What air filter do you use?

[Mayden]

Could you post a link to the one you're using at home, particularly if it's main focus is the 'bird area'.

Wanting to get one in general for the house, with it's main station being in the bird room (with days in the bedroom perhaps.) but I'm completely at a loss as to what to get.

I suffer with allergies and what with it being crazy on pollen count today, my nose is being a good reminder that I've really needed to invest in one. I had a tiny one a year or two back when I just had budgies but it wasn't good enough for the size room it was in etc!

I know that "bigger is not always better" when it comes to air filters and so I'm looking for one that is good quality, 'cheap ish' (I'm expecting £100+) but isn't absolute overkill.

I'd rather a low maintenance one too. Don't want to be forking out £50-£100 every time a filter needs replacing (every two weeks or something )

So if you could show me what you folks have and I'll see if I can find one similar

This is the one that is cropping up most for me during searches on google etc.
Product

but I'm not sure if I want to pay out for that, or what the expenses will be for replacements. I don't have dusty birds like 'toos, so it'd be less placement compared to you 'too owners...

But yeah, all in please!

 

[JDlugosz]

I have the IQ Air HealthPro model, with coarse-dust pre filter but filled with after-market media.

Before that, having gone through many filters that lasted some time before getting noisy and/or dying, I found the Hunter brand was a keeper, and had them in several rooms. The larger ones have separate pre-filter sheet that is a must IMO as it saves the expensive HEPA media for stuff that a cheap pre-filter can't handle.

If you don't want to spring for an IQAir, I definitely suggest a larger Hunter. They have several different product lines now and discontinued the ones I have, so I can't recommend the specific models.

—John

 

[Mayden]

I have the IQ Air HealthPro model, with coarse-dust pre filter but filled with after-market media.

Before that, having gone through many filters that lasted some time before getting noisy and/or dying, I found the Hunter brand was a keeper, and had them in several rooms. The larger ones have separate pre-filter sheet that is a must IMO as it saves the expensive HEPA media for stuff that a cheap pre-filter can't handle.

If you don't want to spring for an IQAir, I definitely suggest a larger Hunter. They have several different product lines now and discontinued the ones I have, so I can't recommend the specific models.

—John

Thank you for responding! Unfortunately they're a little (a lot) out of my price range although they seem like good air filters!

 

[goalerjones]

Dont forget that a filter is just a fan with a filter attachment.

Democratic Underground - Oh, It's The Old Box-Fan Air Filter Trick, Chief! - Democratic Underground

 

[Mayden]

Dont forget that a filter is just a fan with a filter attachment.

Democratic Underground - Oh, It's The Old Box-Fan Air Filter Trick, Chief! - Democratic Underground

I appreciate that, but that just screams 'fire hazard' to me! Would rather invest a fair amount of money into something I don't have anxieties about

 

[Nocturnal]

Box fan + duct tape + furnace filter. Very effective, heavy duty, and cheap!

 

[JDlugosz]

Dont forget that a filter is just a fan with a filter attachment.

Democratic Underground - Oh, It's The Old Box-Fan Air Filter Trick, Chief! - Democratic Underground

I tried that when doing some home improvement. It doesn't work well at all. The air is not forced through the filter but just bounces off. You would need a long plenum and probably a reducing throat to make that work as expected.

For temporary (and destructive!) use like when spray painting indoors, you can try that, but also construct a plenum with an old cardboard box, on both sides of the fan.

 

[Mayden]

I'd just rather pay and know what I'm getting works.

The ones I'm looking at are all fancy and kill viruses and bacteria etc too. Which would be nice!

 

[AUHeel]

This is the one I use: http://m.lowes.com/product?langId=-...0051&productId=3031735&store=1138&view=detail

 

[Mayden]

This is the one I use: Lowe's Home Improvement

Thanks! I'll look into it

 

[riaria]

The one you linked to is the one I've got (bought it from Scarlett's, too!), and it's absolutely amazing! I love the auto setting, it's constantly on low unless it detects something and then it goes up. And, it supposedly kills mould spores etc, so felt like a good investment. It collects massive amounts of dust! But then again, we've got a Grey and a cockatoo, so lots of dust.

 

[Mayden]

The one you linked to is the one I've got (bought it from Scarlett's, too!), and it's absolutely amazing! I love the auto setting, it's constantly on low unless it detects something and then it goes up. And, it supposedly kills mould spores etc, so felt like a good investment. It collects massive amounts of dust! But then again, we've got a Grey and a cockatoo, so lots of dust.

