# Bathing In Lead



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Read this ... http://astreglazing.com/bathtubleadexposure.aspx

Had my daughter check her tub with a leadcheck and it came up positive.

Consider checking your own.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

my guess is that in 5 years we'll know just how bad the lead infiltration in our lives has been since the 50's, the statute of limitations will be up for suing anyone involved by then.
Lead is the new asbestos.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Just to add to this.

My 4 year old grand daughter has been bathing in this tub. Daughter takes a tub bath too and she is 7 months pregnant. It wasn't only positive, it showed high concentrations on the surface.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Have the girls been tested?

Might be time to do so. Hopefully they will test NON-elevated.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

daArch said:


> Have the girls been tested?
> 
> Might be time to do so. Hopefully they will test NON-elevated.


Good idea.

I just went upstairs in my house (built in 1992) and check the steel tub. Didn't find any lead. Shot the tiles in the tub surround and shower upstairs with the XRF and found lead in them.

Going to go to several homes on Saturday and run my own test.


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

Is lead absorbed thru the skin? I'm guessing maybe some, but primarily it is ingestion from breathing dust, drinking water from old lead pipes and eating flakes of old paint etc. I believe technically some can be absorbed, but I don't think nearly at the rate of ingestion. Is the glaze/paint on the tub failing at all? It is amazing how many of things "we" thought were good ideas at the time, come back to bite us. Makes we wonder what we are doing now that we think is a good idea...........
On another note, I've been in the business since I was a teenager with my father and just last month went for some blood work and asked to have a lead level run. It came back showing no elevation. I realize that it only stays in the blood for a while and then settles in organs, etc. I just thought is was interesting. I figured I'd light up the board! In my father's day painters used to drink milk with lunch to counteract the effects.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Cliff,

You are right. Low amounts through the skin. Most is hand to mouth or bath toy to mouth.

Do you know what your blood level actually was?

I'm starting to learn that licking a dust speck at .5% content is different than licking a dust speck at 50% content in the paint


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Did you check your toilet?


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

Dean CRCNA said:


> Cliff,
> 
> You are right. Low amounts through the skin. Most is hand to mouth or bath toy to mouth.
> 
> ...


 Makes sense Dean. The range given on the lab report was 0-20 MCG/DL. That is the ok range for an adult. Mine came in at <2 after 35 years in the business. It does say that for children younger than 6 years of age that the levels should be below 5 ug/dl. I'm not sure I really understand the units of measure here, but nevertheless I was a little surprised it was on the very low side of the acceptable range.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

I'll opine (with no facts to back me up), that lead in bath water will pose minimal risks to be absorbed through the skin. I would not overly worry about an adult, but I would want to make sure about a youngster.

When we (me an my partner) got elevated from scraping and burning his was like 58 (whatever the nomeclature is) and I was like 54. Highly elevated, but not at the threshold requiring treatment.

Last test I got I was under 10, may even less.

Yes, the body does piss and poop it out, but the harm can be lasting.


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Tubs, huh? I would be concerned about skin absorption with a pregnant woman as well. As for other types of exposure, I(unfortunately) know that one day of being exposed to dust w/ lead will make blood/lead levels go from 0 to 38. Not the treatable range, thats over 80, but i felt it. Lethargic, muscle ache, headache. Lame.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I just checked my tub with Lead Check and it showed lead. With an 18 month old, how concerned do you think I should be? We were looking at redoing the tub/shower in the next year or so. This might bump it up the priority list!


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Dean,

I wonder how many here are experts in how well lead can dissolve in water and then be absorbed through the skin. I would be paranoid enough to seek out and consult experts.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I am not as worried about the skin absorbing the lead (may be some but I would guess minimal, hard to say). But with the youngest, all the splashing and throwing cups of water at his own face while playing would definitely lead to some ingestion.

I will have to try to figure out who to call.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Dean V,

With my grand daughter, I was very concerned at least to the point to where I took action.

The leadcheck is basically showing the lead is leaching into the water. I deal with a doctor at the CDC and she mentioned very little lead is absorb through the skin.

It is the water going into the mouth. Hand to mouth, bath toy to the mouth, splashes and etc.

After talking with the CDC doc, I let my daughter give my grand daughter a bath, but only while watching to make sure that no water was getting into her mouth.

We immediately had the tub resurfaced. In the future we may have it replaced, but for now, it was resurfaced. 

Good odds that any other tub may have the same problem


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Did you do a standard tub reglazing or a specialize "encapsulating" finish?


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

DeanV said:


> Did you do a standard tub reglazing or a specialize "encapsulating" finish?


All of the resurfacing of tubs (that I know about) are paints.

I found someone who followed this practice ...

1. Etched
2. lightly sanded.
3. good clean
4. primer
5. at least two coats

You yourself could probably do it. I found someone who would do it correctly and it cost me $165. Others would do it the same way, but they were charging $300. The only reason I went with the lower cost, is that he had experience ... right process + best price.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Just line it with the 6 mill plastic you use for RRP work


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Given that some of our tile is cracked, reglazing materials would run around $100, most epoxies are return to service in 2-3 days, etc. I think we are going demo the existing tub and tile and put in a 2 piece insert. A nice insert from HD runs $400 and as long as there are no plumbing complications, it looks like I can do that job myself. I think we will pick a weekend and just replace the whole thing.


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## charlottepainters (Feb 22, 2011)

Lead exposure is dangerous but i'm not so sure the govt isn't just making a big huge deal over lead for their own benefit. I always though lead dust and chips were the most damaging to exposure. how many parts were measured from the tub water???

With my grand daughter, I was very concerned at least to the point to where I took action.

The leadcheck is basically showing the lead is leaching into the water. I deal with a doctor at the CDC and she mentioned very little lead is absorb through the skin.

It is the water going into the mouth. Hand to mouth, bath toy to the mouth, splashes and etc.

After talking with the CDC doc, I let my daughter give my grand daughter a bath, but only while watching to make sure that no water was getting into her mouth.

We immediately had the tub resurfaced. In the future we may have it replaced, but for now, it was resurfaced. 

Good odds that any other tub may have the same problem[/QUOTE]


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

charlottepainters said:


> Lead exposure is dangerous but i'm not so sure the govt isn't just making a big huge deal over lead for their own benefit. I always though lead dust and chips were the most damaging to exposure. how many parts were measured from the tub water???


I did not take a sample of the water. So no lab to find ppm.

On another note, this past Tuesday, went over there and busted up one of the tubs (fixing up their bathroom). Took a dust measurement and found it to be 700% over the safe limit. Needless to say, I carefully cleaned. I also set-up containment before busting up the tub.


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