AC installer left large PVC cement spill on floor -- near water heater!!!

[coloradotrout]

The young man meant well.. but forget an 8" diameter spill of pvc cement on the floor. I observed most of the install, and after the spill he elected to "let dry" before cleaning.

I could not figure out why the smell was so strong. Finally it hit me, and I shutdown the AC and tried to pull most of it up. Then I really got worried when I validated my concerns about its flamability. I turned off the gas to my nearby (same enclosed room, less than 8 feet away) water heater.

I think the let dry approach was a bad idea. The vapors filled our house, and even after prying most of it up, some remain and presumably will be letting off vapors for a day or two.

Should I call the contractor and let them know? Seems to me the vapor and nearby water heater could have been a disaster. My wife and 3 young kids were inside most of this eve and night.

[Joe Bobst]

Of course you should, both for his benefit and that of the contractor's future customers. Since the installer was not aware of a potential hazard from solvent vapors and a nearby water heater, a polite reminder to perform all work to approved safety standards is in order. IMO, you'd be doing them a favor.

Joe

[JTM]

The fire danger was at the greatest immediately after the spill. By the time you became aware of it only the annoying and potentially toxic fumes would have been of concern. Accidents happen but electing to allow the spill to evaporate and to contaminate the house with the odor shows poor judgement. The mess should have been picked up immediately with towels and the room opened and ventilated to the outside with a fan. Meaning well doesn't let you off the hook from appropriate action.

By all means complain to the contractor and I would emphasize the hazard of being exposed needlessly for several days to the "harmful vapors".

From a typical pvc cement MSDS:

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure: Target organs are eye, skin, kidney, lung, liver, and central nervous system.

Chronic Health Effects:MSDS: Has caused CNS depression and liver damage in animals, and high concentrations have caused retardation of fetal development in rats. Chronic contact may lead to irritation and dermatitis. Chronic exposure to vapors of high concentration may cause dermatitis.

Regards,

John

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Well at least he came back to see the problem and if it was a $1,000.00 Rug He would have to fix or repair it. You can just chalk it up to Education and how to deal with the game as a whole. A good professional HVAC company will fix or repair any screw ups no matter what has to be done.

TURTLE

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

I'm a hvac installer and if there is some left to mark the floor. Call him to get the rest of it up and fix the floor to look like it was never there. All the trouble kind of comes with the territory but leaving your floor marked is not apart of norman. A good respectiable installer will understand this what you say about fix the floor to look like it was never there.

Now being a danger or smelling up your house. i feel it is a little over shooting to say it was going to blow your house up. The LEL or amount of vapor to catch fire is not there when you can just smell it. You have to get it stronger than just smell to burn.

You might owe him a cussing but not a ass kicking. Most any respectiable installer will make it right.

TURTLE

[coloradotrout]

I cleaned up most (popsicle stick) late the evening.. and opened windows and turned on attic fan (resorted to former AC). By am, most of oder was gone. By eve.. it was faint at best.

Wife did call and he came out. Noted there was nothing to clean. I could argue that a little more cleaning could be done.. like I said.. I used a popsicle stick. Dunno about you, but I'm not real good at prying off an adhesive with such a tool. Oh well.. it's inside the furnace room.. in a non visible area (unless you know where to look).