Ionizers and parrots

[Journeyman]

I've asked the question about ionizing air cleaners and Greys, and found a book called "The Parrotlet Handbook" By Matthew M. Vriends. Matthew states on page 34 that ionizers are completely safe for parrots. Is anyone familiar with this author?

~Journeyman.

[Tycos_mom]

I heard that Ionizer are bad for parrots I have 2 air cleaners with ionizer opions I never turn the Ionizer on just the air cleaner. Ionizers lump dust particals togethwe and when taken in when your parrot breaths can be bad for their delicate systems. So I've heard.

[Journeyman]

Thanks for the reply. I've heard that it's the ozone that ionizers create that's bad. That's the problem I'm having, everyone has heard a different reason it seems. I'll investigate more into this. The reason is, is because I have COPD, and I need a really good air purfier/cleaner. (I spray bath Cosmo every day in the morning, to cut down on his dust)

 

~Journeyman

[Journeyman]

***Here's my conclusion about air cleaners that ionize. I'm not sure what it is about them that effect our loved ones. Whether it's the ozone they produce, or increasing the size of airborne partials, ionization had effected Cosmo adversely it seems. I bought an IQAir Healthpro series air purifier. It doesn't use ionization to clean the air. It cost a bit, but it's worth it. Cosmo has a cleaner, safer environment to live in as well as myself*** Thanks for the input.

[dhorje]

Ozonizer can be used in the aquarium to kill pathogens and bacteria and I don't see why it is bad for parrots.

[danmcq]

Fish and Aquariums are completely different applications and environments, as well as the fish's breathing system . I ran many 200 and 100 gallon aquariums for many years, both for show and for breeding, Angles and Discus. I also used ionizers as one part of the complex Water filtration system I had set up to keep my Aquariums water at an optimum level of all measurable properties adjusted to each fish species.

 

Ionizing filtration systems for human/land applications are actually bad and consumer reports did a very detailed write up on it a few years back and the adverse affects it had on humans. The heavier particles created by these ionizing filters are bad for people and birds. You do not want a filter with Ozone....OZONE is harmful and irritating to the respiratory tract.

 

You do not want one with an Ionizer. The major concern is that the Ionizer weighs down the dust particle, and if the dust particle contains a micro bacterial organism on it, it can be inhaled, and then stuck to the respiratory wall thus leading to Aspergillosis.

 

The best and most widely recommended systems for human and pet Air Filtration Systems are multi-stage Hepa filtration systems. These remove particles down to 3 microns and will be good for you and your Parrot.

[Journeyman]

Yes, I have read about filters that ionize and human health issues, however, I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to how it affects birds. I too had fish, I did the saltwater min-reef aquarium and had ionizers, ozone generators (a part of a protein skimmer) and such, so I have a pretty good idea how they work. I now have a fresh water tank. danmcq has a good point, if they can be harmful to humans, they could be harmful to, and especially to, captive birds. This is why I opted for the IQAir HealthPro plus Series 4 stage hyper-HEPA filtration system. See website below.

http://www.iqair.com/residential/roomairpurifiers/healthproplus.php

 

Thanks for the free exchange of ideas!<br><br>Post edited by: Journeyman, at: 2008/12/26 15:29

[Dave007]

Are you really sure you know what you're doing? Do you have lots of basic information concerning dander producing parrots, heaviness of the dander, size of the bad particles in the air, actual amounts of dander any purifier pulls in? The power and strength of any purififier to pull in dust from places that are farther away from it? The actual job the purifier is doing in a dander filled room? The size of the dirt in the air that a purifier can pull in? What the dirt has to be doing in order for the purifier to do it's job properly?

 

 

All purifiers work best if they're in an enclosed room and when buying a purifier, it states the size of that room in which it will be most effective. Any purifier that's in an area where air is constantly going through that area lessens the effects of the purifier. Many purifiers come with an automatic shut off when the room has been cleaned. An open area where outside air is constantly mixing with the area where the birds are in will prevent that shut off from working because there's constantly.new air in the bird area.

All purifiers will only pull in air that's near them. The vacuum system is weak and that pertains to all brands expensive or otherwise.

The types of dust that's pulled in is dust that constantly floats in the air .The size of the dust is .003 microns. A purifier has absolutely no power to recirculate heavier dust that's fallen to the ground.

All purifiers that are put in a bird area are simply acting as vacuums.

A large percentage of grey dust is heavy. That dust is called dander is it can be seen on all parts of the outer bars and seed guards located on a cage. That dust was thrown by the bird and immediately dropped down on the cage and on the floor surrounding the cage. It never entered the air and can't float in the air.

The best type of air purifier to get is one that has an electrostatic grid that will hold any dust that it comes in contact with. That type of filter can be removed from the machine, heavily rinsed in water and allowed to drip dry before reusing.

Look at most advertising photos for purifiers and you will see a perfectly beautiful room with mommy, daddy and children standing around with big smiles on their face. What you don't see is any pictures of dander producing birds in cages or on playstands in those photos. The people are happy because the machine pulled in .003 micron dust that was floating in the air and finally made it's way to the machine. Any filter, especially disposable one will get filthy 3 times faster which is why I recommend one that has an electrostatic filter. They never have to be replaced. That type of filter is the most expensive part of a purifier.

