It is no secret that birds are one of our favorite pets at home. They are so affectionate that we would like to spend more time with them.
Moreover, All the family members like to spend time with birds to have pleasure time and also it relieves their stress.
This led them to provide the best to pet birds in all aspects. This includes providing the best food, caring for their health, and also the quality of the air they breathe.
With respect to good air quality, you might have come across Ionizers as air cleaners. You thought of considering this, but you wonder with this question in your mind “Are Ionizers safe for Birds?”
Here in this article, we covered in detail ionizers, how they work and why ionizers are unsafe for birds, the difference between air purifiers and ionizers, and also the air purifiers that are safe for your birds.
Without further ado, Let’s get started!!
The Short Answer to this question is NO. Ionizers are air cleaners that produce ions to clean the air and also it produces ozone in this process. Ozone is a corrosive substance that can affect the sensitive respiratory system of your pet bird.
What is an Ionizer or Ion Air Purifier?
Ionizers are devices that are used to clean the indoor air by producing negative ions. These ions bind to the airborne particles making them unstable in the air and settling on the surface.
These ionizers can remove small airborne particles from the air. These are inefficient in removing odors and larger particles including dust particles, pollen, and mold.
Unlike Air purifiers that use filters and fans to remove airborne particles from the air.
There are some air purifiers on the market that come with ionizers as an additional feature. In those air purifiers, you can control the ionizer feature by switching it on or off.
How Does an Ionizer Work?
Ionizer comes with electrostatic plates that produce negatively charged ions into the air. These ions when released in the air, bind to airborne particles including dust particles, smoke particles, and other particles.
After binding to the negative ions, these particles become too heavy to stay in the air, and they start falling on the floor, furniture, or surrounding surfaces.
These particles rest on places such as carpets, floors, furniture, and drapes. Once these particles are settled you need to do vacuum cleaning to remove these particles from the surfaces.
If vacuum cleaning is not done, then these particles can be reintroduced into the air.
The Main drawback is that Ionizers are effective in removing smaller size particles like allergens and less effective in larger size particles like pollen, and danders.
Are Ionizers Safe for Birds?
No, Ionizers are not safe for birds as these devices produce negatively charged ions in the air and sometimes produce ozone in a lower amount as a by-product.
Ozone is a corrosive material and it is a lung irritant. It is harmful to your pet bird and for a long time, it is harmful to your loved ones.
Birds used to have fresh air to breathe when they are outside, but when we keep them as pets in cages, they are exposed to indoor air.
However, it is observed that Indoor air is more polluted than outside air.
In fact, Bird’s respiratory systems get compromised when they are kept in cages. If they are exposed to ozone or negatively charged ions, this can be unsafe for birds and uncomfortable for them to live.
It is recommended to avoid using devices that produce ozone such as ionizers, ozone generators, and other devices.
Which is Better Air Purifier or an Ionizer for Birds?
Air purifiers are considered to be safe devices for birds that can be used in an aviary to provide clean and fresh air to your pet birds.
Though air purifiers and ionizers are used for the same purpose to clean the air, you’ll observe that these two are significantly different in how they work.
Air Purifiers come with filters that help in removing airborne particles by pulling the indoor air and then releasing clean and fresh air for breathing. The Airborne particles are trapped in the filters.
Air Purifiers can remove particles larger and smaller particles such as dust, dander, allergens, and pollen. They can also remove smoke and odors from the air.
On the other hand, Ionizers release negative ions that bind to the airborne particles and make these particles settle on the surfaces. These particles need to be removed by wiping the surfaces or vacuuming the surfaces.
Ionizers can remove smaller particles effectively and they cannot remove odors and larger particles from the air.
With respect to safety, Air Purifiers are safe to use for pet birds as these devices can remove particles, smoke, and odor effectively from the air.
By contrast, ionizers are effective only for smaller particles and they also produce ozone as a by-product that can harm the respiratory system of the birds.
What Type of Air Purifier is Safe for Birds?
You will find different types of air purifiers on the market based on the principles and filters they use. But you need to consider this type (i.e. HEPA Air Purifier) as it is safe for your pet birds.
These air purifiers work on mechanical filtration of the air. Unlike ionizers, these air purifiers are not involved in releasing harmful gases as by-products.
In HEPA Air Purifier types, you will find that it comes with 3 different types of filters that actively remove almost all the particles and odor from the indoor air.
The filters are Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter. Their roles are different in the air purifier.
Pre-filter is used to remove larger particles from the air including pet danders, feathers, dust particles, and pollens among others. This filter also helps to protect other filters by extending their life in the air purifier.
HEPA filter is used to remove particles of sizes up to 0.3 microns with 99.97% efficiency. This filter can remove allergens such as bacteria, and viruses from the air.
You need to ensure that the air purifier comes with a True HEPA filter as there are different variants of HEPA filters available on the market.
The activated carbon filter is used to remove odors and smoke from the air.
It is recommended to replace filters on time to maintain clean and fresh air every time.
Conclusion:
Birds are the most loved pets in our home. We care for birds by providing the best food and home for living. As we are aware the indoor air quality we consider ionizers to provide fresh air to breathe.
You need to make sure, are ionizers safe for birds before using them for your pet birds.
The fact is that Ionizers release ozone as a by-product that is not safe for birds and also not safe for humans for extended use. Ozone is a respiratory system irritant.
The safest and the best air cleaner for birds is Air Purifiers as these devices use mechanical filters to clean the air.
It is recommended to consider a true HEPA filter air purifier for effective cleaning of air and to provide fresh air for your pet birds.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between an ionizer and an ozone generator?
Ionizers are used to clean the air by removing airborne particles from the air by producing negatively charged ions.
These ions bind to the particles and settle on the surfaces of floors, furniture, and carpets.
Ionizers also produce ozone in lower concentrations as a by-product.
On the other hand, Ozone generators produce ozone to remove odor from the air. The drawback is that ozone generators are not effective in removing particles from the air.
Ozone generators are not recommended as an air cleaner in the home as ozone is a lung irritant substance.
Do negative ions clean the air?
Yes, Negative ions produced by ionizers are used to clean the air. It helps in removing the airborne particles from the air. It is effective in removing smaller particles including allergens.
However, it is found less effective for larger particles such as dust, dander, and pollens.
In fact, it cannot be used to remove odors including volatile organic compounds from the air.
Will an air purifier help with smoking around birds?
Yes, Air purifiers are helpful in removing smoke around birds. Air purifiers are equipped with an activated carbon filter that helps in removing smoke or odors from the air.
These filters adsorb the odor from the air and release clean and fresh air in the room.
