paige166•9d agoProlific Poster

Talked to a plumber about PVC glue fumes last week. Hit different.

Was helping my buddy with his master bath reno in Memphis. His plumber came by to check the vent stack. Saw us gluing ABS pipes without masks. He stopped and said 'you know that stuff can mess up your brain over time right?' I laughed it off at first. But then he told me about a guy he knew who did residential work for 20 years and ended up with memory issues. No hard proof but still. Made me think about all the times I got lightheaded and just shrugged it off. Now I'm looking at those big fan rentals for indoor work. Has anyone else had a doctor tell them to be careful with solvent fumes?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_taylor9d ago

Wait, is that really true about the cheap stuff having less binding agents? I mean, I always just grabbed whatever was cheapest at the store and figured glue was glue. But that actually makes a lot of sense thinking back on it. Idk, maybe it's just me but I used to think if it smelled strong that meant it was working better or something. Now I'm wondering if I've been making things worse for myself all these years. I've definitely had that headache that hangs around for days and just blamed it on the job site being dusty or whatever. Honestly this whole thread is making me rethink how I approach solvent fumes.

wilson.olivia9d ago

Did that plumber mention any specific brands or types of glue that are worse than others? I've been reading about the difference between all-purpose vs. the heavy duty stuff and it seems like some formulas can off-gas way longer even after they're dry. I remember getting a headache that lasted all weekend after a big job once but I just blamed it on being dehydrated. Did your buddy's plumber say anything about how long you gotta keep the windows open for after the pipes are sealed?

colescott9d ago

Yeah wow that headache thing you mentioned @wilson.olivia hits close to home. I had a buddy who glued up a whole bathroom vanity with some cheap hardware store PVC cement and three days later his wife was still complaining about the smell. He finally stuck a fan in the window and ran it for two straight days before it cleared out. The plumber he called later said the cheap stuff is basically just solvent with no real binding agents so it off-gasses like crazy. Supposedly the heavy duty Oatey brand stuff dries faster and the smell dissipates way quicker because it actually reacts with the pipe material instead of just sitting there evaporating. I always crack a window now even if it's freezing out. Not worth the headache.