Air purifier

[CaptMicha]

Does anyone use one because of their pets? What do you use? My room is approx. 18' x 18' but I would prefer something more powerful for a larger room because I have three fish tanks, hermit crabs and my birds in there.

An affordable one would be great! I don't think the Ionic Breeze ones are quite in my range.

[Elle]

A hepa filter works better and is actually safer than a ionic air filter. Birds owners have reported that an ionic air purifier has made their birds sick. As far as price range, it varies from one model and one brand to another.

[linda040899]

I had an ionic purifier and paid a small fortune for it! Didn't like it so it turned out to be a huge waste of money!

My replacement is a hepa filter and it works much better. I use it between the house and my aviary.

[CaptMicha]

Do hepas have disposable filters or do some have those blades that you can just wipe clean? I'd really prefer the wipe clean kind.

[BarbieH]

HEPAs need to be replaced. The wipe clean kind are the ionic ones, and they really aren't very effective.

We're going to have a new air filter installed on our new furnace and A/C this September! I'm actually excited about it. It's a pleated kind of filter that only needs to be changed once a year.

[Flapjack]

Yeppers! I posted this same question a couple of months ago. Someone (Linda?) has the same one I ended up getting. HEPA is the way to go.

[ittyandrita]

I have a really expensive hepa that i bought of craigslist for 75$. It even came with an extra replacement filter. I would check the local classifieds, sometimes people by them for short term projects (paining, home renovation, etc) and are willing to sell them at low cost. I know they can be expensive. I have an austin air one and it is so quiet you can barely even tell the thing is on. One of my birds developed a sinus problem, which went away as soon as i started filtering the air.

[Kirby]

What can an Ionic Air Purifier do to your birds?

Since someone mentioned that it can make your lovies sick... it reminded me that Chris and I bought one for our room just to circulate and cleanse the air, and the more I think about it, about a month after we got it, Kirby's feathers started getting ratty...

Will that have a connection?

[BarbieH]

I forget exactly what it was about the ionic filters, but it had something to do with unsafe levels of ozone being released as a byproduct. That can cause irritation of the eyes and sinuses in humans; it might have given Kirby a skin irritation but it's hard to say.

[Keltoth]

I forget exactly what it was about the ionic filters, but it had something to do with unsafe levels of ozone being released as a byproduct. That can cause irritation of the eyes and sinuses in humans; it might have given Kirby a skin irritation but it's hard to say.

That is correct; the ionic filters can actually put out enough ozone into a room that does not have sufficient outgoing ventilation/air circulation to cause illness and death in birds, especially those that are the size of lovebirds. In fact, these filters can allegedly put out enough ozone to make HUMANS ill...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-04-04-air-filters_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-04-04-air-filters_x.htm)

http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/bird_breeders_lung.htm (http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/bird_breeders_lung.htm)

http://www.airpurifiers.com/reviews.htm (http://www.airpurifiers.com/reviews.htm)

[linda040899]

There was a discussion on The Breeders Connection Mailing List regarding air purifiers and an excellent idea was put on the table.

Some breeders use box fans and attach furnace filters to the intake side of the fan using duct tape (what else????). The home made "purifier," along with a hepa filter, really helps keep the air in their bird areas cleaner.

[Eliza]

Some breeders use box fans and attach furnace filters to the intake side of the fan using duct tape (what else????). The home made "purifier," along with a hepa filter, really helps keep the air in their bird areas cleaner.

Linda -- I had read about folks using simple box fans as air filters. What a great idea! I did a quick Google search about it, too:

Lasko sells a box fan that comes with a filter. http://www.laskoproducts.com/fans/model_3900.html

Here’s a slip-on filter for box fans: http://www.theairfilterstore.com/filters/fanFiltersBox.htm Is this a bird/critter safe alternative? I kinda like it!

Tip for keeping the filter on a box fan (for the handyman in all of us): http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip020705ws.html

Not related to birds but shows how using box fans as an air filter can be helpful to humans in general: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/air-filter.html

[linda040899]

Good links, -e!
I always have a working box fan here at the house. Even with all the filters I use, one more can't hurt!

[Eliza]

Good links, -e!
I always have a working box fan here at the house. Even with all the filters I use, one more can't hurt!

I have a cheap-o Lasko running in my bedroom at all the time. I had to pick one up one eve when the A/C broke >: Now it's my white noise machine!

I think that I may get the one that has a space for filters. It's not pricey and I can always use another ;)