazing (stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub) a Bathtub. Right now, I am surrounded by vacant apartments, and the new owner is reglazing all of the tubs. I have read many articles but this is different one. Is Bathtub Refinishing Safe? | Tub Reglazing Fumes & Safety - Angi (273) Questions & Answers (148) +3. You may want to contact Product Safety Australia http://www.productsafety.gov.au, who assists with consumer concerns like the one you posted. This may sound extreme, but I assure you, neglect to safety is not worth the life of a co worker, family member, or in my case a best friend. My little dog had trouble breathing during the night and I had to go to urgent care for a chest xray. If you've been considering a bathroom remodel, then replacing an older tub might just make sense. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Keep up the good work! It gives me hope to see that some commenters are specialists who are trying to recreate safer and more effective processes that will phase out use of this agent. However, we have no information about the risks that might arise to the resident from exposure to the flaking surface of the refinished tub. The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure such as you describe. Scratching the tub would not release any methylene chloride vapors. The Environmental Protection Agency provides general information and resources on indoor air quality in apartments, see https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-air-quality-apartments. Why? if we do we get evicted. Thanks for your comment. My heart goes out to those who lost friends and/or loved ones due to CM. Is there some disconnect between science, policy and legal enforcement? NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. If it is an occupied apartment, they have to sign a waiver that they will be gone the required amount of time. Acid is then applied to deglaze the tub and/or tile, followed by a bonding agent or primer, and finally, a urethane topcoat is applied. It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. I thought it would be a simple spray paint job. I just bought this old house that has this beautiful tub if only it can get restored back to new. I will always do the research beforehand going forward. However, during the refinishing process, it is not possible for us to guess what the airborne concentration of methylene chloride may be in your home without knowing how the workers will be using methylene chloride and how they plan to ventilate the work area and the house. AND DURING CLEANING. tl;dr: Accidentally fell in the bathtub so hard it left a hole. Thank you so much for this great article and hope that others now are aware of the safety measures that need to be followed. Tub Cast Ekopel 2K Bathtub Refinishing Kit - Made In The USA - Odorless It is amazing that I get over 100 hits per month on the article from homeowners who are fumed out during and after refinishing. My puppy also is constantly licking the floor. It is often referred to as dichloromethane and has many industrial uses, such as paint stripping, metal cleaning, and degreasing. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRY SO NO DANGEROUS FUMES? My best friend was killed two days ago due to over exposure while cleaning a bath tub. Understanding the Fumes Associated with Bathtub Refinishing Many post pictures but up close you cant see the brush strokes they leave behind. But the air looked pretty fume filled to me This is a nightmare for someone with my health issues! Do these products continue to leech into air/water once project is completed? The standard also sets a 12.5 ppm action level (AL) which triggers periodic monitoring and medical surveillance provisions. What's the difference between jumbo and conforming loans? If the job is not done right it starts to peel, he says. I have 15 years experience with bathtub refinishing and stripping. Some will work but they require 24 hours of wet saturation and even then they require a lot of hard work. OSHAs Methylene Chloride standard (29 CFR 1910.1052) requires employers to test the air to determine the concentration of methylene chloride present in the air when a product containing methylene chloride is used (29 CFR 1910.1052(d)). The company who gave me 6 year warranty has disconnected the phone number. Thank you for sharing this useful information. 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. How Long Does It Take the Tub to Dry After Reglazing? My business is in the UK, safety of workers is as important over here. If I do decide to hire a professional, I will make sure they have the ventilation equipment described here. NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. There are exposure limits, but they are not based solely on how long a worker may be exposed to the chemical. The past three days have been the hardest in my entire life. The nearby exterior door was open for ventilation and the overhead fan was blowing and although they had a pipe going from the bathroom down the hall and out the front door this was not sufficient. The restrictions on placing on the market and use is a consequence of many incidents with lethal outcome. The fumes from stripping a tub of its previous coating(s) can contain methylene chloride, a colorless liquid that smells similar to chloroform and emits VOCs, aka volatile organic compounds. The use of a respirator scrubber mask (gas mask) isnt complete protection. That is really great to know. The fumes were in her room not mine, i didnt know until i opened the door, we had put on the fan origionally for the smell, fumes came full blown after. In order to assess whether you may be experiencing health effects due to a toxic exposure, seek a medical evaluation from a healthcare provider. You must ventilate your workspace to minimize tub reglazing fumes. The only ventilation in the hours between the reglazing and now was provided by the slatted windows in the bathroom. I own a home built in 1940 and have been considering getting my cast iron bathtub refinished. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. How to effectively get rid of bathtub resurface smell in my apartment? IT IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.I LIKE YOUR POST BECAUSE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME AS WELL. Publication number 81-8c-2013. Even low income people dont deserve treatment like Ive seen and been through. Im not aware of any can anyone point me in the right direction please? Thank you. I have a chipped tub that is built in with tile walls. 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. I have been thinking about reglazing our kitchen countertop (tiles). Just wonderful post, personally i am very interested for this topic. So how and why are these places allowed to keep doing that tub refinishing if its so dangerous?? Keep posting at all like me gonna turned up at write out paper everyday! Its like trying to paint a car yourself. It is now peeling off. An apartment maintenance man entered the apartment to look for the man and found him behind the closed bathroom door, unresponsive, and slumped over the tub. Some refinishing products may last longer than others, as with professional-grade finishers and DIY kits. White uses a portable fume exhauster, and HVLP, or high-volume, low-pressure sprayers, which produce less overspray. I believe in situations like these, two or more workers would be present in the bathroom, when proper ventilation is impossible. NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. 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. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products. Other uses, such as use by professionals outside industrial installations or household use by individuals is forbidden. 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. (Airoldi'scontractor brought a fan and blew air out the bathroom window, and she was home during the job, but didn't find the smell intolerable.). Step 2: Clean the Tub Thoroughly Step 3: Protect Areas Around the Tub Step 4: Remove the Glaze Step 5: Sand the Surface Step 6: Prep the Surface for Glaze Application Just trying to speak up for low income and maybe other apartment dwellers too. Coatings suitable for bathtub reglazing include: You can use these materials on several surfaces, including acrylic, ceramic, porcelain, and fiberglass bathtubs. CDR Hall is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. As far as we are concerned, 2k urethane systems should not be allowed in residential use. Ventilate Your Work Area. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. In workers with heart disease, an increase in carbon monoxide may lead to early onset heart attacks and arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). But because were low income, we also do not get the luxury of telling management or housingno. /box. We have had a terrible experience. I regret it so much! I noticed the odor every time they went in or out of the room, and had the bedroom doors all closed. 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. It hurt to know that such a good person you loved and cared about so much is now gone. Then, remove any cover plates, drain plugs and bathtub spouts. Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. Our research focused on worker exposures from methylene chloride during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. I am thankful that I found this article before I made a final decision on whether or not to purchase a DIY kit for my tub interior. Ive also learned that without experience or training, what may be simple in concept is often the opposite in practice. So, it should not present a long-term hazard to the residents after the project. Refinishing a tub consists of applying a new chemical coating with a special brush or roller to an acrylic, porcelain, fiberglass, or cultured marble bathtub without removing the old layer first. Publication number 81-8b-2012, Successful bathtub stripping using sanding as an alternative to methylene chloride And Bathtub Aliphatic Acrylic Urethane MSDS. Follow the links to the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) that the search will find. Refinishing Porcelain & Fiberglass Bathtub Reglazing/Refinishing Service. I opened my windows, all four. 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. I like taking baths, but will not do so in this tub now knowing how unhealthy it actually is. Specifically, typical mobile LEV units have a fan, flexible ductwork, and a hood near the tub that exhausts hazardous vapors to the outdoors. UNTIL RE-GLAZED? He was found unconscious minutes later and was rushed to the emergency room, several neuro tests where done and they all concluded the same thing.. Kevin had been brain dead before he was found on the job. Heart attacks may occur even before any other symptoms of methylene chloride exposure occur. Tub and tile were original to the 1957 home and were actually not in bad shape. The fog was so thick and i could barely take a breath even with fans on. The fact of the matter is that using a professional that is trained and well-versed in the safety measures of bathtub refinishing; is critical, and can not only protect the owners of the property, but those performing the job! Thanks for your comment. I have been in hat business for 20 years. I guess this is one of those occupational hazard jobs when doing bathtub refinishing. This bathtub renovation option goes by many names resurfacing, recoating, refinishing or reglazing but has a pretty straightforward process. 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. Thanks for sharing, Im sure it will really come in handy. As a point of comparison, water boils at 212 F and has a room temperature vapor pressure of 17 mmHg. It can and will save your life. Here's how to do it, How buying real estate in NYC is unlike anywhere else, A guide to using a no-fee renovation loan from a NYC real estate firm, How to make your NYC renovation more pet-friendly, From Boerum Hill to Prospect Lefferts Gardens: After years of renting, we wanted to buy a condo with amenities, What to know about buying in Briarwood, Queens, where you may score a house with a driveway and garage. 9 Easy Steps to Refinish Your Bathtub | Lowe's My question is, am I in danger using the peeling bathtub??? Thank you so much! We are not familiar with the finishes you mention. Without a thorough investigation of the respirator, process used, and procedures it would be hard to identify the source of this adverse effect. 