Question from Leslie
Hi Debra – am loving your new site! We are having a small crack in our fiberglass shower module repaired. The tech said they do not use acid etching but rather, their own method (miraclemethod.com). He said the only ‘danger’ is when they use a very small hand-held fan to spray the small crack; an isotope is released into the room but dissipates in 15 min. and is only harmful to people with severe respiratory problems. My question is: we do have an exhaust fan (but wonder if that’ll spread the toxins into the rest of the house) and a window we’ll leave open. But we have a clothes closet in the bathroom, next to the shower (closet has own door). Do you think a piece of plastic taped over the closet door will prevent the fumes from getting into my clothes? Or do I need to empty out the entire closet? Thanks!
Debra’s Answer
Tape doesn’t always block fumes.
Think of a material as a space with a lot of molecules in it. Depending on the material, the molecules are different sizes and there are different amount of spaces between them. Then you have a chemical molecule that comes along and it’s a size. If there is enough space between the molecules it can get through. If there’s not enough space, it won’t.
The only barrier I know of that blocks EVERYTHING is foil. So the best advice I can give is to put foil over the space around the closet door. Now you’ll need to use a tape that is easily removable, like blue painter’s tape. I would normally recommend using foil tape, but you can’t remove it.
Get a sample of Denny Foil or whichever foil backed product you will use. Some are made with foil on both sides and the paper sandwiched in the middle. Test the aluminum tape also as the adhesive on some of them is pretty noxious. EI Foust carries Shur aluminum tape which is less toxic than many foil tapes and also has Denny Foil. A google search will bring up other additional sources.
If the foil product or tape is exposed to heat &/or moisture the product will have more of an odor. Foil tape can be cut or narrow so there is less exposure.
Hi Debra
Thanks so much for all the help you give.
I am considering a project using the foil-backed building paper. I wonder if you know if I should worry about the glue between the foil and the paper? could you tell me which ones you have used?
Thanks a lot
Arlene
I’ve used Denny Foil. The idea is to put the foil side up so it blocks anything behind it, including any glue. But I haven’t noticed a problem with glue odors myself.
Thanks very much, Debra (is there anything you don’t know 🙂
Is it a special foil you’re talking about – or just the aluminum foil from the grocery store?
I did call AFM Safecoat, and they have a multi-purpose calk that they said would do a good job, since it’s such a small crack in the wall of shower, not the floor.
No, I know everything 🙂
You can use any aluminum foil from the supermarket or foil-backed building paper, which is more sturdy and doesn’t rip.