We are sorry to hear about your health issues. How much should you renovate your NYC apartment before selling it? During the entire refinishing process, the room should be adequately ventilated to protect workers. As a research agency, we do not have regulatory authority over the labeling or regulating on how methylene chloride is sold. Together we can make the nightmare of stripping bathtubs a thing of the past! Many post pictures but up close you cant see the brush strokes they leave behind. From now we must be aware if wanna to do that. It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. 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. 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. Even with treatment, lead poisoning can permanently affect a childs development. These chemicals are no joke and need to be taken seriously. I am sleeping in the living room under many blankets with the balcony door wide openis it safe? 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. 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. Thank for speaking about about tub refinishing. Animal studies have shown that exposure to methylene chloride may lead to liver and lung cancer, as well as tumors in the breast and salivary glands. There are a few scratches and black marks from a previously installed shower door that was installed on the tub. We sure take a lot things for granted. So, it presents no long-term hazard to the resident. (273) Questions & Answers (148) +3. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. Our apartment building had the next apt tub realized these morons did this in winter and there was no windows open. But two days later it still bothers me. 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. Methylene chlorides boiling point is just over 100 F, and has a vapor pressure of 350 mmHg. We always use full-face air-supplied masks and full protective gloves in order to get the job done correctly AND safely. 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 . This is great information to share to hopefully make us more aware and careful. I had my bathroom resurfaced including the bathtub 4 weeks ago. Use a qualified occupational safety and health specialist to assist in the design and installation of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) to effectively control vapors to below applicable PELs. 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. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers. If I do decide to hire a professional, I will make sure they have the ventilation equipment described here. Effective ventilation would have to be ensured in order to shield the worker from toxic fumes of the process. My husband and I have been thinking about getting our master bathtub refinished so we will have to keep this information in mind. She enjoyed improving discarded furniture, then selling it it was like art to her. Bare minimum, the ventilation should meet some requirements, and homeowners should HAVE to LEAVE THE HOUSE for 3 days. If the vapor smell continues and is persistent you should call a safety and health professional to evaluate the area. They took all precautions and said the fumes were gone, its only a smell. 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. White uses a portable fume exhauster, and HVLP, or high-volume, low-pressure sprayers, which produce less overspray. Simply not worth the risk. When there is not a properly designed local exhaust ventilation system to remove vapors, the workers should have used full-face supplied-air respirators, protective gloves, and other appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) that is resistant to methylene chloride during the entire refinishing process. We need to know what all are used while doing refinishing. Bathtub refinishing is a necessary maintenance step if you wish to improve the appearance and structural integrity of your tub. 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)). 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. Look for an alternative to do the bathtub refinishing. Or should I leave? It was a small job, and I messed up with the paint brush I used, leaving lines in the finished product. Perhaps this us not the case. That is pretty serious stuff. The prep is the most important part of the job, says White. Refinishing a bathtub is a fraction of the cost to replace your bathtub (around $2,900), so if youre at all hesitant about your DIY skills, hiring a pro is a somewhat small price to pay for your health and safety. See the NIOSH topic page dedicated to occupational safety and health hazards associated with Isocyanates (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/default.html). 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. The maintenance man telephoned 911 and then a second maintenance man. It's also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. Workers often spray or pour a bathtub stripping product into the basin of the bathtub and then brush the product onto the tub surface. We pride ourselves on the work we do and strive to provide the best quality service in the refinishing and resurfacing industry. Does anyone know what would cause the reglazing to peel and chip from the tub? I just rented a house. Making safety precautions is the priority for all kinds of work. 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 had my bathtub refinished yesterday and the door to the bathroom had remained closed while the worker was doing the job. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. thank you so much. Avoid or minimize spraying methylene chloride. However, it's not necessary if the bathroom is properly ventilated. Your new bathroom's finish won't have any . I started reading articles and ended up reading most of the comments in this blog. Most tubs can be reglazed if they are not overly damaged, but the process is generally recommended for steel, cast iron, or fiberglass tubs. Those DIY kits are not cutting it. Thank you for your comment. Leave the room immediately after applying the methylene chloride-based stripping agent to limit exposure to methylene chloride vapors. Because this process, which involves spraying a new topcoat on your existing tub and/or tile, is significantly cheaper, easier, cleaner, and less time-consuming than actually replacing a tub. I stripped the two sinks using a chisel and a heat gun. I dont know of incidents that may have occurred, buy you can never be too careful with peoples lives. Proper ventilation and a proper fitting organic vapor respirator are an absolute requirement for DIY bathtub refinishing. Thank you for the great information. This post was helpful to me too. Very helpful and will definitely be one of the things to look out for