Category: Air Purifiers

What Does Ozone Smell Like In An Air Purifier?

What Does Ozone Smell Like?

Ozone or also known by it’s scientific name, Trioxygen (molecular oxygen that contains a highly reactive third atom) has a sharp, unmistakeably disinfectant smell
that is reminiscent of bleach or chlorine. It is often marketed as a “Fresh after a Thunderstorm Smell” because of its production from lightning, but ozone in a confined space is much more pungent.

 

what does ozone smell like


There has been a lot of controversy in the past about air purifiers creating ozone and whether or not ozone is dangerous.

Air purifiers come in different types with different technologies.

Some only filter air where as some would be considered a treatment for air.

Filtering air purifiers create zero ozone, either as a air cleaning mechanism or as a by product.

But other air purifiers use electricity to create ions ions that make the pollution in the air too heavy to float. These are typically called ionic or ionizers.

This type of air purifier does create ozone as a byproduct.

If you have an air purifier and you do not know if it creates ozone or not, there are a couple of indicators that you can easily look for yourself.

1.What Does Ozone Smell Like In An Air Purifier?

The smell of ozone from an air purifier has an antiseptic or bleach smell.

Even though it is generally advertised an “after a thunderstorm fresh smell“,
Strong ozone from an air purifier can be very pungent.

After all, ozone dissipation happens a lot easier outdoors in nature than it does in your living room.

Regardless of how strong the smell of ozone coming from the air purifier is, it will be noticeable. It is very unlikely that you will miss it.

On the flip side

If you smell your air purifier and there is no smell other than the general smell of plastic and adhesives, then your air purifier is more than likely not an ionizer.

uv ozone
2. Blue Light

The second way you can find out whether your air purifier creates ozone or not is there is generally a blue ultraviolet light shining from it somewhere.
Some UV lights do not create enough ozone for the smell to be noticeable.

Should you use your air purifier if you find out it creates ozone?

Ozone is a very effective air cleaning technology. Used properly, an ozone generator can completely eliminate stubborn odors like century-old third hand cigarette and pipe tobacco smoke.
Bacteria and viruses cannot survive in the face of ozone.

But, in the same way that ozone will completely oxidize every bit of air pollution in its way, it can also oxidize your lung tissue.

That makes it very dangerous to breathe. Especially if you have a pre-existing health condition like asthma.

So you are saying no. Do not use it, right?

No I am not saying that.

But you should absolutely not use ozone improperly.

You wouldn’t set your house on fire to warm your hands. And you wouldn’t step into a bathtub holding a hair dryer.

But yet, you use fire and electricity every single day in almost everything you do.

Ozone Generator Best Practices

Professionals who use ozone generators know that there are two rules if they must abide by in order to get the best result from ozone and stay safe from it too.

  •  they never operate an ozone generator in an occupied room. This includes people, animals, and plant life.
  •  they always allow for the ozone to completely dissipate before using the area again.

sun-ozoneSo why would an air purifier that creates ozone be different than a outright ozone generator?

Of course it’s the volume of ozone that is generated.

But does that mean because it’s a low volume of ozone let it can be breathed?

Use the same analogy with fire and electricity.

Will a little fire still burn you? Yes
Will a little electricity still shock you? Yes again.

So it is not the fact that ozone is being generated that is the problem.

It is the way that ozone is used and approached that is the problem.

Air purifiers that create ozone as a by-product are still ozone generators.

Since an ozone generator should not be used in an occupied room, it only stands to reason that an air purifier that creates ozone should be used in a like manner.

After all isn’t the complaint by the EPA referring to companies who knowingly sold ozone generators as domestic air cleaners without warning consumers about the dangers of ozone, even suggesting that there is no harm that can be had from them?

There is a simple rule that you can apply to home air purification:

  1. If it is strictly a filtering air purifier then it can be set and left on with no problems or dangers.
  2. But if it is an electronic ionizer, it should be left alone to do its thing and then aired out to make sure that no harmful levels ozone remain before using the room again.

You wouldn’t take a chance with electricity or fire, so why take the chance with ozone when there is an easy work around.

If you’re wondering whether you should try an ionizer we’ll just stick to the HEPA filter air purifier,

Let me just say that there is not much that a HEPA filtering air purifier cannot take care of, air pollution wise.

They are very efficient at removing common household allergens like dust mites, pollen, dander, and even spores.

Where the HEPA filter leaves off, there is usually an activated carbon filter to capture the rest , including gases and odors.

what does ozone smell likeAnd you never have to worry about being exposed to Ozone.

An easy choice.

But on the other hand, ionizers like PCO and plasma can do something that HEPA filters cannot.

They can actually destroy bacteria and viruses. Not just capture them in a filter.
PCO air purifiers not only disinfect the air, they disinfect the surfaces around the air purifier too.

Also ionizers are filterless air purifiers which can save you a bundle in replacement filters.

