How much joy an acrylic bathtub brings when it is just installed, especially if it replaces an old rusty steel bathtub. But the residents of the premises receive just as much disappointment when they see how the snow-white beauty has turned yellow in a short time, is translucent, or, even worse, has become swollen. What is scary here is not so much the presence of a symptom, but rather the ignorance of the causes and methods of elimination. Therefore, let’s look in more detail at why such metamorphoses can occur in a bathtub, how to avoid them, and how to keep the appearance of your tank snow-white and flawless for as long as possible.
Advantages of acrylic bathtubs
There is almost always an acrylic bathtub smell. In some cases, it is very weak and disappears without any effort on the part of the owners a few days after installation. Other consumers are less lucky - they feel not a weak and not very pleasant aroma, but a real stench. It can be so strong that it becomes simply impossible to use the bathroom. Neither detergents nor air fresheners help, and in the end, the desperate owner abandons the acrylic plumbing fixtures and replaces them with more expensive but reliable cast iron ones.
He refuses in vain. A high-quality acrylic bathtub should not stink, and it has very tangible advantages:
- ease;
- low thermal conductivity;
- good sound insulation;
- relatively low price.
Of course, light weight is important mainly for delivery and installation, so this plus can be ignored. But low thermal conductivity means that the water in an acrylic bathtub cools more slowly than in a cast iron one, so for lovers of hot baths, acrylic is a real godsend. It’s also nice that the stream of water hitting such a bathtub makes very little noise. But even the most positive qualities lose all meaning if the font cannot be used.
Acrylic bathtub smells - what to do?
So, the acrylic miracle was delivered and installed. Everything seems to be fine, but a couple of days pass and the miracle no longer seems so, because it begins to stink. A few more days - the smell from the acrylic bath intensifies. What should I do?
First, make sure that it is the bathtub or what was used to install it that smells unpleasant. This is quite easy to do. If the sewage system is faulty, the aroma will come from the toilet and from the sinks both in the bathroom and in the kitchen.
Once you determine that your brand new acrylic bathtub stinks, the first step is to stop trying to remove the odor using traditional means. They won't help you:
- air fresheners;
- detergents;
- aroma candles;
- sewer cleaning products.
All these products are capable of eliminating a faint odor for a while, but not for long. In addition, they will definitely not eliminate the causes of the stench.
Why does the stink occur?
Where does this unpleasant aroma come from, which can turn a person away from acrylic plumbing forever? It appears in only two cases:
- in case of violation of production technology:
- when using other materials instead of acrylic.
How are baths made?
Acrylic hot tubs are not all the same. According to the manufacturing method, they can be divided into two classes:
- from potable acrylic PMMA;
- made of two-layer extruded ABS + PMMA composite sheet.
Bathtubs made from these materials differ:
- by appearance;
- according to performance characteristics.
Acrylic drinking fonts
This material also has a scientific name - polymethyl methacrylate. Externally, it is a transparent polymer plastic. For example, organic glass is made from the same material.
Bathtubs of rather simple shapes are cast from PMMA. This is due to the qualities of the material. The polymer is heat-treated, but its amorphous properties are not sufficient to allow it to be made into anything exquisitely shaped, with carefully designed bumps and curves. In addition, this material has some properties that are not very convenient for the owner:
- he is fragile;
- does not withstand sudden heat;
- needs delicate care - does not tolerate abrasives and hard sponges.
Important! Bathtubs made of drinking acrylic are quite cheap, so buyers who do not particularly care about stylish design often choose them.
Hot tubs made of ABS + PMMA composite sheet
This material goes by the fancy name acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Baths made from it are somewhat more expensive, but they also have more positive properties, because extruded acrylic, which has good amorphous properties, is combined with thermoplastic resin. The resin has good shockproof properties.
Advantages of hot tubs made of composite material:
- strength;
- heat resistance;
- abrasion resistance;
- resistance to aggressive chemicals.
In addition, the material is quite plastic, so a variety of things can be made from it, including fancy-shaped bathtubs. It would seem that the material is perfection itself. But it is bathtubs made of composite sheets that most often emit an odor that justifiably worries new owners.
Production technology
To understand where the smell from an acrylic bathtub comes from, let's talk about how the bathtubs are made, because it is violations of technology that cause the stench.
An ideal font should not smell.
Acrylic drinking bowls
To make a high-quality bathtub, an acrylic plate is placed in a special thermoforming machine. It melts, after which it is pressed into the shape of the font using a vacuum unit. The process then goes like this:
- A reinforcing layer is applied to the outer side of the workpiece, which consists of a special resin - polymer or the familiar epoxy resin, to which fiberglass is added.