My point here is that buying extremely expensive air purifiers isn't necessary because all of the functions that you want to happen won't happen if used in a room that contains dander producing birds.

Actually, the best filter/vacuum item that will be the most successful is an exhaust fan which is powerful and is inserted in a window like an air conditioner is put in. Most exhaust fans are powerful. Exhaust fans are also extremely effective when removing the odor of a freshly painted room/rooms. But even exhaust fans can't pull up dust that's fallen to the ground. Unfortunately, using exhaust fans can't be used by the majority of people because of cold weather conditions

 

I just took these pictures to give a visual.

 

The internals with the filter taken out

 

 

 

What a dirty electrostatic filter looks like when dirty

I have 2 of these machines because when one is dirty I put another one in because the electrostatic filter takes about 3 hrs to drip dry .

 

 

 

Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/26 20:04<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/26 20:22

[Talon]

Wow, Thank you for the informative posts Dan & Dave.

 

I have 4 air cleaners in my house. My rooms are not completely shut off from the rest of the house, especially the bird room, but I have always found that there is less dust in my rooms, and ever since I have used this particular type, my son's asthma preventive medicine was cut in half, and he has not had any attacks.

Here is the link to the ones that I have, and there is a bulb inside that needs to be changed yearly, an inside carbon filter that needs to be replaced recommended every 3 months, and an outside filter that is rinsed weekly.

 

http://www.aircleanersforbirds.com/

[Journeyman]

Dave007,

 

Please click on the link I provided in one of my posts on this subject to see the kind of filter I bought. The IOAir Healthpro plus was actually used by the government of China, as one of the preventative measures during the SARS epidemic. They placed one in each patients room as an aid to prevent spreading the disease. I think it should be good enough for my apartment.

http://www.iqair.com/residential/roomairpurifiers/healthproplus.php

[Talon]

Is it really $995.00? :huh:

[Dave007]

Journeyman

 

So sorry. I didn't know that you already bought that machine. I was simply trying to save you some money. I didn't know you were looking for a machine that would service your whole apartment. My whole post was aimed at anyone who was thinking about purchasing different machines in areas that are loaded with parrot dander. People spend lots of money on machines that don't work with certain parts of the dust that's in a room. People expect to purify a bird room and it ain't gonna happen as long as the birds are alive and moving and flapping around. The rest of a house that has no parrot dust in it is much cleaner and I wasn't referring to those areas of the house. A room that has parrots in it is much dustier than any sterile hospital room that has only microscopic particulates in it. Those particulates stay in the air and can be eventually sucked in. Those hospital rooms had no dander producing parrots in them. If they did, they would be using heavy duty vacuum cleaners to remove that type of dust besides that air purifier who's only job is to clean airborne dust, odors from chemicals, odors from food.

[Journeyman]

Yes, it costs a bit, but I think it's worth it. Especially since I have that lung conditon COPD.

[Journeyman]

Dave007,

 

Oh, that's OK, I tend to be a bit extravagant. I have to admit, I was a bit taken back by your post. I guess it's true what they (whoever they are) say, "The written word can be taken many different ways, sometimes, none of them good..." I like your profile image, by the way.<br><br>Post edited by: Journeyman, at: 2008/12/27 04:47

[Hrund]

Has anyone tried this, AirFree http://www.airfree.com/index_usa.htm , it doesn´t use filters. On the page it says"Airfree incinerates microorganisms at its heated capillaries. Contaminated air is dragged into Airfree’s ceramic core by air convection and microorganisms are destroyed at high temperatures regardless of how resistant and dangerous they might be."

When I was a kid I was allergic to birds and I used to have asthma, I´m a bit worried that with time I might get it back so I really want to get an air purifier.

[danmcq]

The problem I see with this air purifier is it uses only convection as the mechanism for moving the air. The other issues are it may "Sterilize" the particles, but with out a hepa filter the particles will not be removed from the air. Four Hundred degrees is not nearly hot enough to literally incinerate those paricles.

 

I would recommend a multi-stage hepa air filter that has the CFM to take care of the area you are going to place it in. If it's your whole house, you will need one for each room for best results.

[Journeyman]

Hello danmcq,

Thanks for the post. Actually this air purifier has what they call a "Hyper-HEPA" filter as the main particle filter, it actually has a ppcf (particles per cubic foot) rating of 99.99% for particles >= 0.3 microns. This covers also, most airborne viruses and bacteria. It has 3 other stages of filtration, gas, smoke and a pre-filter which handles the heavy stuff. At this price, they do a lab test on the actual unit before they send it to you, with a certificate of authentication. They use a measuring instrument called "icleen" PCM Concentration Meter.<br><br>Post edited by: Journeyman, at: 2008/12/28 16:17

[danmcq]

Hi Journeyman,

 

I was replying to Hruns post, not yours.

 

The air filtration system you selected is definitely top quality. :-)

[Journeyman]

Question, is anyone having problems with this website? (12/28 at around 10:20 AM)

[Journeyman]

Sorry, I'm have a bit of trouble today with either my PC or this site :pinch:

[danmcq]

No, I am not having any issues at all. It could be your ISP connection is a little slow this morning. :-)

[Journeyman]

Yes. I'm thinking it's user error, I am a "newbie".