Air Purifiers Archives - Page 10 of 13 -

Why Does My Room Smell Musty?

Musty is a word that is sometimes used to describe the feeling you get from a stale or a stuffy room. It’s usually a smell that you just can’t quite put your finger on, but you know that there is something that is not quite right. But in most cases that “not quite right feeling” is the presence of mold and mildew.

Why Does My Room Smell Musty?

A musty smell in a room is an indicator that you have moisture coming in somewhere that along with dirt or grime has become a source of food and nutrition for mold and mildew to take root. Mold can take root and grow very fast when given the right ingredients. A musty smell should be taken seriously as a warning that there is an issue with mold close by.

I’ve had a personal experience with this.

In my neighborhood there was an issue with heavy rains that washed over the curbs and went up the driveway and eventually seeped into the backdoor of the house.

It didn’t seem like much at the time so we really didn’t do too much about it besides put some towels down to soak up the water. And it was the very back of the house that doesn’t get a lot of traffic anyway.

A couple of months later I noticed a rotten smell coming from that area.

I pulled out a bookshelf that was in that corner and pulled up the edge of the carpet only to find that dark green and black mold had spread heavily underneath the carpet and had made its way all over the wall and the back of the shelf, including all the books on it.

It was pretty shocking to see how much the mold had taken over.

We had to take the carpet up and remove and replace the drywall on that side of the room.

Luckily the mold did not turn out to be the dangerous Stachybotrys or black mold.

All that to say that if you have a musty smell in your room, it’s a situation that you should take seriously.

Mold can do more destruction than you may be giving it credit for. And do it much faster than you may think.

Mold can also exasperate allergies and is known to be a trigger for asthma.

What you are looking for in your room when you have a musty smell is an inappropriate source of moisture.

According to the National Library of Medicine , Mold spores are practically everywhere and there is really no way to get away from them or keep them out of your house. But without an adequate source of moisture, they cannot grow and colonize into a problem.

So the fundamental thing you’re looking for in the case of a musty smell is moisture and the supply of that moisture.

Why Does My Room Smell Musty in The Morning?

What could be some reasons your room smells musty?

Wet carpet
Wet drywall
Window seals
Excessive humidity
Dew
Leaves
Moldy items in trash
Moldy food laying around
Mold inside of the HVAC duct work

1. Wet carpet

Remember that you are looking for the source of the moisture.

If you have wet carpet then the ideal is to figure out why it is wet.

Some reasons may be as simple as a soaking wet towel laying on the carpet or has there been a big spill that was not cleaned up?

If you have a large area that is damp, then there may be a leak that has sprung from a pipe beneath the flooring.

it will be worthwhile for you to peel the carpet back and make sure that your floor is not soaking wet beneath.

And if it is, you should make it a priority to have it fixed as soon as possible to avoid further damage and mold growth.

2. Wet drywall

It can be a smell can be coming from the walls if a pipe inside of the wall has busted. Examine the walls and see if you can find any areas where they are bubbling, swelling, or peeling which would indicate that moisture has gotten inside of the drywall.

3. Window seals

One area that moisture can get into the house easily is the windows. If the windows are not sealed properly, you can find moisture creeping in around the window. If it has been going on for a long time, you will also find the frame around the window rotting.

4. Excessive humidity

If you live in an area with a climate that is prone to high humidity, you may find that it is the humidity that is causing moisture to build up inside of your room. If this is the case, then mildew is probably showing up on your walls or ceiling somewhere.

This is the case in many basements. The level of humidity inside of the room causes condensation to build on the walls and create a natural food source for mold and mildew.

The best solution in that case is to use a dehumidifier to pull moisture out of the air so that it does not have a chance to become a problem in the form of mold.

5. Dew

Many people claim to be more concerned with the dusty smell in their house in the morning time.

That morning musty smell is usually associated with the moisture that develops in the air in the early morning hours.

It’s the moisture that is commonly known as dew.

Dew can help turn the volume up on the smell of mold and mildew in the morning.

6. Leaves

Leaves, specifically in the Autumn season can pile up in gutters and around the house and make an excellent environment for mold to take root. And once the mold has colonized inside of the leaves, any sort of rustling around caused by the wind or by kicking the leaves can unleash mold spores into the air.

7. Moldy items in trash

Sometimes a musty smell is coming from a moldy item that has been thrown away and just sitting there stinking. The trash can is one of the first places to look when you smell something musty in your room.

8. Moldy food laying around

Moldy food can cause a very pungent musty smell when it is laying out or in the trash can. Items like half eaten hamburgers and apple cores are best disposed of in the main kitchen area where the trash is taken out more frequently.
If you have a musty smell in your room, looking for any food that has been left out to mold is a good place to start.
Another place that you can find moldy musty smells is in the kitchen sink where the garbage disposal is. If the garbage disposal has not been cleaned properly in a while, you are liable to smell moldy food coming from there.

9. Mold in HVAC ductwork

If there is mold in your ductwork, you can be sure that it will be distributed throughout the house every time the heating or air conditioning comes on.

According to this study, mold can be commonly found inside of an air handler, specifically the wheel fan blades, the ductwork, and the cooling coil fins.

Another source of mold coming into the house through the ductwork is the evaporative coils. Dirty evaporative coils contain all the ingredients for mold to flourish and find its way inside of the house.

If you have a musty smell coming from your HVAC ductwork, cleaning the evaporative coils located on the outside section of your unit is a good place to start to reduce the volume of mold spores coming in.

Another trouble area for HVAC systems when it comes to mold is the drip pan. If the drip pan is not draining sufficiently, water can build up in the pan and become a source of mold.

Clearing any blockage from the drip pan to the outside drainage is also a good way to ensure that you do not have mold growing and coming in through your HVAC.

UV systems are often used to target areas like evaporative coils and drip pans so that mold does not have a chance to colonize and become a problem in your air quality.

Activated Carbon Filter-Do Charcoal Air Purifiers Work?

Regular charcoal vs activated charcoal

The difference between regular charcoal and activated charcoal is about 600°. Activated charcoal is regular charcoal that has been heated to a very high temperature and treated with steam or an acidic chemical to increase to increase surface area and porousness.