Thankfully, air purifier manufacturers know all this. That is why most of the latest air purifiers on the market employ both filtering and ionic technologies.

Smart air purifiers are the wave of the future.

Even though Ozone in an air purifier is usually spun as an ” after a thunderstorm fresh smell” , Strong ozone from a air purifier can be very pungent. 
After all , ozone dissipation happens a lot easier outdoors in nature than it does in your living room.

 

Air Purifier vs. Ozone Generator

What’s the difference between an air purifier and an ozone generator?

Do air purifiers create ozone?

How can you tell the difference between one that does and one that doesn’t?

Pretty important questions when you’re going in to purchase an air purifier.

Air purifier vs. Ozone generator

The most popular air purifier is a filtering device that works by pulling air through a series of filters that capture particulates out of the air stream.

An ozone generator is a machine that deliberately creates large amounts of ozone to treat a room. It does not filter air but disinfects it through the oxidizing function of 03. Ozone.

“Air purifier” is actually more of a generic term that encompasses all types of air purifiers and air purification technologies.

Some air purifiers use technologies that create ozone as a by-product which makes deciphering between a air purifier and an ozone generator that much more confusing.

It’s this gray area that causes so much confusion.

Air purifiers that do not create ozone.

The most popular air purifiers that do not create ozone are Hepa filter air purifiers.

These units at their most basic work like a fan pulling air through a series of filters which captures the pollution from of the air.

The reason these work so well is because HEPA filters can capture particulates as small as .03 microns which would include typical household allergens like pollen and pet dander.

The other filters included in the package are a pre-filter which are for capturing larger debris like hair and trash and the second other type of filter is made from activated carbon which works more like a sponge that absorbs pollutants like gases and odors.

They create absolutely zero ozone.
and they top the list of safe air purifiers.

Do air purifiers create ozoneA second type of air cleaner creates zero ozone is an “Air Washer”.

This kind of air purifier uses water to wash the air. The ideal is water is drawn into the machine where it is scrubbed, then released out the other side clean.

The advantage these have over HEPA air cleaners is that they do not require any type of filter replacement ever.

Air washers create residual humidity and also come as air purifier- humidifier hybrids.

Their main disadvantage is that they do add humidity to the air which is not something you necessarily need all year long. Especially in the hot muggy summer months.

Air purifiers that do create ozone as a byproduct.

Ionizers are air cleaners that even though they do not use ozone specifically to clean the air, they do create residual ozone as a by-product.

A lot of people would stop you right there and ask why would you even bother using them then since ozone is unsafe to breathe?

One reason ionizers are popular is that they are completely filterless so it cuts out the need for replacement filters.

But more importantly than that, they can do something that other purifiers just can’t.

They actually disinfect and destroy the bacteria in the air where as a filter can only capture it.

When it comes to pollutants like viruses and bacteria, ionizers, and even more specifically PCO ionizers and plasma clustering ionizers have a markable advantage over Hepa.

But there are other downsides do ionizers besides residual ozone, namely that they leave the surfaces in the room extra dusty.

That’s because they work by polarizing the air, which causes the negative and positive particles in the air to combine.

After they combine and clump together, they become too heavy to float and fall to the surface.

“Surface” can also mean the wall around the air purifier.

Are ionizers safeAre ionizers safe?

Ionizer Air Purifier Side Effects

Most ionizers do not create enough ozone to be dangerous but “most” is not good enough.

One of the problems according to the EPA is that even though an ionizer that creates a specific amount of ozone may be safe in one sized area, the same ionizer may create much too much ozone in a smaller area.

The problem is that even though the amount of ozone being created is much lower than an actual ozone generator, they are still technically ozone generators because they do generate ozone.

What’s the solution?

The easiest solution is to change the way an ionizer is used compared to a filtering purifier.

Let me put it this way.

When a professional operates an ozone generator, he or she has to abide by a couple of strict rules.

1. The ozone machine cannot be operated in an occupied room. Regardless if it’s a person, a pet, or even plants

2. the second rule is that the room has to have plenty of time to air out before it is used again.

Should ionizers be used the same way that ozone generators are used?

It’s not a bad idea.

If you change your approach to ionizers from being a domestic alternative to Hepa air purifiers,

to a machine that is intentionally meant to treat the air and not be operated around people,

The problem would be solved.

You could enjoy the benefits of ionic ozone creating air purifiers without ever experiencing any negative side effects from breathing ozone.

But there are some instances when an air purifier is not going to be able to rid an area of strong odors or high concentrations of mold and bacteria.

This is when the big guns have to be called in.

Ozone generator.

Ozone generators can virtually eliminate any airborne contaminant and attack and remove the source of strong lingering odors.

Ozonators are usually operated by professionals to completely remove the smell of third-hand smoke from a house or vehicle. What does ozone smell like?

