What Are Air Purifiers Good For And What Are They Not Good For
Most air purifiers are good at removing irritating particles like pollution, smoke, dust, pollen and pet dander, but they dont tend to catch certain gases, like radon and VOCs which are emitted from paints and cleaning products. They also cant remove allergens that land on hard surfaces or soft furnishings like our bedding, carpets and curtains, the allergens must be air-bound.
My Home Doesnt Have Mold Do I Need An Air Purifier
Mold is a very common household issue causing many health effects. Mold can grow in any home at any time if the conditions are right. If you dont have mold growing in your home then that is good news. Air purifiers do more than reduce mold, they freshen up a home, remove toxins and other pollutants.
How Do I Know If I Need An Air Purifier
Air purifiers are often a matter of personal preference. However, if you or your family suffers from health problems related to air quality in the home then an air purifier would be highly recommended. Health problems that often prompt the need for an air purifier are allergies, asthma, breathing issues, headaches, or autoimmune diseases that are triggered by allergens. Also, if your home has a musty smell or has had issues with mold in the past, its highly recommended that an air purifier be kept in areas where problems have been noted.
Recommended Reading: Can Mold Cause Hair Loss
Best Air Purifiers For Mold In 2022
Heres why air purifiers for mold are important:
Visible and even smelly mold growth is one of the most common and most resilient home infections. You know that corner in your kitchen, bathroom or basement that looks darkish? You better hope its not the black mold.
Pretty much every air purifier you can find will have an air purifier for mold sentence in their description.
But people who have air purifiers at home can still experience mold growth on their walls. So what gives?
Not all air purifiers are designed to remove mold.
The mold-killing air purifiers, however, are very effective against mold and mold spores . Heres what the best air purifier for mold in the world can do:
All air purifiers are great at removing dust and smoke from an indoor environment thats true. But those are just airborne particles, captured by HEPA filters
Mold, on the other hand, is a fungus contaminant. Its a living, breathing being that you cant just filter out even with a True HEPA filter .
The good air purifiers for mold are the ones with UV sterilization filters. On top of that, the best air purifiers for mold use additional AHPCO, Bi-Polar, and PECO filters. Below you will find a list of the 6 best UV air purifiers for mold:
To eliminate mold, you need to kill mold and mold spores. When you see the mold forming on your wall, hoping it will just magically go away on its own doesnt work a mold air purifier is needed.
How To Prevent Mold
The key to avoiding mold-related health issues is to prevent the stuff from growing in the first place. One of the ways Dr. Ogden recommends doing this is by reducing moisture levels in the home. This means fixing and preventing any leaks, areas of pooling water, and excessive moisture and humiditythink that classic moldy basement, she says.
In addition to not running your shower for long periods of time before getting in, she recommends wiping down surfaces often, as these are central areas of mold production.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Mold On Car Carpet
What Is The Best Air Purifier For Mold
Not all air purifiers are created the same. There are several varieties of air purifiers, but the best air purifiers at removing mold spores from indoor air are HEPA air purifiers. A true HEPA filter captures 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles, including dust and other allergens, and an even higher percentage of larger particles. Since mold spores are usually about 1-20 microns, HEPA filters are perfect for extracting spores from the air.
Its important to be aware, however, that even though HEPA air purifiers can efficiently filter mold spores out of the air, you need to remove the mold first if you have a mold problem in your home. They will release mold spores but cant remove the mold growth, which puts the mold spores in the air. Its best to call a mold restoration company to get rid of a mold problem. These companies use specialized equipment and techniques to detect and remove mold growth, dry, and restore affected surfaces.
A less common but highly effective option is to use a PECO air purifier. Unlike HEPA filtration, PECO technology has been shown, in some cases, to completely oxidize and destroy pollutants such as mold, bacteria, and even viruses.There are a couple of features to look for in order to buy an effective and smart air purifier. One feature is an activated carbon filter. This special filter will help with removing any mold odors from your home. Some even come with a UV-C light. This type of UV light filter works to reduce mold spore reproduction.
What To Look For
Some devices are built to fight odors and VOCs while others have high efficiency in removing small particles that cannot even be spotted by the human eye. For example, a Carbon Activated filter will remove the odor of mold but will not fight its influence on the human body in any way. Or you can choose an ionizer, which is efficient against particles down to 0.1 microns, but this machine will not contain the spores but make them heavier and drag them onto the floor. This means that a simple air current or someone walking through the room can easily make them float again.
Ozone generators do have an action against mold, but more and more studies show that it takes them a long time to kill them. This would mean for them to continuously release high amounts of ozone, which can be difficult to contain in a single room. Exposure to ozone is something you will certainly want to avoid as this gas is harmful in large quantities. However, you can use an ozonator to remove the odor. It will only require a half an hour every week and the results are truly outstanding.