on my rehabs.. Great article. It was heart breaking. And Bathtub Aliphatic Acrylic Urethane MSDS. Follow the links to the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) that the search will find. All the tips in the post are great. The standard also sets a 12.5 ppm action level (AL) which triggers periodic monitoring and medical surveillance provisions. According to OSHA, you must also provide local exhaust ventilation and make-up air to replace the vapors removed by the exhaust. So we need extra care. In our blog we state that methylene chloride cannot be smelled until the level in the air is higher than OSHAs permissible exposure limits (PELs). I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects of such dangerous products. If methylene chloride was used to strip the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing (the focus of our blog), it is a volatile liquid and would have fully evaporated shortly after the project was completed. What a great reminder to always plan for and wear personal protective equipment. There are alternatives to using methylene chloride (MC) for bathtub stripping. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. /box. It smelled awful for days. I sure wish homeowners not use those diy Kits. Thorough prep and and cleaning can preventbig headaches down the road. Is there some disconnect between science, policy and legal enforcement? I am ok with both tub and tile appearance until I can afford a replacement/bath remodel. Quite naive of me. They agreed to resurface it for me as they would not replace it. Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. These instruments are non-specific and will measure other VOCs present in the area in addition to methylene chloride. Thank you for introducing this sensitive topic in such a way I never thought these chemicals were so dangerous. Keep posting at all like me gonna turned up at write out paper everyday! But I keep on hitting dead ends. He wore proper equipment, however ventilation was not adequate. The toxins became so concentrated in a short period of time due to lack if ventilation and confined space. As exposure increases so do the health effects, with a potential for suffocation, loss of consciousness, coma, and sudden death. Some healthcare providers specialize in assessing environmental exposures (see http://www.aoec.org/index.htm). I wish they warned me and Id have had means to stay out of house for a few days. There is still a strong smell in my bathroom espicially when it is hot and humid. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. It hurt to know, the four of us where in a room together for what will be the very last time. Her writing on New York City, parenting, events, and culture has also appeared in Parents, Red Tricycle, BizBash, and Time Out New York. Thank you. We have had a terrible experience. Keep in mind that alternative products and other stripping agents may pose additional risks. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products. Specifically, typical mobile LEV units have a fan, flexible ductwork, and a hood near the tub that exhausts hazardous vapors to the outdoors. I didnt realize this was so deadly. Thanks to those whoever posted this article. In order to assess whether you may be experiencing health effects due to a toxic exposure, seek a medical evaluation from a healthcare provider. 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. Very good to know, Ill let the pros do it from now on, and let my readers know the same! Seek medical attention for treatment and evaluation. NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Very interesting. NIOSH has not evaluated isocyanates exposure among bathtub refinishers but products containing isocyanates should also be handled with care. The Perfect Drying Conditions You should let the tub surface to cure for 24 to 48 hours. My concern is whether it is safe to take long soaks in this tub. 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. sprayed with materials that emit fumes which may be hazardous to the tenant's health if inhaled in the working concentration within the first 4-6 hours after completion of the job. My little dog had trouble breathing during the night and I had to go to urgent care for a chest xray. As my two other friends and I stood there over our lost brother, we could not help but cry, tell stories of our past together, and wish that he could hear us one last time. The apt right next to me was just resurfaced and the chemicals came through the air vents. 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. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. Hi, so I had my bathtub reglazed in March. We slept inside the apartment after the workers did the bathtub glazing, should we go to the clinic to make sure we are fine? I just bought this old house that has this beautiful tub if only it can get restored back to new. Resurfacing is when we paint the counters, cabinets or tubs. Avoid use of methylene chloride or minimize the amount of methylene chloride used at each site. More needs to be done to protect the workers!. Good to see so much effort going into bringing awareness to bathtub refinishing in Waltham. 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. loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. Hi I have very sensitive skin, and covered in psoriasis and eczema. You may want to ask the installer for the products safety data sheet which may have useful information on curing times and precautions. Products with these types of known harmful ingredients must require special labeling with clearer health and safety warnings for users. Mimi OConnor has written about New York City real estate for publications that include Brick Underground, Refinery29, and Thrillist. He also had a small fan in the bathroom window to remove the fumes, as well as towels on the floor to prevent odors from coming into the living area. But it's not just about looks. 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. Its highly toxic Teri. Real time instruments such as Photoionization detectors (PIDs) can be used to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Read more about our comment policy . I could not believe how hard it was to even find a kit to purchase, which led me to wonder why. I have 2 small kids and an infant. The use of methylene chloride can be reduced significantly by professionals. We are in a rental and I had to stop allowing my daughter to take baths because its everywhere. So, once workers can smell methylene chloride they are already being overexposed. 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. Thanks for your comment. I worked at [Company name removed] for 14years. My puppy also is constantly licking the floor.