- The procedure is repeated several times, applying more and more reinforcing layers.
- The workpiece is placed in the oven.
- The layers are fused until the product becomes extremely hard.
Important! This technology is quite cheap, so for the most part manufacturers stick with it. That is, the buyer has a greater chance of buying a quality product that will not harm his health.
Composite sheet
The production of hot tubs made from composite sheets is somewhat different. A layer of molten extruded acrylic with increased viscosity is fused onto the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) layer. This makes it possible to cast a bath of any shape. Then the following happens:
- The bath, as in the previous case, is placed in a special machine where the material is melted.
- The composite sheet is shaped, also using a vacuum unit. But since the material has high amorphous properties, the shape can be any.
- Several reinforcing layers are applied.
- All layers are fused in the oven.
Important! To apply the reinforcing layer, polyester resin dissolved in styrene is used. Free styrene must disappear completely - this happens at a strictly defined temperature and within a given time.
Most vulnerable process
At what stage does technology break down? This usually happens at the final stage, that is, connecting the layers into a single whole. It is free styrene that produces the smell from an acrylic bathtub - a substance that is not only smelly, but in high concentrations is dangerous to health. Where does it come from?
The technology for manufacturing bathtubs from a composite sheet is quite expensive, so unscrupulous manufacturers try to shorten the process:
- If the bathtub (or any other product) is not kept in the oven for as long as needed, the styrene will not erode.
- Once you fill the font with warm water, the harmful binder begins to evaporate.
Important! In the European Union, the use of extruded acrylic is prohibited where objects in contact with the human body are made, but in China it is used very often to make cheap bathtubs, as in a number of other countries.
Two words about the properties of styrene
Styrene, also known as phenylethylene or vinylbenzene. It is a colorless liquid. In addition to the fact that it smells strong, styrene has the following properties:
- does not dissolve in water;
- perfectly soluble in organic solvents;
- itself excellently dissolves polymers;
- slightly toxic.
Important! The maximum permissible concentration in the air is 0.005 mg/cubic dm.
How to distinguish one font from another?
Is it possible to determine which bath will emit a foreign odor and which will not? You won’t be able to do this “by eye,” even if you buy the hot tub not online, but in a regular store. So what - you have to wait: will you be lucky or not?
Not certainly in that way. There are some measures you can take:
- Ask the seller for a certificate for the product.
- Please read it carefully.
- Don't forget to ask for a certificate for the material.
Unfortunately, such measures do not at all guarantee that the actual qualities of the bath will be the same as those described in the documents. The manufacturer is responsible for the contents of the certificates. This leads to a logical conclusion - you need to choose only products from companies that have long proven themselves in the plumbing equipment market. Usually these are European companies - English and German.
Important! Some bathtubs are made so poorly that the smell of styrene can be felt from them already in the store. If you are going to buy a bathtub, do not forget to smell it from the side of the reinforcing layer: the presence of a smell will tell you that it is better to look for another bathtub.
What does the sealant smell like?
Even if you were lucky and bought an acrylic bathtub that complies with European sanitary requirements, after installation you will still notice a slight, but perhaps not very pleasant aroma. There is no point in worrying yet: the sealant used to treat the joints smells, although not very strongly. When the substance hardens, the aroma will disappear.
Important! Sealants that are used for installing plumbing differ in many parameters, including the speed of hardening. So, if you don’t want an unusual scent filling your bathroom for too long, choose a fast-acting sealant.
Prevention of the problem
It is necessary to deal with the problem of unpleasant odor as soon as it appears, but it is best to use preventive measures to avoid such situations:
- install mesh on the drain holes, they will trap most of the debris and prevent clogging;
- periodically you need to rinse the drains with boiling water - this helps clean the pipes and promote the growth of bacteria;
- Once a quarter, flush the pipes with household chemicals - this will prevent the formation of blockages;
- Replace pipes that have reached the end of their service life in a timely manner - this will allow you to avoid leaks.
Once every 1-2 months, flush the drain with soda or household chemicals.
If a smell appears from the sewer, immediately find its cause and get rid of it using the methods described above. Eliminating this unpleasant problem will have a beneficial effect on your mental and physical health.
A clean bathroom will keep you comfortable.
Smell from an acrylic bathtub - how to eliminate it?