The most efficient way to fight spores remains a classic filter air purification system, but it will still need to meet certain criteria, namely to come with a good HEPA filter and maybe to include additional sanitation functions.
True HEPA Filter
UV-C Light
High CADR
Digital Humidistat Showing Relative Humidity
Don’t Miss: What Humidity Does Mold Grow
What Are The Characteristics Of Mold
To understand how to reduce mold spores in your home, lets take a look at its characteristics. This fungus spreads by producing spores that land outside and within your home. It is hard to eliminate the spores from your house. Still, fortunately, they are typically present in low quantities that do not cause harm to you unless you have extremely sensitive mold spore allergies.
However, your home or business may be in an area where mold spore concentrations are more significant than typical or where the type to which you are susceptible is particularly abundant. Outdoor concentrations rise in the autumn months, but infestations in dwellings are a more widespread issue. This is because the spores are released when mold grows in your house. According to the CDC, this implies there could be considerably higher concentrations of spores in the air, enough to irritate the respiratory systems of people who do not have allergies.
Under these conditions, you should take action to remove mold spores from the air and reduce their concentrations as much as possible. It is critical to clear up any mold in your house as it will continue to generate spores, develop, and spread if you dont. In addition, it requires moisture to thrive, so once it has been cleaned up, eliminate any leaks, spills, or humidity sources so it does not reoccur.
Will An Air Purifier Help With Dust Mold And Smoke
Posted by Brondell Staff on Sep 16th 2020
You wake up every morning and theyre in your face, an entire combat formation of airborne irritants, the blitzkrieg beating of bioaerosol organisms and heterotrophic bacillaceace. There are spore-driven regiments of cladosporium, penicillium, or like the opportunistic echelons of alternaria and aspergillus these nasty pathogenic freak fungi looking to nest out in the bronchial complexes of the sick, infantile, or the weak. They feed on decaying plants and soil then invade our ecosystems looking for hosts, dropping secondary metabolic micro-bombs of myotoxins, citrinin, fusarium, causing nervous system impairment, brain damage, asthma at the very least.
Then there are the particulate contingents of domestic dermatophagoides the eight-legged arachnid class of human skin crawlers who dwell among a microscopic landscape of dead cells, hair, plant pollen, and paper fibers. Theyre living all over us and we barely realize it. They flourish in our mattresses, furniture, and carpeting. They leave behind a fecal-borne wake of peptidase enzymes which kill human cells on contact and incite allergies.
Sure, this may all seem like a dystopian battle scene from the annuls of Hollywood sci-fi, but its as real and invasive to your home environment as that Meow Mix commercial youll never get out of your head. What were talking about here is mold, dust, and smoke three of the most common indoor air pollutants and you are under attack.
Also Check: How To Neutralize Mold Smell
Up In Smoke Out With Filtration
In an age where weve largely snubbed the scourge of public cigarette smoking while simultaneously embracing a brave new legal market for marijuana, the questions around smoke filtration are now as varied and intricate as the strains of Kosher Kush and Mango Haze themselves. Of course, lately there have been concerns over wild fires and volcanic ash as well which leave many people asking questions like Will an air purifier help with smoke? What is the best air purifier for smoke? Does an air purifier help with weed smoke?
Yes, yes and, rest assured Snoop, yes. Many modern air filtration systems feature a whole bundle of different air filter types from granulated carbon to mesh particulate to true HEPA. These work in conjunction to not only remove 99.97% of the particulates in smoke such as black carbon and ash but also the gasses and fumes like carbon monoxide, ozone and odors. The granulated carbon filters in most modern air purifiers are able to capture many smoke allergens and pollutants through the process of adsorption. This distinct process utilizes the pore structure and vast surface area of activated carbon to trap and neutralize noxious elements like odors, hydrogen cyanide, or benzene.
- Sprinkle baking soda on affected items/ areas
- Set out bowls of coffee grounds
- Lay out charcoal
Buying Guide: How To Choose Best Mold Air Cleaner
An air purifier for mold requires more than just a typical 3 stage filtration system ready to provide mediocre air that would remove dust particles at best. Eliminating mold needs some outside source other than a one-unit filter, a force that can put pressure on these devices and provide you with the best air possible. Certain features are required to be part of an air purifier that can remove mold. Some of them are mentioned below:
Room coverage:
No matter what kind of air purifier you want to purchase, you want to make sure youre buying one that can work best for an area of coverage you want. Find one that has plenty of capacity and capability to provide you with the best results. If you end up with one that does its job well but isnt fully equipped for the room coverage you want, then youll just be wasting your time. So keep your head on straight and find one that is most suitable for your area of room coverage.
Type of particle filter:
Optional ionizer:
This feature isnt as mandatory and can be optional if youre on a budget. Negative ions happen to have many benefits which also include discharging particles and setting a better mood for many. Researches claim that releasing negative ions into the air can be highly effective at coping with depression and stress, it is also found to be great for mold and bacteria eliminating efforts.