Since tobacco smoke has a sticky residue , he can be very hard to get rid of.

And ozone generator can create large amounts of highly reactive oxidants that follow the path of cigarette smoke and destroy it and the residue keeping it glued inside of the room.

But unlike an air purifier, it is not ever operating in the company of people or animals. Many professionals remove plants from the area before using the generator also.

Letting the room air completely out is also very important after using an ozone generator.
30 minutes is the minimum but you want to wait before reusing a room treated with ozone.
But it doesn’t hurt to err on the safe side and give it more like a couple of hours.

Are Air Purifiers Safe For Cats?

I have two cats. Both girls. One is named Lucky and one is named Merida.

They are both rescue cats brought home by my lovely wife who is a bleeding-heart mercenary who’s also populated our home with two dogs and two rats.

At any given moment, When I am at home, I have a cat sitting in my lap or draped across my chest when I’m laying down.

I also have two air purifiers. One air purifier is a HEPA filter type and my other air purifier is a photocatalytic oxidation air purifier.

Cats tend to be into everything, so safety is a concern not only for the cats but also for the humans that have to live with the cats.

Are air purifiers safe for cats?

HEPA Air purifiers are absolutely safe for cats. They work by pulling air through a series of filters that capture the pollutants out of the air. That simple. Nothing that could harm a cat.

Almost nothing. If your cat has a habit of sitting on top of the air purifier or sleeping right next to it then there is the possibility that the cat is inhaling a lot of garbage that is being pulled toward him or her by the air purifier.

In other words, by sitting where the air purifier is, he or she could be a direct target.

Also if the air purifier has not been maintained and the filter is extra dirty, sleeping right next to the air purifier would mean being exposed to the germs on the filter.

Are air purifiers harmful to catsHonestly my cats don’t seem too interested in the air purifier and I haven’t noticed them sleeping next to it.

Another concern might be the electrical cord. But no more so than any other appliance. Cats don’t seem too interested in extension cords either.

My other air purifier is a PCO air purifier. That stands for photo catalytic oxidation.

That air purifier is more like an air treatment than it is a fan.

The PCO air purifier has a lot more potential to be dangerous to animals for a couple of reasons.

One it has a glowing blue UV light illuminating out of the top of it.

Staring at it is about like staring at the sun. It will eventually burn your eyes.

I don’t put it past the cats to stare at the bulb.

And two, it creates ozone is a by-product. You can smell it every time the ozone interacts with any pollution in the air.

It’s not a rash amount of ozone but ozone and still ozone and it can build up in a confined area.

Ozone is a known lung irritant go cats may have nine lives I’m not sure that means they have 9 sets of lungs.

Regardless of whether or not the machine creates a lot of ozone or not, it is technically still a ozone generator since ozone is being generated.

And to me that puts it in a different category than the HEPA cleaner.

Two different types of air purifiers

  1. One that you can set it up and leave it on.
  2. And one that you run when there’s no one home.

PCO is a run it when there’s no one home type.

And that includes the animals. They go outside or in the garage when I use that air purifier.

It sounds like more of a hassle then the HEPA filter,

But you have to remember, PCO air purifiers do something that HEPA purifiers can’t.
They actually disinfect the air as well as the surface is in the room.
Also they don’t use a filter and that’s a big plus.

But if I had to decide on one or the other, I would go with the HEPA filter air purifier over the photocatalytic oxidation air purifier for animals.

Not only for the cat’s sake but for my sake too.
Though the PCO air purifier is better at getting rid of pet dander it doesn’t do much of anything for pet hair.

The reason is, it is essentially an ionic air purifier the charges the air and clumps the particles together.
When the particles get heavy enough they fall to the surface.

When you’re talking about cats, cat hair is one of the worst things about having felines.

To help control cat hair, you have to have a filter to catch it. Ions can’t cut it.

Also by reducing the amount of cat hair, you are reducing the pet dander
Because dander is actually bacteria on the hair the gets there by the cat licking itself.

Conclusion

Air purifiers are safe for cats as long as you are using a HEPA filter type. HEPA filters basically capture pollutants being pulled into them by a fan. Nothing harmful for cats.

Other air purifiers like photocatalytic oxidation work more as an air treatment. It’s because they use ionic technologies that create ozone as a by-product.

They are very efficient because they are not just capturing pollution, they are disinfecting the air as well as the services around the machine.

But because they create ozone as a by-product, operating them in the same room as animals or humans can result in breathing issues.

Ozone is better left to only using it in an unoccupied room and letting it air  completely out.

As far as a air purifier for Cats goes, the HEPA air purifier is the better choice.

The reason is, cat hair.

PCO ionic air purifiers don’t do much of nothing for hair.

Filtering air purifiers can reduce cat hair thereby reducing the pet dander that is on the hair.

