Bird Dander-7 Facts To Be Aware Of Before Using A Bird Dander Air Purifier

If you have a bird as part of the family, bird dander is a fact of life, and will continue to be for as long as you have your bird. These invisible flakes of dead skin can cause a number of health issues for humans and birds.

So a bird dander air purifier is an effective and proactive way of dealing with the problem. But before you go out and purchase just any purifier, here are 7 facts to know before you buy.

1. Bird dander is tiny and invisible with the human eye. So you really can't use your eyes to determine whether it is there or not. However, every warm-blooded animal produces dander, and that includes birds. So if you have a bird it is constantly producing and shedding its dry skin.

If you are allergic to the protein that it's made of, you don't have to see it because your body's symptoms let you know it's there by reacting in ways that range from annoying to disrupting. Make sure the filtration product you choose is able to remove the visible particles like feathers, and dust, and the invisible ones as well. The ability to remove submicron size particulates (down to .3 microns) is best.

2. You can never completely eliminate your bird's dander as it is constantly being produced and sent airborne which is normal for a healthy bird. And because production is constant, elimination needs to be constant as well.

Elimination that is constant prevents the numbers of particulates from increasing to such a point that they could cause you problems. And reducing dander levels will alleviate many of the annoying symptoms that those with bird allergies are subject to. Choosing an air cleaner that can run around the clock day in and day out to keep the number of pollutants low will yield the most noticeable results for the allergy or asthma sufferer.

3. Because dander has the ability to stick to larger pollutants, and smaller pollutants such as bacteria and viruses can attach to it, choosing a purifier that can remove normal household pollutants such as household dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pollen, bacteria, and viruses will further reduce the number of airborne pollutants to which you, your family, and your bird are exposed.

4. Dust mites feed on dead skin (dander), and they are really not particular about whose skin it is. Taking away the dust mites' food source is a powerful way to reduce their population as well, and the protein in the feces of these mites often act in conjunction with other allergens to exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Choosing a product that also eliminates dust mites will greatly increase its effectiveness while giving you more bang for your buck.

5. Birds' respiratory systems are incredibly effective at getting oxygen into the lungs and blood stream. This makes them highly sensitive to odors, gases, and other airborne pollutants. Exposure to these pollutants can very quickly be fatal to your bird. Make sure that the only by-product of the cleaner you choose is fresh air. Those that produce by-products such as ozone should be avoided not just for your bird's health, but for yours as well.

6. It had previously been thought that ozone air purifiers were successful at removing airborne pollutants associated with birds, but further studies now indicate that the level of ozone would have to be at toxic levels to humans and pets in order to be effective. As of 2009 the state of California has enacted a state-wide ban of the production of any air cleaner that produces any amount of ozone.

7. In super insulated homes pet birds are exposed to far more bird dander, feathers, and dust than they are in the wild. And without filtering these pollutants, you and your birds are more susceptible to diseases that are spread by airborne pollutants. Filtering the air of not only bird related pollutants, but all of the other pollutants that are commonly found in the typical household, can do nothing but improve the quality of life for you, your family, and your bird.