Cost:
Read Also: How To Remove Mold Mildew From Bathroom Ceiling
Best Air Purifier For Mold Spores And Mildew In 2022
Tired of spending hundreds of cash on air purifiers and still havent gotten the results youve wanted? Or is your place a newfound home for mold? No matter the case, you should always pay attention to what youre buying this device for. There are air purifiers made for every purpose.
Mold is highly stubborn and doesnt get out as easily. Therefore, if youre looking for something for this problem, choose the best air purifier for mold and viruses that is solely made for that. Since mold exists in areas with moisture so if your house has leakages, they would likely be found in your house.
This article would certainly be a great guide into the top best articles that are present in the market, especially experts in removing mold.
Design
This solid model has a tower-like design that you might be a little taken aback by once you see it in the flesh. Its total height dimensions are 9 x 5.5 x 22 inches with a weight of 8.5 lbs which surprisingly makes it pretty lightweight. The makes it easy to be placed in tight intact spots especially when you dont have a lot of space to put it in. The company offers this best mold air purifier in two colors which are black and white. It has a control panel right at the top and a fan speed knob with the UV-C light bulb.
Filtration system
Room coverage
Noise
Design
Filtration system
Room coverage
Noise
Design
Filtration system
Room coverage
Noise
Design
What Are The Best Air Purifiers For Mold
Air purifiers help keep your house free of mold by filtering airborne mold spores out of the air, trapping them, and destroying them. For best results, the air purifier should be placed in areas where mold is typically found, like bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and rooms with carpet and upholstered furniture. The best air purifiers for mold also protect you from airborne irritants like dust, pet dander, pollution, and pollen in the process of filtering out the mold.
When youre shopping for the best air purifier for mold, consider the size of your space. Air purifiers work within a certain range of square feet, so the best air purifier for a bathroom may not also be the best air purifier for an open floor plan kitchen and living room.
Another consideration as you shop is the air purifiers user experience. Some air purifiers are controlled by apps on your phone or other smart devices like Amazon Alexa. These are perfect for tech-savvy smart home enthusiasts. Others are much simpler and have easy-to-use control panels.
Keep in mind that while a good air purifier can help to eliminate small mold buildup, you should always consult a specialist if you suspect that your house or space has a serious mold problem.
Weve rounded up the best air purifiers for mold that fit a variety of space and tech needs. Heres what to buy online.
Read Also: How To Remove Mold From Bathroom Ceiling With Vinegar
What We Liked About It Pros
- The air filtration system of this air purifier is innovative
- It comes with the SilverScreen technology that effectively kills mold and mildew or any other virus present in the air.
- The ACH rating of this air purifier is good
- Virnado has smart control and working
- The Energy smart feature is quite impressive
Hepa Filtration Is Needed
HEPA filtration in a standard HEPA air purifier will essentially remove all of the airborne mold spores and mold particles from the air going through the filter. HEPA filters find particles 0.2 0.3 micrometres in diameter the most difficult to remove. So as mold spores are 2-20 um in diameter a true HEPA filter will easily remove them. The main way that they do this is by the basic sieve mechanism whereby large particles cannot get through the gaps in the filter, like peas in a collindar. Please see diagram below-
Filtration efficiency and the mechanisms underlying it for a HEPA filter
So a true HEPA filter will have no problems dealing with mold spores.
The more carbon the filter has the more odor it will remove and the longer it will keep working. The filter below is exceptional in containing 5lb of activated carbon granules. A replacement filter will only be needed after 24 months, is from the iQair HealthPro Plus which I have written an article about here.
Diagram showing the percentage filtration at various particle sizes. At the size of fungal spores, and other airborne allergens, such as house dust mite, and pet dander a HEPA filter is virtually 100% efficienty in removing them.
Beware of air purifiers that state the filter is HEPA like, 99% HEPA or state how good the filter is over several paragraphs without stating that it is a HEPA filter. An air cleaner with these specifications will probably not have a HEPA filter or the manufacturer would have said so.
Recommended Reading: What Kills Black Mold Best
Carbon Filter In Air Purifier Will Help Get Rid Of Mold Odor
One of the air quality problems with mold is its odor it is a musty smell. Here an air purifier can help as well. These smells are caused by volatile organic compounds which a different kind of filter in the air purifier can remove-an activated carbon filter. Activated carbon has a great abundance of microscopic fissures into which molecules of volatile organic compounds can enter. Once the volatile organic compounds into deep into the activated carbon the activated carbon molecules attract them and keep them lodged deep in the carbon. In this way an activated carbon filter removes the molecules that are causing odors from the air.
The activated carbon filter of the iQair HealthPro Plus-5.5lb of activated carbon. The granules of carbon can be seen in the right hand panel
