Spraying for mold in an apartment? - Toxic and Dangerous?

[Featherbutt]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here, but I've been searching for a forum that might be able to help me out with a problem I've been having.

Sunday morning our hot water heater exploded in our apartment leaving the wall, carpet, and baseboards damaged. We contacted the apartment maintenance, and they came in suctioned all the water out of the carpet, and sprayed the floors with a product called Biokill. They told me it would not harm my parrots (even though I was freaking out over them spraying it, it had a strong smell.) It is supposed to prevent mold and mildew from growing in the carpet.

The head maintenance man returned today to inspect our wall, the inside of the closet where the heater is (it sits on wood, so they say they're going to put enzymes in there to kill any mold, he did tell me enzymes wouldn't harm my parrots), a bathroom fan where it seems like mold is already growing, and the ceiling where our upstairs neighbors let water drip into our ceiling. But for the places where enzymes can't be used (such as the wall, ceiling, fan, and baseboards) they have to "capsulize" (not sure what this means) and the MM thinks that this method will harm my parrots because it has a respiratory warning. He says that as long as we air the APT out for 30 minutes to an hour it should be OK, but I'm not sure. He did suggest locking them in our bedroom while they were working, but it's right next to where they will be spraying.

I'm completely lost on what to do. At this point I feel like I have four options.
1. Take them to a friend's house (worried about this because she has a cat, and the cat has peed on their couch, so it can smell strongly like cat urine)
2. Take them to a vet for the day (would be $15 a day per bird, this is NOT an avian vet.)
3. Take them to a hotel with me for the day/night.
4. Take them in the car with me until the APT airs out.

***It is winter where I am at, so I cannot put the birds outside***

I have to be completely safe about this, these are my babies, and I can't lose them to something that I could have prevented.

Should I tell them not to spray? Should I try to do something natural? Should I let them spray? Please help me!

Thanks so much guys! Looking forward to being a part of this forum!

Taylor, Blaze , Bastet , and Baku (who is a green cheek! Not a macaw! Haha!)

 

[noblemacaw]

I am not sure being a renter you can stop them from "maintaining" the apartment which means they want to spray that ishy stuff to stop more damage they are going to do it. All the methods you mentioned you will need to get the birds out of there until the product is dried and there is no odor. Even then I would worry but then I worry over respiratory a lot.

Make sure they do ALL the work the same day and not come back to "finish" what they missed. Have the birds stay somewhere else at least until the product is dry and apartment is aired out so you do not smell the chemicals. Personally moving the birds to another room is not good enough as chemicals will travel. Please for their lungs have the birds stay somewhere else for a day or two after the work is done.

In 2002 I moved into a brand new home and asked the builder to "air out" carpet and the padding. Of course this was not done and I kept my birds out of my house for two weeks until I felt it was aired out enough.

 

[Featherbutt]

I am not sure being a renter you can stop them from "maintaining" the apartment which means they want to spray that ishy stuff to stop more damage they are going to do it. All the methods you mentioned you will need to get the birds out of there until the product is dried and there is no odor. Even then I would worry but then I worry over respiratory a lot.

Make sure they do ALL the work the same day and not come back to "finish" what they missed. Have the birds stay somewhere else at least until the product is dry and apartment is aired out so you do not smell the chemicals. Personally moving the birds to another room is not good enough as chemicals will travel. Please for their lungs have the birds stay somewhere else for a day or two after the work is done.

In 2002 I moved into a brand new home and asked the builder to "air out" carpet and the padding. Of course this was not done and I kept my birds out of my house for two weeks until I felt it was aired out enough.

He reassured me that he is a complete animal lover, and he even came back to inform me that the product was potentially dangerous. He also told me the ONLY thing that actually kills mold is peroxide. Would I be able to do this myself naturally, safely, and get rid of any possible growth? I grew up in a no chemical home, and I would prefer to stay that way.

Thank you so much for helping!

 

[MarciaLove]

If I were you I would take him to your friends house I have had to do this before as I didnt feel a vet office would be the best place for my baby an I couldnt afford a hotel I of course was worried sick and called every morning and night to check on my bird!

 

[weco]

Well, looks like you're between the proverbial rock & the hard place, but on the good side, as pesticides go, Permethrin, the active ingredient in your Biokill, is relatively easy going.....

As to remediation of damaged sheetrock, removing water logged sheetrock, allowing the cavity to dry out, spray/paint/coat with an antimicrobial coating, allowing all to dry before closing back up, you should not have continuing problems.....

If by "encapsulation," they are referring to sealing the spaces/cavities with an expanding foam sealant, that is possible if the cavity had not been soaked, in which case that wall cavity would need to be opened, remediated/repaired & dried before all being closed back up.....

If you want to keep the birds in a bedroom while the work is being performed, remove each of the air intake/exhaust vents, take a plastic grocery bag, slip the vent in the bag then snap/screw the vent back into place. You can also turn the furnace off so that any potential mold spores are not drawn into the air system.....




Permethrin Facts (RED Fact Sheet) | Pesticides | US EPA