Great Post i appreciate this thanks for sharing this post . Thanks for sharing such a helpful article about bathtub refinishing. 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. I like taking baths, but will not do so in this tub now knowing how unhealthy it actually is. But two days later it still bothers me. 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 If you are concerned about the smells, you could seek help from your local health department. I think our tub would look so much nicer if we had it refinished. You may want to contact the Environmental Protection Agency or The Consumer Product Safety Commission. if we do we get evicted. Seek medical attention for treatment and evaluation. The maintenance man telephoned 911 and then a second maintenance man. An expert starts by sanding down the tub's. 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. It can and will save your life. 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 . Hover Image to Zoom. Sometimes workers are not educated, companies should invest in staff training to work with these materials. I am ok with both tub and tile appearance until I can afford a replacement/bath remodel. 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. Traditional Spray Paint Style Refinishing has certain inherent dangers that you should be aware of. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Even a tiny bit? Its staff and technicians from any and . The most dangerous part of the bathtub refinishing process is inhaling the fumes associated with the job. Stay safe! This situation creates dangerously high concentrations of methylene chloride and even replaces the breathable air. I am a first time user of the refinishing kit. The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure. Please let me know where to seek more information, particularly in the Australian climate? In February 2012, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to refinish a bathtub was found dead, slumped over a bathtub in an unventilated bathroom. 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. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. 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. 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. Thank you for sharing this useful information. 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. 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. Im 70 and have no place to go except my apartment. I feel sure many, many more have died from methylene chloride than we know why is this so? I had my bathtub refinished yesterday and the door to the bathroom had remained closed while the worker was doing the job. A great thanks to you to let us know about the fact. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. a great article! I think there should be more regulation on access to such chemicals and certainly there should be stringent training laws in place when it comes to using such chemicals. Thank you for your comment. I believe in situations like these, two or more workers would be present in the bathroom, when proper ventilation is impossible. Im not aware of any can anyone point me in the right direction please? Bathtub refinishing is very dangerous. It always falls on us, to make sure, inspections we pay for, cover areas of higher hazard. Wow! Thank you. i come back again this blog, any way i think 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. We do not tread lightly, so I think we are a good example to work off of in terms of durability., Of the overall aesthetic, particularly the walls, she says: If you look closely, it's a little weird as you see the indent of the grout lines, but it's all one texture. In order to assess whether you may be experiencing health effects due to a toxic exposure, seek a medical evaluation from a healthcare provider. Weve added a resource to try and educate those who are using these processes and offered a number of safer alternatives to using substances other than methylene chloride here: http://jwcpropertyservices.co.uk/bathtub-refinishing-dangers/. Winter renters lose leverage, questions for condo and co-op buyers, & more, The allure of tax abatements, a Chelsea affordable housing lottery, & more, Co-ops may have some 'splaining to do, renting a penthouse, & more. Technicians have been properly trained to do this type of work. I own a home built in 1940 and have been considering getting my cast iron bathtub refinished. *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. Just wonderful post, personally i am very interested for this topic. Thanks if you reply. Anyone who is curious to try alternatives to MC-based strippers are encouraged to read these small business success stories. Is there any type of detector on the market that will detect high levels of methlene chloride vapors? I figure if its being done, it must be safe, or why else would people do it? You can also use your favorite search engine and search using the following key words: Bathtub Porcelain Glaze MSDS You can review and change the way we collect information below. Its also useful to mention that there are different types of chemicals which use MC as an active ingredient. thanks Ron Hall for such a valuable information, its horrible, why its still available in the market, it should be banned from the market. Will these chemicals be leaching out of the surface, presenting a health concern from contact? 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? My concern is whether it is safe to take long soaks in this tub. Many stripping products (including those that may also be available to consumers) contain high percentages of methylene chloride. Your local health department may also be able to provide more assistance or information. I was doing some research on tub reglazing when I found this article. The health issues that you can face immediately and also in the future are not worth the risk. Brooklyn resident (and Brick Underground contributor) Donna Airoldirecently hadher tub reglazed, and she even scrubbed it before her contractor cleaned it. He did it 6 years ago when we moved in. Perfect for renters, apartment dwellers, and residential or commercial tubs, sinks, showers. Changing ones business practices and methods can certainly be a daunting task and a big decision, but in the case of methylene chloride and bathtubs it is an important, potentially lifesaving one. thank you so much. We were told when we did it that it only lasts about five years and I'm finding that to betrue, she says. Thanks for sharing such a helpful information. 