The way activated charcoal is used varies greatly from the way regular charcoal is used.
Regular charcoal is typically used for fuel or cooking. It also has excellent uses in drawing and artwork.
Activated charcoal is used for medicinal purposes to absorb toxins in the body. It is also a very effective filter for both water and Air.

Do Charcoal Air Purifiers work?

Charcoal air purifiers work by using activated carbon to adsorb gases like toluene and benzene from the air.
Because of activated charcoals ability to absorb VOC’s, (volatile organic compounds) charcoal air purifiers are exceptional at removing odors.

Activated carbon vs charcoal

Activated Carbon is a broad term that encompasses all types of materials such as coconut shell and charcoal.
Activated carbon is the equivalent of activated charcoal or activated coconut shell for that matter. The terms are used interchangeably and mean exactly the same thing.

What does a carbon filter do?

Carbon filtration is a process of using a large surface of activated charcoal to adsorb and remove contaminants either as a system for air purification or water purification.

How does a carbon filter work?

Activated Carbon has an unbelievably huge surface area filled with literally millions of pores and microscopic caves.

Airborne toxins or drinking water contaminants depending on the application are forced into the porous area intermolecularity.

When the pollutants enter the filter, they stick to the sides and get trapped in the vast cavernous filter.

What does activated carbon remove?

Activated carbon has a far reaching list of conditions and environments it is able to treat.

As an air filter it is responsible for removing VOCs, gases, odors, and dust mites.

As a water filter, it used to adsorb a host of impurities including chlorine and fluoride.

How long does activated carbon filter last?

An activated carbon filter should last anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending on what it is that is being filtered and the weight and density of the carbon that you are using.

Uses of activated charcoal

Activated charcoal has a whole range of uses other than filtering air.

Overdose
Activated charcoal as traditionally been used in cases of drug overdose or poisoning. When is this taking internally, poisons and toxins can bind to it to help get rid of the dangerous content.

Flatulence
Activated charcoal is used to help people with excessive gas and reduce abdominal pain related to gas.

Diarrhea

Recent studies have shown that activated charcoal can help prevent diarrhea by adsorbing the bacteria responsible for the diarrhea into the permeable surface of the charcoal.

Healthy gums

Activated charcoal has made its way into a whole slew of toothpaste and oral health products.
Many people claim that it helps with gingivitis because of its antiviral and any antifungal properties.

Facial cleanse

There are many facial cleansers that use activated carbon to help pull toxins and bacteria up out of the pores of the face so that is easier to clean your skin deeper.

Deodorant

Activated carbons ability to reduce odors makes it a great deodorant not only for your underarms but also in the refrigerator and your smelly shoes.

Drinking water

Using activated charcoal and your drinking water can help clean your water and reduce the many chemicals
and poisons like fluoride found in tap water.

Anti-aging

Eliminating toxins that are aging you from the inside out is the ideal.
Using activated carbon regularly can help you detox and feel younger.

Respiratory masks

Activated charcoal attracts and binds airborne contaminants and protects you from breathing in harmful airborne poisons.

Air purification

Most air purifiers come with a activated carbon filter that is coupled with a HEPA filter.

The HEPA filter is designed to capture airborne pollutants .03 microns and larger. But even though 03 microns maybe insanely small, there are other airborne pollutants like vocs and gases that are even smaller.

For these tiniest of contaminants, activated carbon filtration is used to absorb the gases into the large surface area of the filter.

Odors are one of the primary reasons people search for an air purifier.

But odors are one of the hardest things for air purifiers to remove. In order to remove odors, an air purifier must be equipped with an activated charcoal filter.

One of the benefits of having a carbon filter in your air purifier, if you want to look at it that way, is the fact that carbon has a sweet smell to it.
Some people even go as far as to say it smells like cookies or cake.
But regardless if that is something that you like or not, it is a good way of being able to identify when your carbon filter is ready to be exchanged.
Once that sweet smell is gone, your filter is pretty much at the end of its life.

How to clean A activated carbon filter.

Though you can clean it a little bit by soaking it, the density and the amount of pores that activated carbon has, makes it impossible to get very clean.

The truth is, you should factor in the cost of replacing the filters as part of the overall investment in purchasing an activated charcoal air purifier.

Are Himalayan Salt Lamps a Hoax?

Himalayan salt lamps have gathered in popularity over the last few years.

And the truth is they are a pretty sharp-looking novelty item that can add to the ambience of a shaded room nicely.
But having a pinkish, orange and red lamp it’s not really enough to cause the kind of stir they have.
It’s unlikely so many people would be purchasing and hunting these things down if it were just for the look of them.

So why are Himalayan salt lamps so popular?

It’s the health benefits that are associated with using a salt lamp.

There are a number of claims being made about how Himalayan salt lamp can improve your health.

The claims include reducing allergies, lowering asthma triggers, and filtering germs and bacteria out of the air.

The two main health functions that Himalayan salt lamps supposedly perform are:

1.Produce Negative Ions
2.They are Hygroscopic

Himalayan salt lamp hoax?

“Himalayan salt lamps do not create any measurable amount of negative ions but they are conclusively hygroscopic because salt is known to pull moisture out of the air.
Are they a Hoax? 50/50.”

Now I am a skeptic. and certain things like salt lamps just lend themselves to skepticism.

But if you were to show me a study that proves Himalayan salt lamps could actually improve air quality, we can leave it at that.

But unfortunately there is not a single study that can be produced.

But like everything else to do with Himalayan salt lamps, I’ll try to make an educated guess.

One of the biggest claims about Himalayan salt lamps is that they create negative ions.

My first question here is: “Have you ever seen the dust left behind by a negative ion generator?”

Negative ion generators are famous we’re leaving a blanket of dust on the walls and surfaces around around the machine.

It’s so popular they have a phrase that describes it. “Great Wall syndrome” is the effect of negatively charged ions combining with positively charged ions, and either falling to the surface or clinging to the walls.

This is not a effect you get with a Himalayan salt lamp.

Secondly, it’s not just negative ions that affect the mood or atmosphere in an area, it’s the sheer volume of them that makes the difference.

The fresh outdoor feeling you get from a thunderstorm rolling through is caused by an explosion of negative ions created by lightning ,and rain washing contaminants out of the air.

There is also a distinctive smell left behind by a thunderstorm. The smell is ozone.

Negative ionizers also create ozone and it is one of the reasons they come under fire as an air cleaning method.