Air Purifier vs. Open Window

Air purifiers are pretty neat devices that can help alleviate allergy symptoms related to air pollutants such as pollen and pet dander as well as dust mites when you’re stuck indoors with the windows and doors shut tight.

But even though they can do many things to help regulate your indoor air and protect you from the effects of indoor air pollution, isn’t there sometimes you got to be thinking, wouldn’t it be better to just open a window?

Air purifier vs. Open window

Times when opening a window makes more sense than running an air purifier

1. Kitchen smells

Wouldn’t it be lovely if all the smells coming from the kitchen where blueberry muffins and and the smell of freshly cooked bacon creeping into your room as your waking up?
Unfortunately that’s not always the case.
Odors like bacon grease burning on electric burners and souffles forgotten in the oven can leave your house with streams of smoke pulsating through the air.
Face it. There’s not much in air purifiers going to do add that moment in time. Opening the doors and the windows is about the only option you have at that point.

2. In the late morning and mid-afternoon.

In other words the two times of the day when traffic is calmed down and pollutants from exhaust aren’t as existent.

Fresh air flowing through the house during these times of day is very beneficial to reducing the amount of bacterium in the air.

The sun is the most powerful UV disinfecting lamps known to man.

Opening a window so that the stale indoor air can exchange with the vibrant ionic outdoor air is vital to avoid airborne bacteria from saturating the indoor air.

3. Winter

Yes, you heard right. Winter. The same air causing condensation to build up on your windows in the winter can also cause mold and mildew.

Though it may be freezing outside, it is still important to open the windows for a little while during the day even if it’s just for a few minutes.

That will help exchange the damp Moldy for cleaner air insufficiently ventilate your home to keep mold from becoming an issue.

Can you run an air purifier with the window open?

There’s absolutely no problem with running an air purifier with the window open. A window open on the opposite side of the house will actually help the air to circulate better and move through your air purifier easier.

The same thing with an ionizer.
An open window on the other side of the room can help ions move through the air a little further before they dissipate.

There are a couple of caveats to this though.

Opening all the windows will just mean that you’re trying to filter the outdoor air. Not exactly the point.

Also placing your air purifier right next to a window is useless because again you are mainly filtering the outdoor air.

An open window right next to an ionizer in a air purifier will just suck all the ions out the window.

Are there times when you should only use an air purifier and not open a window?

1. Air pollution

Yes when the outdoor air quality is bad, for instance if you live next to a factory or a highway, you should run your air purifier without any open doors or windows open.

Unfortunately many people do not have the luxury opening the windows because of the amount of exhaust
Streaming in their local airstream.

2. Air conditioning

Opening the windows or doors with the air conditioner on is a waste of energy because it lets the cool air out.
But also because most air conditioners especially central air conditioners are extremely Dusty and full of mold spores, keeping an air purifier running with the HVAC running is imperative keeping the air clean.

After all the main point of an air purifier is to clean the air indoors when you do not have access to fresh clean air coming into the room.

Conclusion

Air purifiers are a supplement to fresh air.
Fresh air is naturally sanitize because of the ultraviolet rays of the sun disinfecting and invigorating the air the ions.

Opening a window in replacing the stale indoor air with fresh air is always preferable to having two use an artificial air cleaner.

There are also times been an air purifier just will not cut it.

Extra strong fumes from a cleaner or a batch of cookies being burned in the oven can leave the air too polluted at once for an air purifier to do much about it.

Opening the doors and the windows is what you got at that point.

But with all that being said, there are definitely times when an air purifier is needed to maintain healthy are inside of your home.

Unfortunately we all can’t live in an area where cool country air refreshes our day by simply opening a window.

When the air outside just means smog,
Keeping the Windows shut and the air purifiers running is essential.

Exhaust fumes from high traffic and factories can cause serious health issues.

Also there are different times of the year mainly the cold winter months and the hot summer months when it is much harder to schedule a time when opening the windows for a few minutes a day becomes feasible.

It’s during those times that you were relying on heating and Air conditioning to control the climate inside of your home.

Thank God you have heating and air but along with being cool and warm  comes a generation of indoor air pollution.

Air purification becomes essential when it becomes essential to keep the doors and window seal tight to prevent the outdoor air from coming inside because of the elements or better quality from smog.

Ionizers vs. Ozone

Most if not all controversy around using an air ionizer is based around the ideal that ionizers create ozone as a by-product and that ozone is horribly unsafe.

There are many proponents of using ionizers and ozonators. There are also many people including government sources that say that the benefits of using these machines do not outweigh the harm they can cause.

Ionizer vs. Ozone

What is an air ionizer?

An air ionizer generates negatively charged ions and then releases them into the airstream. They attach themselves to particulates through polarity which become too heavy to float and fall to the ground or surface.

What is an ozone generator?

A ozone generator deliberately produces Ozone gas. Also called activated oxygen, or the third molecule of oxygen, when does third molecule comes in contact with a contaminant, it changes its structure or oxidizes it.
Is then returns back to oxygen.

