Apartments and PTFE

[miajag]

I don't live in an apartment myself, but I've been curious about this for a while - to what degree should bird owners who live in apartments be worried about their neighbors using teflon or other non-stick cookware? Back when I was in school and living in an apartment I would often smell my neighbors' cooking, so I would assume it's possible for fumes from outside to get in. Are there any precautions one could take against this? I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of "unexplained" bird deaths in apartments (or condos, townhouses, etc.) were because of this.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

If a smell can travel, the fumes can travel. So there is presumably some risk. An exhaust fan put in the room where the bird is might help. My MIL had her amazon for many, many years in a small apartment in a very crowded area. He did ultimately die suddenly, but she was in failing health at the time and we suspected someone taking care of her might have done or used something they shouldn't have. I think she was there with him for 20 years or something like that.

[pchela]

Great! I'm in an apartment. Now I'm all worried and stuff!

[Michael]

If a smell can travel, the fumes can travel. So there is presumably some risk. An exhaust fan put in the room where the bird is might help.

No no. An exhaust fan would create a low pressure area and suck the fumes toward the bird. It's better to place an exhaust fan away from the bird to suck the bird air away rather than toward.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Assuming you are worried about fumes coming in the window you put an exhaust fan in the window so air flows to the bird room from the apartment, rather than in through the window. More buffer.

[Michael]

I doubt a window would be the culprit though. Once fumes get outside, they'd get diluted very quickly. I was thinking through halls and doorways would be the riskier place. The door opening would basically act as a venturi and suck the fumes right into an apartment under the right circumstances.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Maybe that's the difference between LA apartments and New York apartments! All the places I rented here were open-air designs with shared walls but no enclosed hallway. However, your next door neighbor's kitchen window might be just across the alley or courtyard from your bedroom.

I think the bottom line is use good sense in evaluating where bad stuff might come from, and if you use a fan, use it to push bad air away more or less.

[Michael]

Oh ok. Maybe we were just thinking of apartments in different ways. Point is, suck clean air in toward the bird and divert/blow bad air away from the bird. Be weary not only of drafts but also where your bird's air is coming from. This is a good topic though and people should keep it in mind.