“But Himalayan salt lamps, if they create negative ions at all, do not manufacture enough ions to leave behind any dust, much less create enough that would be considered the volume to change the atmosphere in a room, and they leave no noticeable smell of ozone behind whatsoever.”

Verdict: Every action has a counter reaction and Himalayan salt lamps don’t have any of the side effects of a negative ionizer simply because they do not ionize air.
( Butt least they don’t generate high levels of ozone as a by-product. That’s healthy!)

They Are Hygroscopic

On this point, I’m not quite as skeptical.

It is known that humidity droplets can actually be microscopic containers that carry air pollutants like bacteria and viruses and help them travel further through a room.

Humidity is also a natural food source for mold spores and dust mites which are known household allergens.

And we all know how miserable humidity can be in certain climates and times of the year.

Consider this:

Himalayan salt lamps are known to attract moisture.

And most concerns about pink Himalayan salt lamps are about the device leaking or melting.

In truth Himalayan salt lamps neither leak or melt.

The water the gatherers on and around a salt lamp is humidity pulled out of the air by the salt.

Seeing is believing.

Unlike the ionic air purifier claims that people make about Himalayan salt lamps which offer no proof either by leaving behind dust or the residual smell of ozone that negative ions create,

A Himalayan salt lamp leaving behind a puddle of water is a very noticeable side effect that can be construed as the salt pulling moisture from the air.

And it is also a fact that sodium chloride(salt) can be used as a dehumidifier and is often stored in the basement to help reduce the natural humidity typically found in the basement.

So on this point, I would have to concede,

“It is possible that a pink Himalayan salt lamp can help purify the air by absorbing potentially harmful humidity droplets from the air.”

Though it is possible, keeping a Himalayan salt lamp will not reduce the humidity in your home nearly as well as turning the air conditioner on or running a dehumidifier.

And as a ionizer, forget it.

Are Himalayan salt lamps safe for cats?

The allure that salt lamps have for cats to lick them, potentially makes them a health hazard for felines and dogs if the lamp is placed where they can get to them.

The potential problem with keeping salt lamps around your animals is that salt can be very addicting for an animal to lick. And they will probably lick the salt till they’re sick or even worst case scenario, to the point of death.

That fact alone is enough to go with the fake version of Himalayan salt lamp in my house.

Why is my salt lamp leaking water?

Another issue that I rarely see people bringing up when it comes to Himalayan salt lamps is the maintenance involved to keep them.

I for one did not realize that you had to keep wiping them off or they would create a puddle underneath them.

It is actually suggested that you place a plastic bag over the salt lamp when it’s not in use so that it will not continue to pull moisture from the air and become sad.

(Yes, the moisture that gathers on the outside of the salt lamp is called crying. And they can get very sad if not attended to. Don’t be so insensitive.)

And the fact that they are so heavy and brittle is not something I anticipated.

Though they are very pretty and obviously add a nice ambience to the room.

I’m still glad I never bought a Himalayan salt lamp as a Christmas gift for someone without knowing how much attention they would need to give it.

On a positive note, if you happen to own a cow, Himalayan salt lamps make an excellent salt lick, chuck full of iron and minerals.
You may be sitting on a delicious glass of milk and didn’t even know it.

Also: Does a Humidifier Help With Dust?

Air Ionizer- What Is The Purpose? Are They Effective?

What is the purpose of an Air Ionizer? Are they effective? What about the dangers of ionizers? What’s up with that smell?

Air Ionizer purpose

ionizer definition

An Air Ionizer is an air cleaner that uses the polarity of ions to clear the Ambient air of allergens like pollen, bacterium, dust, and smoke.

How does an Ionizer work?

An ionizer works by emitting negatively charged ions into a room.

Because of their polarity, the emitted ions, instantly attach to the positively charged contaminants in the air.

The result is that the newly-formed particles are too heavy to float and fall to the surface and out of the ambient air you breathe.

Do Air Ionizers really work?

Air Ionizer Effectiveness

There are many benefits to using an ionizer.

1. Bacteria reduction

At the top of the list is the ability of an ionizer to kill bacteria rather than just capturing it in a filter.

A study concluded by the US national library of medicine stated that the ionizer had the ability to kill the bacteria and dramatically reduce its bacterial effect.

2.No filters

Secondly, even though an ionizer can work very well in concert with a HEPA air purifier, a stand alone air ionizer does not require filter replacements.

A big plus for those people looking for air purifier but trying to avoid a lifetime investment of air purifier replacement filters.

3.Whole house

Using ionizers in your HVAC ductwork can turn your central heat and air system into a whole house air purifier without putting strain on your handler for adding any significant change to your electric bill.

Other benefits of air ionizers include: reducing static electricity,
helping HEPA purifiers capture smaller particles and then there is the science of negative ions as a mood enhancer.

Air Ionizer ineffectiveness

For all of their benefits, ionizers do have their problems.

One of the main issues is that they leave the surfaces around the air cleaner dusty.

Anything with an opposite charge like a wall or TV screen located near the ionizer will tend to get extra dusty.

Bear in mind that all air purifiers require some type of maintenance or replacement parts.

So having to dust around the air purifier is just par for the course with an ionizer.

Also ions are limited in the distance that they can travel before dissipating.

That means that an ionizer works best only in a small area.

And then there is the point that ionizers create a low level of ozone as a by-product.

AIR IONIZER DANGERS.

Why do people say that ionizers can be dangerous?

It is because of the way they actually produce the ions.

Ionizers create ions through two different methods.

Needlepoint and or UV. Both methods create ozone as a by-product.

Ozone is dangerous to breathe at too high of levels.

Though most modern ionizers come equipped with a sensor to ensure that the machine cannot produce over the federal limit of .05 ppm acceptable ozone,

Some do not.

To avoid any type of risk relating to ozone in an Ionizer,

Simply use the machine in an unoccupied room and let it dissipate before using it again.

Ozone 03 is actually Oxygen 02 with a third molecule. When ozone collides with any type of contaminant, it oxidizes it and reverts back to oxygen.

Approaching an ionizer as a treatment rather than a 24/7 filtering air cleaner is a easy way to get all of the benefits of an air ionizer without taking a risk.

Air Ionizer Smell

If you have ever been around and Air ionizer, then you were aware of the smell that it generates.

