Ask Lafeber

Is mold resistant paint safe for birds?

Hi,
I just moved into a condo and my room is in the finished basement walkout. Sadly we discovered mold in my bedroom walk-in closet. On top of that, there was a pipe slowly leaking behind the drywall in the downstairs family room and into the carpet for maybe months. I plan to remove all the drywall, insulation, and carpeting, and replace the floor with no glue vinyl planking. Also will put a vent in my closet and closet door for air circulation. I’ve ordered a dehumidifier and air purifier. I will move Atticus, my cockatiel, out to a friend’s house while this is all going on.
After the mold expert guarantees with his scope that behind every nook and cranny, everything is ok inside the walls and on the concrete floor, and drywall is up and repaired, I’d like to paint with mold resistant paint everywhere. However, I don’t know if this is safe (after drying) for a bird’s respiratory system? I just want to make sure Atticus will be ok, I love him so much.

Hi Monika,

I’m sorry you have run into these issues with your new home. Of course the number one concern is to keep Atticus safe! I am glad that you have a friend that he can stay with. There is a lot of information these days about paints and toxicities – concerns about VOC’s and any chemicals in paints. It is hard to really know if there is any foundation to these concerns or if they are just the latest “toxin” that has been targeted by people on the internet who often have too much time on their hands. I have always recommended any paint that is approved for use in children’s rooms, nurseries or schools. Once the paint is completely dry and the fumes have gone away, the paint should be safe. I am not familiar with the paints that contain mold resistant additives, but again, once the fumes are gone, the paint should be safe. If you are still concerned, check with the manufacturer. I will say that mold is probably a much more valid concern than what might be released by paint once it has dried. I don’t want anything to happen to Atticus, so I feel like you are safe going with any USA approved paint, from a known manufacturer, and giving it ample time to dry and no longer have fumes.

Thanks for the update!

Brenda