If the drain is in order, the sealant has dried, and you still don’t want to go into the bathroom, check to see if the font is really to blame. You need to press firmly but gently on the surface of the font. If you hear a crunch, it means that the bath was not kept in the oven enough and the reinforcing layer was not connected to the main one. You can try to fix the problem so that the smell from the acrylic bathtub no longer bothers you:
- Fill a full bathtub with very hot water.
- Let the water cool to room temperature.
- Repeat the procedure for one to two weeks.
Important! Hot water will allow the reinforcing layer to harden. If you are not very bothered by the smell, you can use the bathroom at this time. As the reinforcing layer dries, the smell should weaken. Accordingly, if after doing this procedure a couple of times, you feel changes for the better, continue the process.
Ineffective ventilation
A natural type of ventilation system may fail to work for many reasons. For example, she is often bothered by:
- debris falling into the mine;
- installation of doors that absolutely do not allow air to pass through;
- forced ventilation equipped with neighbors on the riser in multi-apartment buildings.
Most often, the problem of ineffective ventilation occurs in the summer, when warm air becomes an obstacle to the entry of cold masses. To at least partially correct the “hot situation,” the doors to the bathroom are not closed tightly.
A thorough inspection of the system involves removing the grille to inspect the ventilation shaft. A flashlight is used for this. If there is any obstacle near the hole (large debris, fragments of brick), then remove it with your hands (with gloves), a scoop or a hook. Additionally, the walls of the hole are cleaned with a brush, then with a vacuum cleaner tube without an attachment. The last steps are to clean the ventilation grille, reinstall it and check the draft again.
When there is draft, but there is a problem, air exchange is provided through the door to the bathroom. The most optimal result will be achieved by a decorative ventilation grill installed in its lower part. Another method is round holes decorated with special elements. A more complex option is a gap, which requires cutting the canvas. The last, most expensive solution is to install forced exhaust: installing a fan with a check valve or an axial model in the duct.
If the smell doesn't go away
It may also happen that when you pour hot water, the smell will intensify. This means that the problem is not in the reinforcing layer, but in the fact that the composite itself is of very low quality. In this case, it will not be possible to bring the bathtub to an acceptable condition on your own. Just the opposite - you can harm the health of your family members.
What to do? — Try to return the bath to the supplier. If you bought it in a regular salon, this will not be difficult to do. Problems may arise for those who purchased defective goods through an online store.
What should you do if you can’t exchange the hot tub for a new one, but you don’t have the money for another purchase? You will have to block styrene vapors. Not the best way, but the only one. When styrene is not active, it is harmless, but toxic fumes appear when it begins to react with the environment:
- when the temperature rises;
- with increasing humidity;
- when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Important! To block the penetration of styrene into the room, a layer of liquid acrylic plastic must be applied to the bathtub. This technology is called “glasscryl”. You can easily find the necessary components at your nearest hardware store. Many people are facing a similar problem now.
Harm to health
Many people don’t even think about the harm this can cause. Everyone knows that water and waste flow through sewer pipes. The common house pipeline is connected to the city system, which transports wastewater to processing stations - wastewater treatment plants.
When a blockage occurs and, as a result, fluid stagnation, harmful fumes of hydrogen sulfide and its derivatives begin to be released into the room: nitrogen, carboxylic acids, methane and much more. A long stay in a house with such unpleasant “guests” is fraught with severe headaches, hypoxia and even asphyxia. Young children and people with high blood pressure are especially sensitive to them.
Baths without styrene
On sale now you can already find bathtubs in the production of which styrene is not used at all. The assortment, however, is still small. They are supplied mainly by the Termolux company. Instead of resin with liquid glass diluted in it, polyurethane is used for the reinforcing layer - a substance neutral to the environment and absolutely harmless to the human body.
Important! If you see the Green armor mark on the certificate, this is exactly what you need, that is, a bathtub that has all the advantages of an acrylic bathtub, but is completely devoid of its disadvantages. There will definitely be no foreign smell from the acrylic bathtub after installing this model in your bathroom.
Construction of the drainage system
The components of the sewer system include:
- pipes of various diameters necessary to drain water from the bathroom;
- ventilation and sewage risers;
- pressure manifold;
- water drainage lines.
Not only the bathroom, but also the shower room is connected to the system in a private house. The lowest point of the system is the wastewater outlet. A ventilation valve is installed on the top. This point is located above all water intake nodes. The functions of the valve include sealing the system so as not to allow harmful gases and odors to enter the room.
All outlets of the system into the collector are connected to the lower point ending with the siphon. This includes a bathroom and shower. All pipes must slope towards the collector well. An ideal sewer system does not have sharp turns of 90 degrees, and there are no changes in height within one branch.