The smell is ozone.

Most of the time it is described as the freshness that occurs after a thunderstorm.

The reason is, ozone is created by lightning.

Needlepoint ionizers are basically a type of lightning simulation mimicking the effects of a thunderstorm.

Though the smell of the ozone may be considered fresh after the rain rolls through, inside a closed area, it is more comparable to chlorine or antiseptic.

The strong smell of ozone can be downright pungent. If the smell coming from your ionizer seems extra sharp or pungent then there may be a problem.

Recap

The purpose of an ionizer is to clean the ambient air in a room or area by using the polarization of ions.

They work because ionized particles clump together and become too heavy to float. Clearing the air.

In some ways they are more effective than other types of air cleaners because of the ability of ions to damage virus and bacteria cells, leaving them inactive.

Another great benefit of an air ionizer is how well they work with a central heat and air system.

Placing specific ionizers in the HVAC ductwork can turn your air handler into a whole house air purifier without damaging your equipment or increasing your energy bill very much.

Weighing the good with the bad.

Ionizer in air purifiers have a lot of great benefits, but they have their not so shining moments to.

Stand-alone ionizers are limited to the amount of square footage they can cover.
Ions are very limited in the amount of space they can travel before they dissipate.
That also means that the surfaces around the air ionizer can get very dusty.
The walls and the monitors included.

And then there is this thing called ozone.

Because of the way ions are created in an ionizer, ozone is also created as a by-product.

Ozone is dangerous to breathe and can damage your lung tissue if you are exposed to too much for too long.

Ionizers create very little ozone, .05 ppm and under to comply with federal limits.

For this reason, ionizers, in many cases should be approached as a air cleaning treatment rather than the type of air purifier that you leave on 24/7.

Ozone, even in very low levels has an odor.

The smell of ozone is often described as an after a thunderstorm fresh fragrance.

I’m sure that’s true if you’re out on the beach.

But in a closed area, the smell of ozone can be much stronger and more reminiscent of chlorine or bleach.

An air ionizer that is running right should only produce a small smell of ozone.

If on the other hand the smell is very sharp or pungent, it is likely that there is a problem with your unit and you should have it checked.

An air ionizer is definitely the type of machine that you want to weigh the good and the bad before investing.

Because of there anti bacterial effect
and their efficiency as a whole house HVAC air purifier, my thumb is up.

Also:
What is a Ionizer Fan?

What Does An Air Purifier Do?

The ideal of an air purifier sounds amazing. A device to purify the ambient air , removing contaminants like dust mites, musty smells, second hand smoke, and pet allergens.

And when you factor in that indoor air can be much worse than the air outdoors. You understand.

But in the real world, What does an air purifier do? do all air purifiers actually live up to the promise?

How do air purifiers work?

The typical home air purifier uses a fan to pull air through a filter or a series of filters. As the air travels through the filter, the particulates in the air get caught, leaving the air pure as it exits.

The HEPA(high efficiency particulate absorber) filter that does the heavy lifting has to be replaced periodically to keep the air purifier working efficiently.

Filters run anywhere from $16.99 up to $38.99. Factor in the energy cost and you’re probably looking at at least $100 in additional cost to run your air purifier all year.

How often you change your filter depends on the Brand and type of air purifier you buy.

The pre filter in an a air purifier is usually washable because it is intended to filter out larger debris like hair before it reaches the dense HEPA.

HEPA filters are a very dense mesh of fiberglass and sometimes paper that are made specifically to capture particulates as small as .03 microns.

Giving their density and the materials they are made from, you should count on replacing them rather than trying to wash them.

Most air purifiers incorporate an activated carbon filter or filter layer to help reduce odors.

Activated carbon filters in air purifiers are usually made from charcoal.

Instead of being like a traditional filter, carbon or it’s more like a sponge that adsorbs gas molecules.

The porous nature of activated carbon makes them near impossible to clean.

Other air purifiers rely on ionization to clean the air.

Ionic air purifiers or Ionizers work by polarizing the air. By producing and emitting ions into the airstream, ionizers cause the particles in the air to bond together.

The result is that particles become too heavy to float and fall to the surface.

You will often find multi-tech air purifiers that come with both filters and a ionizer.

These two technologies work well together because ionizers can help clump particles together that otherwise may be too small for a filter to capture.

Ionizers also have other benefits that you cannot get from an air purifier that depends on filters alone.

Namely they can provide an anti bacterial effect that filters do not.

One government study using a Bi polar Ionizer ( Ionizer that emits both negative and positive ions) provided evidence that when virus and bacteria cells are surrounded with ions, the ions render the cells inactive.

Ionizers are intended to work as a air treatment other than an air purifier that is left on constantly.

Though not an excessive amount and under the federal allowance of
.05 ppm , Ionizers can create ozone as a by-product.

Ozone can be a breathing hazard if it allowed to build up.

Other air purifiers use Ultraviolet Irradiation.

Ultraviolet light is unique because in order for it to work it has to be focused directly on its intended target.

Obviously air is not something that can be targeted.

So using UV light as an air purifier is about locating the source of the air pollution and pointing the light directly on that.

1.One way of doing this is to purchase an air purifier that has a UV light that is focused on the HEPA filter. This works to reduce germ and bacteria growth on the filter.

2.The second way UV is used to prevent indoor air pollution is to place it above known mold sources like cooling coils and drip pans inside of HVAC systems.
(central heat and air handlers).

3.Thirdly, UV can be targeted on a titanium catalyst.

This type of air purifier is called a photocatalytic oxidation air purifier and it works by creating a blanket of hydroxyl ions and hydroperoxide ions that oxidize air pollutants rather than just weigh them down.

Should I buy an air purifier?

Air purifiers may not be the best end all solution for every type of breathing and household allergy issue.

For instance, if the air is too moist or on the other extreme to dry, there are times of the year when a humidifier or a dehumidifier would probably be be a better choice.

A humidifier in a dry climate or House can actually help with the air quality because adding moisture to the air will help dust fall and adhere to surfaces easier.

A dehumidifier in the hot muggy months can reduce dust mites and keep mold from forming and releasing mold spores into the air.

But though an air purifier may not be the end all solution for every type of air quality situation, it is useful all year long, we’re as you may not be able to say the same thing about a humidifier or a dehumidifier.

