Is that legal? Second tub went smoother because I had a window to open for air circulation. Its thick, full-seal coating restores tub surfaces to a "like new" bright gloss. Which brand names or compounds should consumers ask for? While bathtub refinishing is one I havent tried, I do know that in-home work with many types of cleaners, paints and strippers and adhesives is always going to be a concern due to poor air circulation indoors, and sometimes outdoors too. Publication number 81-8b-2012, Successful bathtub stripping using sanding as an alternative to methylene chloride What is an escalation clause and what are the risks? I regret it so much! My cat was crying and jumping on the door to get out. This is horrible People please do not use these DIY kits. Some healthcare providers specialize in assessing environmental exposures (see http://www.aoec.org/index.htm). Until the finishing dries, it is a good idea to leave the house. How do I know if this is toxic? 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. Our research focused on worker exposures from methylene chloride during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. We are sorry to hear about your symptoms. I have 15 years experience with bathtub refinishing and stripping. I had my cast iron tub reglazed on a very hot humid day. This article does a good job calling attention to the dangers of methylene chloride products and noting that many people dont know how dangerous it is. If your bathroom has a window, set a fan near it pointing outwards; this will help move air and dissipate the fumes. Like many cancer-causing agents, any level of exposure, even concentrations below applicable occupational exposure limits, may pose a residual cancer risk. A 2015 report by the Center for Public Integrity on U.S. deaths connected to methylene chloride noted that researchers have argued for 30 years that regulation of methylene chloride in the U.S. isnt strong enough to protect workers and that warnings on labels for consumers are insufficient. 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. Refinishing is also the best option with antique tubs that dont lend themselves to relining. A bathtub in our old home was reglazed a few weeks ago. It's also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. 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! Refinishing Porcelain & Fiberglass Bathtub Reglazing/Refinishing Service. 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. Not worth it. Thank you for your comment. Whether your tub is refinished or reglazed depends on whether or not the old coating was removed before putting a new layer of epoxy or another coating. I like taking baths, but will not do so in this tub now knowing how unhealthy it actually is. If the job is not done right it starts to peel, he says. As a point of comparison, water boils at 212 F and has a room temperature vapor pressure of 17 mmHg. All the tips in the post are great. Hello Or should I leave? 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. Then, remove any cover plates, drain plugs and bathtub spouts. Mostly problem is that it can broken. We need to care when the baths are refinished. They yellow like crazy, and they are solvent based, slow drying so they off gas, and they never hold up. Thanks for sharing such a helpful information. This may be less of a danger than with old lead-based paints, but something to be aware of. White uses a portable fume exhauster, and HVLP, or high-volume, low-pressure sprayers, which produce less overspray. I think they want things swept under the carpet. I did not realize how strong the chemical is, and now I am concerned about any (however microscopic) of this leeching into my bathwater and onto my skin. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I worked at [Company name removed] for 14years. I wonder if it healthy & ok to use the tub for baths after a certain period of tome (days?). 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. $ 89 00. We tried to open our window a bit. 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. A lot of times when a solvent stinks, you realize you need the right protective equipment and ventilation. I used this kit 6 weeks ago. Cristine. 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/ ). So, it presents no long-term hazard to the resident. Also I have asthma, and after the job was done today I cant stop wheezing. 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. At high enough levels, it can stop breathing. Price changing out your bathtubs before ever considering a refinishing product that is known to be toxic! Using methylene chloride products in a bathroom is extremely dangerous as bathrooms are often small, enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation. Its used to strip paint and varnish from furniture which will be refinished. Bathroom fans or open windows do not provide adequate ventilation. It hurt to know that such a good person you loved and cared about so much is now gone. There is also a short-term exposure limit (STEL) for which the average exposure cannot exceed 125 ppm over any 15-minute period. The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure. 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. She refinished furniture in our garage. Your blog has provided useful information for the work. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. However, products are more dangerous when they are sweet smelling, and as your article states your are already exposed once you smell it. However, it's not necessary if the bathroom is properly ventilated. Thanks for your comment. My Landlord is planning on re glazing our tub and we are leaving for the weekend. I use it in good ventilation and, if Im going to be doing much work, I use a respirator. Superior heavy duty Reglazing. Thanks for your comment. Thanks! What that means is that at room temperature, methylene chloride will evaporate very rapidly, much more rapidly than water. 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. good cotent, i like it. Although we cant say there is any particular hazard from these paint chips, it would be prudent to prevent your toddler from eating the paint chips or bathing the toddler in water with material that is degrading from the tub into the water. Should add the bathroom door was closed with towel under it but small window open for two days. The paint in the bath tub is pealing off after one use. Very helpful and will definitely be one of the things to look out for on my rehabs.. Great article. However, we have shared the findings of this work and made recommendations to manufacturers and with agencies that may have regulatory/legal authority, including those with oversight beyond the workplace. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or difficulty staying awake require immediate medical attention. Some will work but they require 24 hours of wet saturation and even then they require a lot of hard work. Methylene chloride exposure may cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, a feeling of intoxication, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. 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. Your local health department may be able to provide assistance. Its generally a task best performed by professionals due to the hazardous chemicals involved. Heart attacks may occur even before any other symptoms of methylene chloride exposure occur. 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. It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. I took a shower and a 3 inch or so came off. These instruments are non-specific and will measure other VOCs present in the area in addition to methylene chloride. Open the bathroom door and as many . 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. Lowering exposures, even below the permissible exposure limit (PEL), is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. She and her contractor agreed to wait until the weather cooledto remedy the situation. Many post pictures but up close you cant see the brush strokes they leave behind. Will these chemicals be leaching out of the surface, presenting a health concern from contact? AND DURING CLEANING. My best friend was killed two days ago due to over exposure while cleaning a bath tub. 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. It is often referred to as dichloromethane and has many industrial uses, such as paint stripping, metal cleaning, and degreasing. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. 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. NIOSH has continued to try to get the word out to workers and employers about the risks of working with methylene chloride. She said if its not life threatening then they wont do it. I went outside after he was finished. Hover Image to Zoom. Perfect for renters, apartment dwellers, and residential or commercial tubs, sinks, showers. NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. Thanks! If the vapor smell continues and is persistent you should call a safety and health professional to evaluate the area. The standard also sets a 12.5 ppm action level (AL) which triggers periodic monitoring and medical surveillance provisions. IT IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.I LIKE YOUR POST BECAUSE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME AS WELL. The most dangerous part of the bathtub refinishing process is inhaling the fumes associated with the job. A person directly outside the door and 30 seconds could have saved our best friends life. Brooklyn resident (and Brick Underground contributor) Donna Airoldirecently hadher tub reglazed, and she even scrubbed it before her contractor cleaned it. It was not adequately explained and we should have asked more questions. We're starting to see chipped areasThey're more in the tub than on the walls. 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