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. It is amazing that I get over 100 hits per month on the article from homeowners who are fumed out during and after refinishing. I've set up fans to direct the fumes out the screen door and left the premises. You also want to keep shampoo bottles and other products off the surface, aswell as a mat with suction cups. I had my bathroom resurfaced including the bathtub 4 weeks ago. What a Useful Post and great shared to Plumbing Service, Thanks author your Awesome tropic and Excellent Content. Thanks for this information. Price changing out your bathtubs before ever considering a refinishing product that is known to be toxic! HomeAdvisors True Cost Guide puts the average cost to refinish a bathtub at about $450, while installing a new one runs about $3,000. I regret it so much! We slept inside the apartment after the workers did the bathtub glazing, should we go to the clinic to make sure we are fine? 22 oz. 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. If methylene chloride is used, ensure that the room is adequately ventilated during the entire refinishing process. I opted in for your Feed too. If they continue, you should consult your doctor. It is definitely a good idea to ventilate the area as much as possible to remove the residual vapors. Ive asked for a materials data sheet and nothing. Can you give me any help in researching to determine if the polyurethane/acrylic finishes leaches? Any other surfaces in the vicinity of the tub should be covered in protective paper and drop cloths, and you should wait a day or two to remove everything and use your bathroom and tub. Wearing a dust mask should not be confused with fitting a respirator with organic cartridges. When working with stripper or using solvents,acid,etcas well as applying your refinishing product.ALWAYS USE A FRESH-AIR SYSTEM..NOT MASKSmasks leak so they dont give the protection you need for long term exposure.I use a mask only when Im outside mixing or gathering my equipment when the job is finished and I should be using the fresh air system while I do that.Also cover your skinsome of these chemical will get into your body through your skin.Good LuckKeep yourself safe..DO YOUR RESEARCH. I remember my grandfather saying something about antifreeze having that safety precaution I believe. Thanks for sharing, Im sure it will really come in handy. Never stay where resurfacing is being done. 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. Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and would have fully evaporated shortly after the project was completed. Pros will have the correct gear, knowledge of how to ventilate the space and protect themselves, and familiarity with the various chemicals used so you dont need to worry about keeping yourself safe. Did you know that the fumes from the chemical used to refinish or reglaze your bathtub can be hazardous to your health? Dont do it if you have to stay in your home immediately after. My tub was removed from my home and refinished by a company here in Portland, OR. The process commonly involves removing the bathtub's existing finish before applying a new coating, usually a synthetic finish such as polyurethane or epoxy. 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 used this product recently on a tub used all the proper PPE and approved NIOSH mask and jump suit and I have tasted this awful taste in my mouth for a couple of days its been 2 weeks and I still kinda feel it in my chest. I could not believe how hard it was to even find a kit to purchase, which led me to wonder why. Its like trying to paint a car yourself. Ive read some incredible information in this article. What separates a good job from a not-so-good job is not so much how it looks, its the prep. NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Provided your surface was prepped correctly, you can expect your reglazed tub and/or tile to be good for about seven to 10 years, and the more you take care of it, the longer it will last. We are inconsolable. Hi, this is all so helpful. 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)). I hope many people will now be thinking at least thrice before making use of such chemicals. According to OSHA, you must also provide local exhaust ventilation and make-up air to replace the vapors removed by the exhaust. Please, if you know anyone who refinishes bathtubs, make sure they are VERY AWARE of the dangers and the different situations. So, it should not present a long-term hazard to the resident and pets after the project is completed. I just bought this old house that has this beautiful tub if only it can get restored back to new. Its generally a task best performed by professionals due to the hazardous chemicals involved. I think this type of finish should be banned. Im also dealing with such kinds of things because Im a plumber by profession. Its good to know that if you have your bathtub reglazed, you much have proper ventilation. What to know about adding skylights to your NYC brownstone or apartment, How to evaluate different types of NYC contractor bids when you're renovating, New Yorkers moving out of state save more money on housing than taxes, 5 houses for sale in Margaretville, NY, a small town in the Catskills, 5 houses for sale in Sagaponack, the most expensive zip code in NY. The odor and fumes were suffocating. She and her contractor agreed to wait until the weather cooledto remedy the situation. My tub didnt look.bad at all except for being dusty from disuse.maybe they cant tell the difference. Proper ventilation and a proper fitting organic vapor respirator are an absolute requirement for DIY bathtub refinishing. The fog was so thick and i could barely take a breath even with fans on. Very good to know, Ill let the pros do it from now on, and let my readers know the same. Hi, so I had my bathtub reglazed in March. 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. But because were low income, we also do not get the luxury of telling management or housingno. Need professional help with your project? Eyes, skin and residual in clothing adsorbption can also be significant and detrimental. NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. I certainly will be approaching this much differently. If I had of done a little research I guess I would of been more informed. CDR Hall is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. thank you. If your bathroom has a window, set a fan near it pointing outwards; this will help move air and dissipate the fumes. This may be an ignorant comment, so please accept my apology preemptively if so. 