Final thoughts

What is an air purifier? What does it do?

An air purifier simply a device that removes particulates from the air.

Particulates can include pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores.

Most air purifiers perform like a fan that pulls air through a filter or a series of filters.

HEPA is the primary filter that is engineered to capture particles as small as .03 microns.

Ionizers are another type of air purifier that works by charging the air so that the particles in the air become polarized and clump together.

This provides the extra volume and weight that can make extra small particles large enough to be captured in a HEPA filter.

Be sure to take into account that air purifier filters must be changed semi frequently to allow for the air purifier to work efficiently.

Some air purifiers come with UV lights installed to help reduce the number of live bacteria colonies that can get trapped in a hepa filter. UV lights have about a one-year life. That is also something you should factor into the cost of an air purifier.

Ionizer In Air Purifier?

Are you thinking about purchasing an air cleaner and wondering what an ionizer in air purifier is? Or what it does?

Or do you have an air purifier with an ionizer and wondering how to use it or even if you should?

What does an ionizer do on an air purifier?

The ionizer on an air purifier helps clean the air by clumping together particles that are too small to be caught in a HEPA filter.

Though HEPA filters are engineer to capture particulates a small is .03 microns, other particles like viruses range in the size of .05 microns which is to small to be caught in a HEPA filter.

And ionizer will add an electric charge to the smaller particles that will cause them to bind together and become large enough to be filtered out.

Best Ionizer Air Purifier?

Not all ionizers are the same nor do they work at the same level.

The purpose of some ion air purifiers is essentially to polarize the air so that the particles in the air bind together and become to heavy to float and fall out of your breathing space.

But other types of ionizers are more sophisticated and actually do more to disinfect the air.

The best Ionizers employ photocatalytic oxidation and/or bipolar ionization
because they produce ions that can actually leave viruses inactive.

Do ionizers really work?

Among the most beneficial benefits of how an ionizer works is the effect that it can have on:

Bacteria and viruses reduction

Mood enhancement and anti-depressant

Static electricity

Bacterial suppression

According to one study , negative and positive ions react to form hydroxyls. Hydroxyls that render virion (virus particles) inactive.

In other words ionizers effectively reduce bacteria as well as helping the HEPA filter capture it.

Antidepressant

Believe it or not , there are studies that show that negative ions can actually help with depression. As it turns out there’s much more to getting outside and getting a breath of fresh air.

The gloomy are inside is actually the overabundance of positive ions.

Adding negative ions to a room is a way of balancing the overall mix of ions in the room and lightning the atmosphere.

Static electricity

Static electricity can be more than an annoyance. high enough levels can actually cause a dangerous shock.

It can also make your electronic device’s act screwy.

Ionizers are a great way of balancing out the ions in a room and reducing the
level of sparking in the atmosphere.

Ionizer air purifier side effects.

Some people want to know if air ionizers really work.

Yes they do really work and they have quite a few advantages ,

but for all their pros, they do have their cons.

If you ask some people, they may say yes they really work,

they really work at making everything dusty. Ha ha.

That is because dusty surfaces are one of the main side effects you can expect when using an ion air purifier.

Not only are the newly-formed particles that the ion machine is helping create extra heavy, they are also polarized.

That means they are going to be attracted to any surface with an opposite charge. Walls and television screens are the big items that get it the worst.

It’s important to keep your ionizer clean because you’ll find that the air purifier itself is one of the things that gets the dustiest.

And when it’s covered in dust, the amount of ions that can be emitted from the machine will be very minimal.

If you’re using a PCO ionizer, the catalyst on the ionizer so can be very fragile. So consider cleaning it with a can of air rather than dusting it off with a rag or brush.

Another side effect of ion air purifiers is ozone.

You can’t get around it.

Ozone is harmful to breathe in high levels and can even oxidize lung tissue when you were exposed to long to it.

Because of the way that ions are manufactured in an air machine, there is going to be a low level of ozone created with it as a byproduct.

Though the level is low. And usually below the federal limit of .05 ppm,

Ozone can still build up. And though the level of ozone may not be noticeable in a hundred square feet, the same air purifier in the bathroom would be Overkill.

The easiest way to get around being exposed to Ozone in an air purifier, even if it is just a low-level, is to approach the ionizer like an air treatment.

The type of air purifier that is best ran when there is no one around and left to dissipate.

That is the way that an actual ozone generator would be ran and since there is a low level of ozone being generated with ionized air, it makes sense to give the ionizer the same consideration.

The ionizer in air purifier is a tremendous piece of equipment that can do multiple things like.

1.Help a HEPA filter clean even smaller particulars from the air.

2.Reduce bacteria and viruses by rendering them inactive

3.Aid in alleviating depression. And make the atmosphere feel lighter.

4.Reduce static electricity by balancing the level of positive and negative ions in a room.

But for all the good use you can get out of an ionizer there are some side effects that are annoying and even be considered dangerous.

They can be annoying because even though they leave your air cleaner and easier to breathe, they also leave your surfaces dusty.

Because of the way ionizers bind particles together and polarize them,
The surfaces around and including the air cleaner tend to get very dusty.

The other annoyance and one that may be considered dangerous under the right circumstances is the fact that they create a low level of ozone as a byproduct.

Using your ionizer air purifier in the proper square footage that it is designed for are approaching it more as a air treatment is the best way to get the benefits of ionized air without experiencing any of the negative consequences of being exposed to too much ozone.

What Does Ozone Smell Like?
Air Ionizer
Ionizer Fan

Air Ionizer Benefits

It may be hard to believe, but did you know that the air quality inside your home or business can actually be more severely contaminated than the external air of a big industrial city.

And since a lot of research suggests that people spend as much as ninety percent of their time inside,

The health risk of being indoors can begin much higher than being outdoors.

Air purifiers are one way to reduce the risk associated with bad indoor quality.

But for consumers, it can be confusing knowing what type of air purifier does what, and picking one that is efficient and economical.

One of the more popular types of air cleaners available is the air ionizer.

An air ionizer is an electronic air purifier versus a filtering media type air purifier.

And there is a lot that can be said for that.

So what are the advantages of an air ionizer?