The issue is that ozone is dangerous to breathe. It is so highly reactive that it will decompose your lung tissue when it is inhaled at link or in large enough quantities.

Left at that, most of us would just say, what the heck? I thought the air purifiers were supposed to clean the air not make it dangerous to breathe. Why would I want to mess with that?

True.

But if we apply the same type of logic to other potent energies like electricity or gas, we would be living in the dark with no heat.

We wouldn’t have electricity running to our homes because we could potentially be shocked and killed by it.

We wouldn’t have heat because of the danger of gas exploding.

The thing is that Ozone is the best disinfectant for destroying bacteria known to man. Ozone Smell.

But like any potent energy, it must be harnessed and used safely.

And

Negative ions are very beneficial to the atmosphere and are instrumental in naturally clearing the ambient air that we breathe outside everyday.

One government study shows that ion generators that create both positive and negative ions cluster around airborne particles that’s still the particles hydrogen atom, which creates a hole in the particles outer protein membrane rendering it inactive.

Are you saying that ionizers can actually render airborne bacteria harmless?

Yes.

Ionizer air purifier good or bad?

Most definitely good. Ionizers have the capacity to remove ultra fine airborne particulates that HEPA filters that are designed to capture .03 microns cannot do.

Also an Ionizer working along with a HEPA filters help clump fine particulates together so that they become large enough for the filter to capture.

Many other studies exist that expound on the effect that negative ions have on persons suffering from depression.
In the now famous article by WebMD, Columbia University found that negative ions relieve depression as much as antidepressants.

Very interesting.

ARE IONIZERS DANGEROUS?

Most ionizers do not create enough ozone to be considered and ozone generator. But nevertheless, they do in fact create ozone as a by-product. So an ionizer in a wrong space could be considered dangerous.

The fundamental issue is that ozone should not be used in the vicinity of people or pets or plants

But there are many ionizers that come with an ozone dial to be able to turn the ozone up.

Many times the dial is called a “while you’re away” setting.

That simply means that the ozone level is going to be too high to breathe on that setting and you should not run it while you’re in the house.

And that is where the fine line is.

Most people think of an air purifier as a device that you can set up in the back of the room behind some plants then turn it on and leave it on.

In the case of an air purifier that uses filters as its only cleaning source, although not the best way to get the most out of the air cleaner, it is still perfectly fine to do so.

But with ionizers, turning them on and leaving them on can cause ozone to build up to an uncomfortable or even dangerous level.

So to prevent exposure to Ozone,
Why not use the same precautions with an ionizer that is used with a Ozone gas generator.

Simply use the ionizer when there is no people or pets around.

The point is, why should you throw away the amazing benefits of using an ionizer when adjusting how you use the ionizer could prevent ever being exposed to ozone and still allow you to enjoy the benefits?

An even better solution.

Invest in a smart air purifier.

There are many air purifiers on the market these days that incorporate air quality sensors to monitor your indoor air quality and communicate when to turn the air purifier on and off based on
the actual pollution in your air.

These are purifiers incorporate ionic and filter based technologies working together.
They also never generate dangerous levels of ozone.

And just like anything else in our modern world, you can receive alerts as well as schedule your air cleaning via your smartphone.

Another better solution to the stand alone air ionizer.

Induct air purifiers

In duct air purifiers are installed into the ductwork of your HVAC central heat and air system.

These air purifiers use plasma and PCO ionizers to clean the air inside of your
HVAC plenum and ductwork.

They essentially turn your central heat and air system into a whole house air purifier.

This works remarkably well because the HVAC is not only the source of warm and cool air that comes into your home, it is also one of the main sources of indoor air pollution including mold spores and dust mites.

Since these units are hidden away inside the ductwork and attic, the small amount of ozone generated dissipates before entering the airstream.

Summary

The difference between an ionizer and ozone is that the main function of an air ionizer is to generate negative ions and discharge them into a room.

Where as an ozone generator deliberately generates Ozone gas that is used to oxidize and disinfect every molecule in its way.

The similarities begin because ionizers with fans generate a small amount of ozone as a byproduct.

Though it is generally recognized that the amount of ozone then an ionizer creates is not enough to make the device considered an ozone machine,

Even placing an ionizer in a smaller area than it is intended can create a harmful amount of ozone.

But the benefits of ions and ozone cannot be ignored and should not be thrown away because just like any other potent energy, there are ways to use ozone safely.

An ozone generator should never be used around people, pets, or plants.

This is the first safety regulation you will find with any ozone generation.

And just because someone labeled air ionizers as home air purifiers does not mean that the ozone generated by these should be respected any less.

You can still get the great benefits of ions without being in the same room with the ionizer.

These devices should be timed to run when you are not home or when the area is not going to be occupied for a while.

A Simple solution.