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. Located at [http://www.refinishersonline.com] and I helped in two the studies before this report was finalized. What are the effects of being in the house during the process (for our pets) and after the process (chemical wise around our kids). We do not have any information about leaching of polyurethane/acrylic bathtub finishing. Effective ventilation would have to be ensured in order to shield the worker from toxic fumes of the process. NIOSH analytical method 1001 is typically used to sample for methylene chloride in a workers breathing zone. I had to keep the windows shut with the air on all night. We are sorry to hear about your symptoms. This seems informative and makes a very nice image on the topic in my mind. Im also dealing with such kinds of things because Im a plumber by profession. If proper ventilation is not possible, there needs to be a supervisor on watch in the room, or at least directly outside the door, ready to open immediately if the worker inside does not verbally respond to continuous 30 second verbal safety checks. 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. I didnt know that the bathroom fans and windows wouldnt provide the right amount of ventilation. The paint in the bath tub is pealing off after one use. I dont think I had the right mask on. The fumes had traveled through the vent into her adjacent room. Hello Im Derrick I used this last night now this morning Im sick as a dog headache stomachache am throwing up I didnt use a mask. Is there any danger that the enamel could have absorbed the refinishing chemicals to be released into my bath water at this later date? His death could have been easily prevented if he had simply had a co worker outside the door to verbally check on him every 30 seconds. Its thick, full-seal coating restores tub surfaces to a "like new" bright gloss. So, once workers can smell methylene chloride they are already being overexposed. (before we had kids). When I smell the tiles I can not smell anything but with my nose close to the bathtub I can smell a sweetish sour chemical smell. Bathtub Refinishing matters should be left to professionals to complete. Products with these types of known harmful ingredients must require special labeling with clearer health and safety warnings for users. Perhaps this us not the case. The fumes are stronger fumes so we do not allow anyone to be in the apartment for 8 hours. Thanks for sharing such a helpful information. Absolutely agree with this article. It's a multi-step process that involves cleaning the tub thoroughly and sanding it to remove any soap scum or other particles, and repairing cracks or worn areasall of these imperfections will affect the quality and durability of the final finishing coat. Patrick. share Share. Like many cancer-causing agents, any level of exposure, even concentrations below applicable occupational exposure limits, may pose a residual cancer risk. I dont know of incidents that may have occurred, buy you can never be too careful with peoples lives. Always check product labels and safety data sheets to understand the recommended and required precautions. Or should I leave? Does anyone know if I should be worried? The Health and Safety Executive is our policing force that helps prevent the tragic consequences of injuries and even fatalities in the workplace. Mimi OConnor has written about New York City real estate for publications that include Brick Underground, Refinery29, and Thrillist. Thanks for your comment. However no one is to blame, and no one is at fault. I feel sure many, many more have died from methylene chloride than we know why is this so? Not sure if it can come through the walls. I have never thought of this before! Ive asked for a materials data sheet and nothing. He wore proper equipment, however ventilation was not adequate. I sure wish homeowners not use those diy Kits. 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. If you are concerned for your pets, it may be a good idea to remove them from the home during the stripping process. 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. The first one was a very long process because there was no air circulation what so ever si the two part paint kit kept separating from one another which kept me in the room with only my Tshirt pulled over my nose. Its either not portable or cost prohibitive. My landlord want to have our tub regalzed. Hi, this is all so helpful. 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. Today, my apartment filled with fumes, and I feel sick. Adults? Very helpful and will definitely be one of the things to look out for on my rehabs.. Great article. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. 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. 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. Those DIY kits are not cutting it. She and her contractor agreed to wait until the weather cooledto remedy the situation. Works on all types of surfaces. 22 oz. DIY Bathtub Refinish Kit with SlipGuard in White His go-to isScrubbing Bubbles. When methylene chloride enters the human body, it affects brain function, such as concentration. Everything You Need to Know About Bathtub Refinishing Thanks for telling us now. Being relatively poor most of my life Ive always been a do-it-yourselfer. Another interest in re-glazing is being fueled by informed masses who have shown a continued interest in "greening" their homes, particularly in making them more . We have for years been trying to come up with a Stripper that will remove Epoxy DIY kits that do not have the Methylene Chloride but time is an issue. The fumes were so strong that it gave me a headache and caused me to become nauseated. You can refinish a tub yourself if youre a true DIY-er, but the new finish can look painted or different than the original color or texture. Eyes, skin and residual in clothing adsorbption can also be significant and detrimental. However, it's not necessary if the bathroom is properly ventilated. 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.

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