Benefits of air ionizers

Filterless
Low energy use
Render viruses inactive
Better for HVAC
Help HEPA filters work better
Remove static electricity
Mood enhancer

1.Ionizers are filterless

When you are looking for an air purifier, it won’t be long before you realize that you are in for a lifetime of filter replacements. At least the lifetime of the air purifier.

A fact that will quickly change the way you search for an air purifier.

That is also one the primary reasons that air ionizers seem attractive. They do not require you to ever replace or spend money on replacement air filters.

2. Ionizers reduce bacteria

Most air purifiers are filter based, meaning they work by pulling air through a filter or series of filters that capture contaminants out of the air.

They do not have any way of destroying
bacteria or viruses.

But there is a lot of evidence that ionizers do exactly that.

According to 2 separate articles from the National library of medicine, both PCO (photocatalytic oxidation) ionizers and bipolar plasma cluster air ionizers have been proven to be highly effective in the process of inactivation of airborne microbes including bacteria and viruses.

3. Ionizers are energy efficient.

Ionizers are very energy efficient and will run on mere pennies a day.

4. Central heat and air ionizer

A dirty HVAC (central heat and air unit)
Can be one of the primary sources of indoor air pollution in your home or building.

Because of the moisture and the absence of light inside of the system, mold growth inside of your air handler can become an issue.

The system you rely on for heat and air throughout your house can also become a indoor air pollution system distributing poor air throughout your home or building.

Induct UV air ionizers placed in the ductwork and plenum of your HVAC can stop mold growth at the source and clean the air from the whole house both coming in and out of the system.

Making your HVAC a whole house air purifier instead a source of bad air quality.

5. Help control static electricity

Static electricity happens when there’s an imbalance of either negative or positive ions in a room.

Though most of the time static electricity may be considered more of an annoyance than anything,

especially when it seems like you’re being shocked every time you brush up against someone.

But too much static electricity can be dangerous and actually cause someone with a heart problem to have a heart attack.

It can also bug out your devices. Items like smart phones that have keypads can become inoperable when exposed to static electricity.

Air ionizers can reduce static electricity by emitting positive and negative ions into a room,

thereby balancing the ratio between positive and negative ions that is causing static electricity to build up and arc across surfaces and people.

6. Help HEPA filters work better

Though one of the attractions of using an ionizer may be the ideal of not ever having to purchase replacement filters,

Running an ionizer can be a great benefit for helping HEPA air purifiers capture more contaminants from the air.

How? Ionizers work by essentially polarizing the air. Causing negative and positive ions to cling together combined with any contaminants in their way.

The result is, particles even as small as microbes will become larger and heavier.

Though HEPA filters are engineered to capture pollution as small as .03 microns, there are some types of airborne contaminants that are too small even still.

By using an ionizer to clump particles together they can become big enough for a HEPA filter to capture.

7. Negative ions Are mood enhancers

There are multiple studies that suggest that an abundance of negative ions in a room or area can be connected to light-heartedness or a general feeling of well-being.

Conversely, an area with too many positive ions can feel oppressive.

Negative ions have even been experimented with in relation to helping lower suicidal tendencies.

Conclusion

Air ionizers have many benefits

Among the most popular are the prospect of not having to replace filters.

It’s true. The majority of air purifiers on the market require replacement filters at least a couple of times a year.

Ionizers do not use filters. They work by electricity polarize the air and caused the contaminants in the room to be too heavy to float so that they fall or cling to the nearest surface.

Ionizers, specifically PCO and bipolar ionizers can do something that a filter is just not capable of.

And that is render bacteria and viruses inactive. Actually destroy germs instead of just capturing them.

But those who are not opposed to filter use, can find that an ionizer can greatly help their HEPA filters capacity to capture more pollutants from the air.

By clumping particles together, an ionizer makes it easier for a HEPA filter to be able to capture even smaller contaminants from the air.

Ionizers can also help with issues like static electricity.

Because static electricity happens when there’s an imbalance of ions in a room,

an ionizer can restore the balance of ions in a room ,

helping prevent the negative consequences of having too much static.

Finally air ionizers, specifically negative ionizers can help in a much different way than just reducing pollutants from the ambient air.

Negative ions have been found through many studies to create a feeling of happiness or light-heartedness.

Saturating the atmosphere with negative ions has also been tested successfully to relieve thoughts of suicide.

But there may be a dark side. There usually is. And for all the good benefits that can be derived from using an ionizer, they have their Achilles heel.

see
What Does an Ionizer Do?
Air Ionizer
Air Ionizer Dangers

How Does An Air Ionizer Work?

Air Ionizers work through polarity. By inundating the air with positively and negatively charged ions, Plasma Air Ionizers trap air pollutants in an ionic bond that becomes to heavy to float and falls to the surface.

There are actually 3 types of air ionizers there can be purchased.

Negative ion generator
Bi Polar Plasma cluster
Photo catalytic Oxidation

Here’s the rundown:

How Does a Negative ion generator work?

The negative ion generator is a simple machine that negatively charges particles and emits them into the air.

The ideal is that when the negative ions emitted from the machine combine with the positive ions already in the air, they clump together and become too heavy to float so they fall to the surface.

This process is intended to leave your Ambient air free of particles, making it healthier to breathe.

But as you might guess, they have an obvious downside.

They leave a layer of dust on and around your ionizer.

Also the word “surface” here, means the surrounding walls, television screens and computer monitors.

Another downside is that they require an electric spark to manufacturer ions.

A kind of “lightning simulation” that can creates a low level of ozone.

Though not technically an ozone generator because it does not specifically use Ozone gas as a air cleaning agent,

The fact that it creates any ozone at all puts it in another class of air cleaner.

The first class of air purifier being a filtering machine that is basically a fan that pulls air through a filter to captures air pollutants. Your friendly domestic set it and leave it device.

The second class of air purifier, and the one that ionizers fall under, should be viewed more as an air cleaning treatment that are not intended to be left on 24/7.

Ozone generators come listed with strict rules of use.
They are not operated in an occupied room.
And the room is left to completely dissipate before it is used again.

Though negative ionizers do not create near the level of ozone been a strict ozone generator does,

They nevertheless do create some ozone and ozone can build up.

Bi Polar Plasma cluster

Plasma cluster or bi polar air ionizers, as they’re also called, work by flooding the airstream with both polarities of ions as opposed to the negative ion generator that only emits negative ions.

