Birds in your home add a lot to your daily enjoyment of life. They also add hundreds of particulates both seen and unseen, that can cause problems for birds and humans. Feathers and dust are the particles that are easiest to see. But dander, bacteria and viruses are invisible to the human eye. But the harm that results from constant inhalation of these airborne hazards can be heart breaking.
Literally clearing the air continuously with an air purifier is the least invasive and most effective way to keep the air as clean and healthy as possible all the time. Keeping the air clear of the myriad of particulates that birds can generate is a tall order, and won’t just happen with just any air cleaner. The following 4 features are a must if the purifier is to be effective.
Pre-Filters—These filters are placed as you would expect—before other filters, and are the first line of defense against the big and medium size particles you can see. Feathers and dust are the primary pollutants for birds.; but this type of filter can also trap other particles that are not necessarily bird-related such as household dust, hair, pollen, lint and more.
Using pre-filters as the first line of defense is important because they keep the smaller gauged filters (HEPA) from filling up prematurely with bigger particles. This helps the filter with smaller openings last longer because it is only eliminating microscopic particles.
HEPA Filtration—Hands down the HEPA (short for high efficiency particle arresting) is the best filter for eliminating particles.. Its name gives you an idea of why this is the best type. By definition it must be able to remove 99,997 out of every 10,000 particles that are.3 microns or greater in size. Smaller that the period at the end of this sentence, a micron is defined as one millionth of a meter..
Microscopic particles such as dander, bacteria, viruses and other germs are eliminated when this filter used. Because the pollutants that are smaller than .3 microns attach to the larger particles, eliminating the big ones traps the smaller ones as well.. For humans this is important because it is the protein in the dander that usually causes asthma and allergies to flare.
Carbon Cloth—This technology was developed by the British Military as a defense against chemical warfare. The cloth gives an extra level of protection against particles, but because it is made of carbon you also benefit from its ability to remove odor, gases, and chemicals from the air.
Do you remember hearing about miners who would take canaries into the mines? If and when the bird died they would know that the air quality was deteriorating and no longer safe for them. Happily Canaries are no longer used in this way, but this is an indication of how sensitive birds are to poor air quality. Carbon cloth deals a double whammy by removing both particles as well as gases, odor and airborne chemicals..
Split Capacitor Motor—Since the production of particles is a natural and continuous process for your avian friends, the solution should be continuous as well. This type of motor should be listed in the technical specifications so you can be assured that it can run continually 24 hours daily whether you are there or not. This constant scrubbing of the air means that particulates are never allowed to build to a level that would be unhealthy for your birds or you.
These 4 features are the best that you can have in a cleaner. But, one of the most important ways to gauge the success of a purifier is to see what others are saying about it, and who else uses it. If it is being used by professional aviaries than the success in your home is a good bet.