A better solution.

A smart air purifier uses air quality sensors to control when an air purifier is running and when it is not according to the amount of pollution in the air.
These air purifiers will not allow ozone to be generated in a dangerous level ever.

See also:

What does an Ionizer Do?
Air Ionizer
Filterless Air Purification

 

Are Air Purifiers Safe?

Let’s face it if you’re asking a question like whether or not air purifiers are safe? then there has to be a reason why you’re asking it. A reason you have to believe that they are not.

Because why would that even be a question?

Wouldn’t you just presume that an air purifier cleans the air and that cleaner air is better to breathe than polluted air?

The thing is..

We’ve all seen hundreds of ads on TV that recommend medications that in the end can result in drastic side effects.

Air purifiers have the same kind of reputation.

A fear that even though the outcome should be air that is easier to breathe,
there could be dangerous side effects that make the opposite true.

So why wouldn’t you be skeptical?

You should be.

I believe the main reason that people could have the ideal that air purifiers are dangerous is that they believe or have been told that air purifiers create dangerous ozone.

So let me share with you what I believed to be the truth about air purifier safety.

Are air purifiers safe?

The most popular air purifiers on the market use HEPA (High Efficient Particulate Air) and Carbon to Filter Airborne Contaminants like pollen, Dust Mites, and Odors, and are absolutely safe. No question.
Safety concerns for air cleaners only arise when ozone is introduced through an ionizer. Ozone is a lung irritant and can trigger asthma attacks. If you stay with HEPA and Carbon filters, you will be safe from any type of danger associated with air purifiers.

If you are in the market for an air purifier that leaves no question of its safety, and performs very well, then you should narrow your search for air purifiers that use HEPA filters and carbon filters and create no ozone.

HEPA filters are the standard for hospitals and can capture air pollutants as small as .03 microns.

Carbon filters work like a sponge that adsorbs gases along with the odors that the gases emit.

These air purifiers work very well to remove particulates like pollen and dander,
and help control dust mites.

That’s good enough.

Enough said. The question is satisfactorily answered.

Are air ionizers safeBut..

The other biggest segment air purifiers on the market are ionic air purifiers or ionizers.

And here is where it starts to get hazy. Pun intended.

The Dark Side.

Ionizers are basically machines that polarize the air so that the particles in the air  become charged and attach to each other.

The result is that become too heavy to float and they fall out show the ambient air (air that you breathe).

The problem is that they generate a small amount of ozone in the process of polarizing the air.

Stop..

Shouldn’t that just be the end of the conversation?

HEPA good. Ionizers bad?

Why would you possibly want to use a machine that creates any type of ozone as a by-product?

Good question

Isn’t it just a little bit weird that so many air purifier manufacturers use technologies that knowingly generate ozone, even if it is just a small amount?

Is everyone just out for a buck even when it means harming people?

No I don’t believe that.

The reason is ionizers can do something if the other air purifiers can’t.

Ionizers can destroy bacteria and render viruses inactive.

That is something that a HEPA air purifier cannot do.

There are some ionizers, ones that use photocatalytic oxidation to create ions,

That not only disinfect the air, they disinfect the countertops, tables, and other surfaces in the room as well.

Truly amazing.

So am I suggesting that because ions have an effect on germs that effectively destroys them,

that you should just put up with the ozone created and accept any lung tissue damage as your parting gift?

Not at all.

I am not saying that ozone is not dangerous to breathe in any way.

Are ionizers safe?

Ionizers are safe as long as you stick the rules of safety like making sure you are using it in the designed space it is made for. The real problem that ionizers have is that there have been companies that have sold ozone generators as in home air cleaners. The Environmental Protection Agency targets companies that sold ozone generators as air cleaners right in their title.

In other words it’s not that ozone is used, but how it is used.

Ozone generators are used in many industries because of their capacity to destroy almost every contaminant whether it be in air or water.

But there are some strict rules when using ozone.

1.They should never be used in an occupied room. Whether it be people pets or even plants.

2. The room should be allowed to sufficiently air out before people return.

There are many ionizers that do not create enough ozone to be noticeable or an issue.
But there are ionizers that do create more ozone that can be smelled.

To use an ionizer safely, you should give it the same respect as you give an ozone generator.

Make sure the room is unoccupied before running it and then wait a while for the air in the room to dissipate a while before using it again.

A good analogy is using bleach to clean the bathroom. You know that it’s going to disinfect everything in the room but when you’re done you’re going to have to let it air out before using it comfortably again.

Air purifiers with multiple technologies.

There are many air purifiers that use HEPA and carbon filters as well as ionizers built into the machines.

These technologies work together well.

One way and ionizer can help a HEPA filter is that it can clump particles together and make them big enough to be captured into the HEPA filter.