When the negative and positive ions are released they instantly combine, snapping together and in the process trapping anything in the way with it.

And like other types of ionizers, they do clump together particles good make you are surfaces extra dusty.

But the real excitement about bipolar ionization is the effect that it has on pathogens.

When negative and positive ions surround a pathogen, they rob its hydrogen which make the bacterium inactive.

Effectively destroying viruses.

Photocatalytic air purifier ionizers

PCO Ionizers create oxidizing ions through process of combining ultraviolet light with titanium oxide in a hydrated environment.

This process creates a variety of redundant oxidizers that return to water and oxygen when they have reacted on a airborne contaminant.

The motherload of ions created in the photocatalytic process are hydroxyl and hydroperoxide ions.

These ions are basically the gas form of hydrogen peroxide, the topical disinfectant you pour over a cut or abrasion.

Imagine pouring hydrogen peroxide solution on every airborne contaminant floating through the air including the pollutants exposed on surfaces like countertops and tables.

This is essentially how a photocatalytic ionizer works.

The same disinfectant qualities of hydrogen peroxide but for the air.

But they do have their drawbacks.

Just like any other ionizer, they leave the surfaces around the ion generator particularly dusty.

And because they use ultraviolet light to target the titanium oxide catalyst, they create ozone as a by-product.

Benefits of ionizers

1. Filterless technology

It’s no secret that when you purchase an air purifier you are also invested in purchasing replacement filters for the life of that air purifier.

That is one of the main things that make ionizers attractive. They do not require regular maintenance or replacement filters.

2. Virus and bacteria reduction

The most popular air purifiers are HEPA air filter machines that pull air into a HEPA filter that is able to capture particular to smallest .03 microns.

Though very efficient and capable of dealing with most household allergens,
They can only filter contaminants and have no effect on viruses.

Both PCO and bipolar ionizers can effectively make viruses inactive.

3. Whole house air purification.

Combined with the HVAC central heat and air , induct Ionizers can purify the air coming in and leaving the system via the duct work.

Although you can purchase HEPA filters that fit in your HVAC, they can be to dense to allow for the free flowing air your system needs to operate efficiently.

The extra strain that using dense filters in your central heat and air can lead to extra energy cost and more repairs across the life of the unit.

Energy cost

Compared to HEPA filtering air purifiers, ionizers cost mere pennies to run per day. A huge advantage when you’re talking about cleaning the air throughout an entire building.

Finally

Even though one of the primary reasons people search for ionizers is the absence of replacement filters.

Combining a Ionizer with a Hepa filtering purifier is a great way to get the best of both worlds.

The reason is because ionizers clump particles together which makes them larger. Particles that otherwise may be to small to effectively be caught in a filter can be trapped easily by adding mass to them.

Today’s air purifiers combine multiple technologies to sensor and remove every type of indoor air pollution.

If you are searching for an Ionizer fan, consider broadening your search to include smart air purifiers.

see:

What Does Ozone Smell Like?

What Does an Ionizer Do?

Ion Air Purifier Dangers

Air Purifier or Dehumidifier For Mold?

Though mold and fungus maybe very beneficial as a decomposing agents in our environment, we certainly do not need their decomposing properties in our homes.

Mold can rot the structure of your home along with your carpet and wood work.

And it can also be the source for all types of respiratory issues and allergies.

Two of the most popular devices to help combat mold in the home and dehumidifiers and air purifiers.

Though they have two different functions, they both are able to tackle mold in their own way.

So which one is better?

An air purifier or dehumidifier for mold?

A dehumidifier has an advantage over an air purifier for mold because it can eliminate the source of mold which is humidity. Mold must already be present for an air purifier to be useful.

In other words, by eliminating humidity with a dehumidifier you can stop mold from growing before there becomes a need for an air purifier.

The function of a dehumidifier is to reduce the moisture in the air.

The function of an air purifier is to filter contaminants out of the air.

Many airborne contaminants like mold spores and dust mites need a high level of humidity to flourish. Humidity is their nourishment.

A dehumidifier can take the humidity out of the air, thereby taking away the nourishment for mold to grow and dust mites to thrive.

If mold is already present, a dehumidifier can help it from spreading further but an air purifier will be needed to eliminate mold spores from the ambient air. (The air you breathe)

Also if mold already exists, it will have to be cleaned up. Cleaning it up can disturb it and kick up mold spores into the air, once again creating a need for an air cleaner.

So as you can see, an air purifier and a dehumidifier work well hand-in-hand.

But…

Although a dehumidifier may have the advantage over an air purifier for mold during the hot muggy months,

It is not as useful in the cooler months and does not help to combat mold spores when the source of mold and fungi is not high climate humidity.

Winter comes with many mold abatement issues as well.

Melting ice combined with heated indoor air create an excellent breeding ground for mold.

Even though the indoor humidity may be very low, opportunities for mold to flourish can be abundant.

Air purifier vs. Dehumidifier for mold in the winter.

Most dehumidifiers need the temperature to be at least 60 degrees before they work properly.

That creates little use in the winter months for a dehumidifier.

An purifier on the other hand is useful for removing mold spores from the air all year long.

Eliminating the moisture out of the air to combat mold is only one weapon.

Other sources of mold can come in the form of cracked or leaky pipes and poorly sealed windows.

Another source for mold in the air is the HVAC central heat and air unit.

Because of the environment inside of the HVAC housing,

namely the condensation from the air conditioning coils combined with the lack of light,

Mold can form inside of the ductwork and become an indoor air pollution issue whenever the unit kicks on.

Because the source is easily identified as being the cooling coils and the drip pan.

UV lights can be mounted and targeted on the mold and mildew producing areas to keep mold from becoming an issue.

Indoor air purifiers can also replaced in the ductwork.

Induct Air purification technologies like photo catalytic oxidation are very effective at reducing mold.

By placing photocatalytic oxidation air purifiers inside of the ductwork of your central heat and air unit,

you can effectively turn your heat and air into a whole house air purifier that will not only reduce mold spores in the air, will also stop mold at the source before it becomes a problem.

In climates where humidity does not take a break in the fall or spring,

Whole house Dehumidifiers can be installed to work with the existing HVAC ductwork to reduce the humidity in the whole house.

Whole house dehumidifiers have a few distinct advantages over stand-alone dehumidifiers.