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. 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. No one deserves to go through this heartache of losing a friend, due to a situation that could have easily been avoided. The prep is the most important part of the job, says White. loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. Vanity of a tub isnt worth it. Bare minimum, the ventilation should meet some requirements, and homeowners should HAVE to LEAVE THE HOUSE for 3 days. Thankyou for letting people know this danger alert! Having your bathtub professionally refinished will cost around $460 (the national average), but you can expect to pay between $200 to $900 depending on the type of tub you have and the cost of labor in your location. Bathtub refinishing is also known as reglazing, or resurfacing. This seems informative and makes a very nice image on the topic in my mind. I cant tell you how many times Ive told others in the field that are doing this to make sure they have more ventilation and to remove or re-coat the tube out of the bathroom and to at least not to do it without the proper breathing apparatus. Bathtub refinishing is a necessary maintenance step if you wish to improve the appearance and structural integrity of your tub. I have read reglazing tub reviews where a few customers couldn't take the scent while others had no issue with the bathtub reglazing odor. Refinishing a bathtub is a less costly . NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. And if we can afford it, let the pros do their jobs. Bathroom fans or open windows do not provide adequate ventilation. Mostly problem is that it can broken. Most tubs can be reglazed if they are not overly damaged, but the process is generally recommended for steel, cast iron, or fiberglass tubs. I attempt to lead a very clean life and avoid many commercial products (body care products, cleaning products, sprays etc). My little dog had trouble breathing during the night and I had to go to urgent care for a chest xray. Alternative products and processes exist for bathtub refinishing. We understand the importance of protecting ourselves, the environment and most importantly our customers. This toxic chemical which is known to be carcinogenic is still used with no warnings of the dangers. This is a great article. You must ventilate your workspace to minimize tub reglazing fumes. These are classified as potential human carcinogens according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and protective gear should be worn when working with them. Why can strippers with this ingredient be sold to consumers in U.S. hardware stores that do _not_ sell the full-face air supplied respirators that should be worn while using it? 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. Hovering over a bathtub, unprotected, while stripping it would overtake anyone in a very short amount of time. Methylene chloride, a new chlorinated solvent, is usually a risky, without color liquid having a sweet-smelling smell. It has one small rust stain and is still moderately shiny. It is now peeling off. Right now, I am surrounded by vacant apartments, and the new owner is reglazing all of the tubs. My cat and I were both really sick afterwards and my cat has now passed on.no one told us to go anywhere else, my cat was unable to be transported anyway and so was I since Im handicapped. Simply not worth the risk. She refinished furniture in our garage. Products with these types of known harmful ingredients must require special labeling with clearer health and safety warnings for users. Successful bathtub stripping with benzyl alcohol as an alternative to methylene chloride-based paint strippers I didnt think too much about it. Please do not use a torch either The fumes will kill use. Methylene chloride exposure may cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, a feeling of intoxication, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products. Ive also learned that without experience or training, what may be simple in concept is often the opposite in practice. Is that legal? It's also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. These instruments are non-specific and will measure other VOCs present in the area in addition to methylene chloride. 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. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects of such dangerous products. When methylene chloride enters the human body, it affects brain function, such as concentration. Bathtub Refinishing matters should be left to professionals to complete. Open the bathroom door and as many . Methylene chloride, a chlorinated solvent, is a volatile, colorless liquid with a sweet-smelling odor. Whenever respirators are required to be worn, the employer must establish and implement a complete respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of OSHAs Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134), including proper selection, usage, training and medical surveillance (OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert: Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers, February 2013, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2013-110 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-110/ ). What that means is that at room temperature, methylene chloride will evaporate very rapidly, much more rapidly than water. I stripped the two sinks using a chisel and a heat gun. If bathroom smells awful two days after resurfacing is that just the coating or also the dangerous MC? The legal basis is Annex XVII of the REACH regulation. I regret it so much now and want the tub out of the house. 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. From now we must be aware if wanna to do that. Rents an apartment with ventilation that mixes with neighbors and brings odors from adjacent apartments, Was subjected to highly toxic fumes from maintenance being performed on a neighboring apartment Suffered from effects of those fumes, and nearly succumbing to them german apple cake recipe milk street, funny social norms to break in public, f350 for sale by owner,