Another way is charging the filter itself so that it becomes a magnetic field to attract the positive ions (air pollutants)
into the filter.

air purifier safetyConclusion

Air purifiers are very safe to use when they are properly maintained and used correctly.

Most air purifiers are technically just a fan that pulls airborne contaminants through a series of filters.

These air purifiers do not use any electricity other than to power the fan.

The only danger in using one of these air purifiers is electrical shock. But it is the same warning that you have on any other electrical appliance that has to be plugged into an outlet.

But the other most popular type of air purifier is an ionizer.

It note on uses electricity coming from the wall, it uses electricity to polarize the particles in the air.

During the process a small amount of ozone is created.

Ozone is a lung irritant that can exasperate breathing problems and bring on an asthma attack.

Most people would say that you should not use any type of air purifier that creates a ozone by product for that exact reason.

But if you stop right there, you would be missing out on some amazing abilities that ionizers possess.

Ionizers, and more specifically PCO ionizers have the ability to disinfect your air and surfaces, actually rendering germs and viruses inactive.

That is something that a HEPA filter air purifier cannot do.

How to use an ionizer safely

Ozone is used in many industries safely including air purification and water.

The only difference is that professionals who use ozone do so under a couple of strict guidelines.

They do not operate them in an area occupied by people, animals, or plants.

And they let the area completely air out before using it again.

Even though ionizers do not manufacture the level of ozone that a ozone generator does,

does not mean that you should not respect the ozone even at a lower level.

Running your ionizer in an unoccupied room and allowing any ozone to dissipate before using the room again is a perfectly safe way of getting the benefits of an ionizer without any threat of dangerous exposure to Ozone.

Do Air Purifiers Make The Room Stuffy?

What is stuffy air? What does it mean when somebody says the room is stuffy?

Stuffy air means – there is stuff in the air.

What kind of stuff? Yucky stuff.
Stuff like dust mites, bacteria.
Stuff like pet dander and  pollen.
Stuff like volatile organic compounds from adhesive and paints, cleaners and aerosols.

Yikes

Can an air purifier make you stuffy?

Yes there are a couple of ways or air purifier can make you feel stuffy.

  1.  Placement – the air purifier is positioned in a way that it is filtering towards you, making the air directly around you extra junky.
  2.  Maintenance- filters are getting too dirty remove air particles and are becoming a source for air pollution.

There are some appliances but you may want right next to you , like say a fan.

But in the case of air purifier, keeping it right next to your easy chair or bedside can mean that you were pulling all the garbage in the air toward yourself.

Positioning the air purifier to where it’s pulling the air contaminants away from you and your family can help you get the intended result from the unit.

Can an air purifiers make you dizzy?

Maintaining the filter on an air purifier is crucial to the air purifier being able to do its job. If the filters are too dirty,
Not only is the purifier not able to filter the particles in the air that can make you feel stuffy,
The filters themselves can become a  source of indoor air pollution.

And that returns you to the point that if you are sitting next to a air purifier that has a nasty germy filter in it, then that is going to affect the air directly around the air purifier and you too.

Dizziness can be a symptom of an allergic reaction to the junk sitting in a badly positioned, poorly maintained air purifier.

The point of an air purifier is to remove the stuff from the air that makes you feel stuffy. To create a space where you can breathe clean air.

Can an air purifiers make you dizzyHumidity air purifier?

A stuffy feeling is better contributed to the humidity in the air.

Not only does Humidity make the air thick and harder to breathe,

It’s tiny droplets also become containers that help move air pollutants like mold spores further into a room.

Air purifiers do nothing to add or take away moisture in an area.

When the humidity is high, a dehumidifier is a better device because it will not only reduce the amount of humidity in the air,

It will also, by reducing the moisture in the air, reduce the source of nourishment for common indoor allergens like dust mites and mold spores.

In other words, by reducing the humidity, you reduce the pollution in the air at the same time.

Dust mite stuffy nose

Symptoms like pressure in the face and nasal congestion that can be considered a stuffy feeling, can also be contributed to a dust mite allergy.

Dust mites. Dehumidifier or air purifier?

Both.  Dehumidifiers work better for the reduction of dust mites in the high humidity months, but since high humidity is seasonal and dust mites or not, air purifiers are more useful all year long.

Dust mites flourish when the humidity is high. Dust mite populations soar when there is extra moisture in the air to feed on.

But do you know what do dust mites also flourish in?

You guessed it. Dust.

Often a room that is closed up without windows like a damp basement is referred to as being stuffy.

What does a damp basement have in common with these issues we have been discussing?

That’s right.  They are humid and dusty.

What else in the home is there that can contribute to the amount of dust mites and mold spores to the air content?

The HVAC. (Central heat and air conditioning)

Air conditioning stuffy nose

Air conditioning ducts are a Haven for dust mites.
not only because of the amount of dust and dirt inside of the ductwork,
It is also because of the high level of moisture inside of the machine because the condensation created by the cooling coils.