You don’t have to keep emptying the bucket. The condensate is piped to outside of the house.
The heat from the dehumidifier is kept in the Attic instead of being pumped into the room where you’re standing alone dehumidifier would be sitting.
They work for every room where there is ductwork ran.

Unfortunately it’s the basement that doesn’t have ductwork ran into it many times.

The typical basement is moist and the air quality is abysmal.

The basement is another area where a dehumidifier and an air purifier are needed to work hand-in-hand.

You can run an air purifier 24/7 in the basement to make the air breathable but until you do something to dry up the moisture, you’ll have a continual air quality problem in the basement.

That’s where the dehumidifier comes in. After ensuring that there is no broken or leaking pipes, running a dehumidifier in the basement to stop the source of mold spores and then running an air purifier to filter the existing mold spores,

You can make your basement and much more inhabitable spot in the house.

Conclusion

A dehumidifier can prevent mold before there is ever a need for an air purifier.

But when mold already exists, though a dehumidifier can slow its growth,

An air purifier is needed to reduce mold spore allergens from the air.

Also the presence of mold means that mold cleanup will be needed.

Disturbing mold can kick up mold spores in the air, again warranting the need of an air purifier.

But once the mold is removed and the air is filtered,

A dehumidifier will reduce the moisture in the air and help starve and stop any mold and fungi regrowth.

Dehumidifiers and air purifiers also come in whole house units that can be installed using the HVAC ductwork.

The added expense can be worth the benefits that come along with whole house dehumidification and air purification.

What Does An Ioniser Do?

Ionizers are one of those good, bad, and ugly subjects to discuss. For the amount of people that tout their benefits, there’s at least that many people lined up with issues against them.

What Does An Ionizer Do?

Ionizers charge the air, creating a balance of negative and positive ions.
In doing so they discharge static electricity and attach themselves to airborne particles that causes them to be too heavy to float so that they fall to the surface.

Ionizers are widely used in air cleaning because when ions combine with airborne particles, the particles clump together and provide the extra mass needed to be large enough to be captured in a HEPA filter. (High-efficiency particulate absorber)

Ionic air purifiers without filters are known to make the surrounding surfaces around the air purifier and the air purifier itself extra dusty.

Many of the surfaces that become extra dusty include the walls. Grey Wall syndrome is a phrase coined that describes the effects of polarized dust on walls.

Other surfaces that tend to accumulate dust when an ionizer is in use are television screens and computer monitors.

There are three different types of ionizers that are marketed today.

Negative Ion Generator
Photocatalytic Oxidation
Plasmacluster

What does a negative ion generator do?

A negative ion generator is just what it sounds like. A machine that generates negatively charged ions and emits into the airstream.

The reason the negative ion generators work is because the pollutants in the air are positively charged.

So once the negative ions are released they instantly combine with the positive ions because of polarity.

The newly-formed particles clump together to the point that they become too heavy to float and fall to the surface or get pulled into a particulate filter.

What is a photo catalytic oxidation ionizer do?

Photocatalytic oxidation or PCO for short is an ionizer that creates hydroperoxide ions through a process of combining ultraviolet light with a titanium oxide catalyst.

Photocatalytic oxidation ions not only provide weight to airborne pollutants like a negative ion generator, they disinfect the air similar to how hydrogen peroxide disinfects a cut or abrasion on your skin.

PCO ionizers are very good at reducing airborne bacteria and germs but must be used carefully to avoid ozone build up because of the use UV-C.

What do Plasma cluster ionizers do?

Plasmacluster ionizers emit both positive and negative ions. the release of both positive and negative ions create an instant polarity between the two that causes the ions to snap together and capture whatever pollution happens to be in the way at that moment.

by polarizing the air with equal amounts of positive and negative ions, the are essentially becomes its own air cleaner.

Both PCOS and plasma air purifiers are very efficient at reducing mold spores which makes them ideal for HVAC central heat and air units.

Air ioniSer dangers

The danger of using ionizers is the production of ozone that they create in the process. Ozone is dangerous to breathe and is a lung irritant.

The warnings often cited about ionizers is because of ozone generators being sold as domestic air cleaners.

Though ionizers are not considered an ozone generator, they do generate some ozone.

Most argue that it is not enough ozone to be harmful.

Most ionic air purifiers create less than .005 parts per million of ozone which is below the federal allowed limit.

But that doesn’t account for the square footage that the ionizer is intended to be used in, versus using the same ionizer too small of an area.

The ozone buildup would be too great.

Ozone as an industrial cleaner is never used in the vicinity of people and it is always left to completely dissipate before the area is used again.

So that creates a gray area for manufacturers who build ionic air cleaners.

The solution is to treat any ozone generator regardless if it is a commercial size unit specifically built to pump ozone gas,

Or if it is an ionizer on an air purifier the same in how it is used.

If you are using an ionizer or an air purifier with an ionizer, it should be viewed as an air cleaning treatment that is to be used when there is no one around and left to dissipate.

Even if the amount of ozone being created is not nearly amount of an ozone generator, ozone can still build up and be dangerous.

Ionizers remove static electricity

One thing that most people do not talk about when discussing what air ionizers do is their ability to remove static electricity.

Static electricity happens when there is an uneven balance of negative and positive ions in a room or small area.

Though static electricity is typically just a nuisance and a surprise when it gives you a low voltage shock, it can be very dangerous when it builds up high enough.

A large buildup of static electricity can cause gases to ignite and even cause a shock strong enough to stop your heart.

Static electricity is also known to have a bad effect on your electronics. Even causing devices like your phone keyboard to fail.

As a prevention and solution to reducing static electricity, ionizers are often used to create a balance of ions in the air to discharge static electricity and keep electrons from building up and jumping across from surface to surface.
An Ionizer Fan can protect you from static electricity issues and dangers.

Ionizers can lighten your mood.

In the now infamous WebMd article “Negative Ions create positive vibes“

Which states

“Negative ions are believed to produced by a chemical reactions that increase levels of moved chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy”

The article goes on to say that

“Columbia University studies of people with winter and chronic depression show that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants”

Maybe ion generators are a hidden health secret they can solve all the world’s problems. Lol.

But the things we know that ionizers do like disinfecting the air and discharging static electricity are remarkable enough to add them to our daily lives.