Home remodeling with hermit tanks?

[Guest]

Hi All,

I need your input.

Hubby & I are thinking about doing a remodel on our kitchen/familyroom area. It will be an extensive remodel including new cabinets in the kitchen & downstairs bath, a new granite counter top, new ceramic tile throughout, re-do of our fireplace, and replacement of the downstairs bath componants.

My concern, is what to do with the hermits during the 2-week period that the work will take place. I can move them to the livingroom/diningroom area, but I am worried about dust & chemical odors, especially during the drilling-up & replacement of the tile floor.

I have thought to basically "tarp" the tanks & try to keep as much of the dust/dirt/odors out of the tanks as possible. But that would mean them going without heat or light for a few days. As it is summer in Florida, their tank temps would probably not drop below 76-77 degrees, and I don't think that those temps would be deadly for straws, either.

If I only had one tank, or a few small tanks, the whole thing would not be an issue, as I could move them to a friend's house during the remodel period. But I have 5 tanks, including a 75G. Plus, I have over 100 hermits.

So, I need your help and/or ideas about safely getting my guys through this remodel.

P.S. ~ Wickie, Herm-Ez, Catmint, and a few others.......FORGET ABOUT IT! I will not agree to sending my hermies to Chicago, North Carolina, Canada, or Georgia!!!

[Guest]

I'm also dong some remodeling, on a small scale tho. I only have two tanks a 50g reptile and a 20L I have moved them to the opposite side on the house into the enclosed porch I have. As for light there are a lot of windows and as it is in the low to mid 90's every day, they are doing quite well. When we are painting I use fans to direct the flow of fumes out the windows in to room we're working in. So far there have been no problems.

[Guest]

Um... what about Ohio?

[Guest]

P.S. ~ Wickie, Herm-Ez, Catmint, and a few others.......FORGET ABOUT IT! I will not agree to sending my hermies to Chicago, North Carolina, Canada, or Georgia!!!

*Waves arms about wildly*
I can help take.... Oh... wait.. I guess that means Virginia's out too.... *sigh*

[Guest]

P.S. ~ Wickie, Herm-Ez, Catmint, and a few others.......FORGET ABOUT IT! I will not agree to sending my hermies to Chicago, North Carolina, Canada, or Georgia!!!

You know Kathy, I thought we were friends. That REALLY hurt my feelings that you think I would do that.

Now let's see, you'll need a place to put your new kitten during the remodel, so I've checked my calendar and I can be down there on Saturday to pick him up....

In all seriousness, where are they located? Is there any way possible to move them to another floor of the house? I know the 75 would be impossible to move, so could you move the crabs in the 75 into another tank temporarily, just as if you're doing a deep clean? You can even use the opportunity to deep clean the 75 while you're at it.

Even if it means finding some spare 10's or 20's on freecycle or cheaply on CL, it may set your mind at ease to have them in a "safe room" away from all the dust. Like you said, the temp during the summer is good so you don't have to worry about purchasing UTH's, etc. And you can use just sand for substrate 'cos it's cheap and easy *thinking in deep-clean mode here*.

I don't know. Hopefully someone else will have better suggestions. And don't forget to update us on the progress of the remodel! That's the one room in the house we didn't do much to after we bought our current house, even though it needs it, and it's the one room that makes me want to sell after only being here a year-and-a-half. I want a fancy-dancy new kitchen too!!!

[HERMEZ]

Personally sending them to us is the SAFEST!!! solution- after all you want the VERY best for them right?

Honestly the tarps only work so well. What about bedrooms where they would be farther away?

[Guest]

And don't forget to update us on the progress of the remodel! That's the one room in the house we didn't do much to after we bought our current house, even though it needs it, and it's the one room that makes me want to sell after only being here a year-and-a-half. I want a fancy-dancy new kitchen too!!!

I can't WAIT to own a house so I can remodel the kitchen! The kitchen is the top of my redecorate list!

(Although, personally, I want the Good Eats kitchen... it's HUGE and has tons of work space and storage. I'm hopeing I can learn some lessons from the show and Alton Brown's home kitchen (I know where to find it on-line), so I can create my own awesome kitchen.)

[Guest]

I love Good Eats!

[Guest]

Um... what about Ohio?

Behave yourself, Missy!!!

And you, too, acwmaiden

And HermChickie & Catmint......save it, sistas'!!!

Seriously, our house is a veyr tall two stories. I have no idea how I could possibly move those large tanks upstairs. As with most Florida homes, there are very few walls, and we only have one divider wall on the whole bottom floor, which divides the livingroom/diningroom from the kitchen/familyroom area. The tile guys have agreed to visquene across the area where they are jack-hammering up the old tile, but that white chalky stuff will still filter through the rest of the house, I have no doubt.

I thought that if I move the tanks to the livingroom, and completely wrap them with garbage bags, and then tape them, maybe that would work. I think that there would be enough air in there to survive the day that the tile comes up, and the cabinets get ripped out. That is the day that will be the messiest. Then I think we may have a day or two break before they come in with the new cabinets. The next day, the flooring should be layed. I dunno.....I am looking forward to how beautiful everything will look AFTER the remodel, but I am sincerely dreading the week or two DURING it!

[burnin4Christ]

does that mean VA is out too? Because I would just LOVE to take care of your crabs!

[Guest]

I thought that if I move the tanks to the livingroom, and completely wrap them with garbage bags, and then tape them, maybe that would work. I think that there would be enough air in there to survive the day that the tile comes up, and the cabinets get ripped out. That is the day that will be the messiest. Then I think we may have a day or two break before they come in with the new cabinets. The next day, the flooring should be layed.

Maybe that would work, if it's only for a day or so. I guess you really have no choice. As long as demo only takes one day. Laying the tile, although messy for the workers, shouldn't be a big deal for the air quality of the crabs, and neither is installing the cabinets, although there will be some drilling that will generate a little sawdust. Make sure you find out if there is some sort of sanding process that needs to be done on the granite countertops. I know there are some solid surfaces that need to be sanded or something at the seams to make them invisible. That might put more crap in the air, so make sure if they have to do it you'll know when it's going to happen.

[Guest]

And burnin4christ, I called first dibs on VA

As double protection, could you tape up those big sheets of plastic that hang from the ceiling? And also, cover any and all air vents in the room producing the dust.

When my parents added their addition, they connected the new heating system to the old one. When they cut through the old basement wall to join the systems, my dad remembered to plug the main vent feed. However, he forgot to plug the mini-line that led directly to my room. Luckily, I was no longer living at my parents, but everything was covered with a VERY thick layer of concrete dust.

So remember to plug the air vents

[dbolack]

P.S. ~ Wickie, Herm-Ez, Catmint, and a few others.......FORGET ABOUT IT! I will not agree to sending my hermies to Chicago, North Carolina, Canada, or Georgia!!!

YAY! My state's not on the list!

[Guest]

lol WELL since Canada is on the list I guess I'll give some other suggestions :roll:

What about pitching a little tarp tent over the tanks? They should be fairly well sealed to keep in humidity anyways, so I'd think that if you could keep the dust off them during the demo time and any sanding they you should be cool. If you make a little tent for them that way you might be able to keep them plugged in. If you can put them right close to eachother on the same wall near a corner you could tape the tarp to the wall above and on the corner then tape at the wall and hang a sheet at the front. Construction dust is generally pretty heavy so it won't stay way up in the air for long hopefully.

Congrats on granite countertop *drools* I can't WAIT to have my own house so I can get a granite/marble top and a gas stove and indoor grill.