The one that was just linked appears to be Lowes only.

I'm quite happy with the one from Scarletts, it does sound like it'd do a super job and if mine runs on low more often than not then I imagine the life span might be a lot longer than say someone who has a butt load of 'toos.

Eitherway, two year replacement on filter+bulb at £30 each isn't rediculously expensive either.

It's an expensive investment but seems solid... and I'm not getting much luck looking at others.... they just don't "match up"!

 

[goalerjones]

I wonder if placing a local unit next to the doggie door might help us cut down the amount the dogs track in and track everywhere?

 

[JDlugosz]

I wonder if placing a local unit next to the doggie door might help us cut down the amount the dogs track in and track everywhere?

No, tracks and "dirt" is not airborne. Get a Roomba for that.

 

[goalerjones]

I wonder if placing a local unit next to the doggie door might help us cut down the amount the dogs track in and track everywhere?

No, tracks and "dirt" is not airborne. Get a Roomba for that.

No, its actually the dust that clings to them. It winds up on the furniture, in my closet, etc. in So Cal our soil is very dusty. It coats all the furniture very quickly.

 

[riaria]

The one you linked to is the one I've got (bought it from Scarlett's, too!), and it's absolutely amazing! I love the auto setting, it's constantly on low unless it detects something and then it goes up. And, it supposedly kills mould spores etc, so felt like a good investment. It collects massive amounts of dust! But then again, we've got a Grey and a cockatoo, so lots of dust.

The one that was just linked appears to be Lowes only.

I'm quite happy with the one from Scarletts, it does sound like it'd do a super job and if mine runs on low more often than not then I imagine the life span might be a lot longer than say someone who has a butt load of 'toos.

Eitherway, two year replacement on filter+bulb at £30 each isn't rediculously expensive either.

It's an expensive investment but seems solid... and I'm not getting much luck looking at others.... they just don't "match up"!

I meant the Scarlett's link, for the HF 380A I too hesitated before buying it, as it is darn expensive, but I haven't regretted it at all!

 

[Mayden]

The one you linked to is the one I've got (bought it from Scarlett's, too!), and it's absolutely amazing! I love the auto setting, it's constantly on low unless it detects something and then it goes up. And, it supposedly kills mould spores etc, so felt like a good investment. It collects massive amounts of dust! But then again, we've got a Grey and a cockatoo, so lots of dust.

The one that was just linked appears to be Lowes only.

I'm quite happy with the one from Scarletts, it does sound like it'd do a super job and if mine runs on low more often than not then I imagine the life span might be a lot longer than say someone who has a butt load of 'toos.

Eitherway, two year replacement on filter+bulb at £30 each isn't rediculously expensive either.

It's an expensive investment but seems solid... and I'm not getting much luck looking at others.... they just don't "match up"!

I meant the Scarlett's link, for the HF 380A I too hesitated before buying it, as it is darn expensive, but I haven't regretted it at all!

That's the one I'm talking about haha! I'll definitely start saving for it then! Got both the birds at vet this month and it's my other halfs birthday too... etcetc!

Will look at saving now then, nice to hear a review about it. It seems the cheapest =/= best looks like that.

 

[mdmarley]

I use an Austin healthmate....Not cheap, but I love it and it covers about 1500sq ft.

 

[riaria]

I meant the Scarlett's link, for the HF 380A I too hesitated before buying it, as it is darn expensive, but I haven't regretted it at all!

That's the one I'm talking about haha! I'll definitely start saving for it then! Got both the birds at vet this month and it's my other halfs birthday too... etcetc!

Will look at saving now then, nice to hear a review about it. It seems the cheapest =/= best looks like that.

Yeah, I only bought it after having read and heard such great reviews from people I know

The only negative is that some of the inner things are a hassle to clean (electric wire thing, dust sensor, etc), but I can't really complain seeing as they're what makes it so good and efficient (and every other purifier with the same features will be the same)! But it's easy to take apart, and the regular filters are easy to clean; so far I've just hoovered the HEPA and outer one, but they can be washed, too (though I expect that they'll need replacing at some point - far into the future!).

It also has an ioniser, which people say different things about. In the end, I figured that there's not too much risk involved with having one (especially not with this particular model as it releases next to no ozone at all).