Central heat and air units or a major contributor to indoor air pollution because of these factors.

If your ductwork and drip pans are not maintained, then the same machine that is used to heat and cool the home can become a whole house source of indoor air pollutants.

Conclusion

Do air purifiers make you feel stuffy?

Though there are reasons why a air purifier can be causing you to feel stuffy.

Specifically that they are placed wrong or that they are not being well maintained as far as keeping the filters replaced and cleaned,

The reason a room feels stuffy should not be contributed to the air purifier as much as it should be blamed on the amount of stuff in your air.

Humidity and dust are the two main factors when a room feels stuffy.

Not only does humidity make the air dense and harder to breathe, it becomes a source of nutrition for dust mites and mold and mildew to grow that causes the mold spore population to grow as well.

Dust mites along with pollen and mold spores are among the most common household allergens that can create a feeling of having a stuffy or blocked face.

During the high humidity months of the year, running a dehumidifier will help reduce the dust mite and molds for population as well as make the air easier to breathe.

But since high humidity is only a problem for a few months of the year, a dehumidifier is generally only a device that comes out of the closet for a few months.

On the other hand, a air purifier will help reduce indoor allergens like dust mites and spores all year long.

Dehumidifier and  air purifier combo

There are plenty of dehumidifier and air purifier combination appliances available.
But since the dehumidifier is a rather bulky box looking appliance that puts out a ton of heat and is only useful for a few months of the year, having my air purifier connected to it when I don’t need it is not the best Idea. My opinion.

But there are worse ideals and it is certainly useful to have a dehumidifier handy with your air purifier when you need it and vice versa.

 

Can Air Purifiers Make You Sick?

It’s generally accepted that the point of an air purifier is to clean the air and that clean air is healthier to breathe than polluted air.
Who could argue with that point?

So how is it that people can make the claim that their air purifier is making them sick?
Or that they Aggravate Pre-Existing Conditions?

Can symptoms like headaches dizziness dry cough wheezing be contributed to an air purifier?

Can air purifiers make you sick?

Yes. Air purifiers can make you sick in three different ways

  1. You’re sitting too close to it.
  2. filter not maintained
  3. Ionizer is releasing too much ozone and too confined of a space.

A well maintained air purifier that is being used in the proper space in the proper way can only enhance your health and well-being and won’t make you sick.

but if you feel like you are experiencing some symptoms that could be related to the air purifier in your room, then there are a few points you can run through to see if you’re using your air purifier right.

Air purifier placement

  1. You’re sitting or sleeping too close to your air purifier.

When you first buy a small air purifier for your living room or bedroom, it may seem to place in the air purifier are right next to your bed or easy chair where you sit in the living room would be easy ideal spot for it.

Though other appliances like humidifiers and fans can work well using that logic, it’s not quite the same with air purifiers.

Most air purifiers use a filtering system that mechanically is basically a fan running in reverse. Pushing or pulling air through the filter.

So if you think about it, if you’re sitting or sleeping too close to your air purifier,
You are basically pulling the garbage from the air toward yourself and trapping it in a filter that you are sitting next to you.

Depending on your vicinity to where the air purifier is you maybe actually breathing extra polluted air.

Defeats the point.

The ideal is that you want to place the air purifier positioned to where it is pulling the polluted air away from you.

The second most popular air purifier is the ionizer.

Ionizers or ionic air purifiers as they’re all so called are basically machines that emit ions that make the particles in the air too heavy to float so that they fall to the surface.

The kicker is that they create a low amount of ozone in the process. Ozone is known to be a lung irritant.

Most ionizers do not create enough ozone to be considered dangerous. But as you can imagine, the air directly around the ionizer will have a larger concentration of ozone.

If you are sitting or sleeping right next to an ionizer, there is a chance that you are breathing in too large of a concentration of ozone.

Also as I mentioned before, the way an ionizer works is that it emits ions into the air that causes the dust particles in the air to be too heavy to float so that they fall to the nearest surface.

So it only stands to reason that the air and surfaces directly around the ionizer
tend to get extra dusty.

So if you are sitting or sleeping next to your air Ionizer, the air you are breathing is probably pretty dusty.

  1. 2. Dirty filter

It can be a hard pill to swallow given the expense, when you realize the amount of grime and dust that you’re HEPA filter is capturing,
then you realize you are not changing the filter nearly enough.

If the filter in your HEPA air cleaner is too dirty to allow for airflow, then it is not useful for capturing the pollutants out of the air anymore.

Not only is it not doing its job of cleaning the air, the air moving around the gross filter has a potential of being extra polluted itself.

Keeping clean filters in these machines is essential for them to work right.

Ionizers also lose their ability to function when not maintained properly.

For instance, since the ionizer works on the principle of the are particles being too heavy to float and falling, the ionizer itself can get so dusty that it will not allow for the machine to emit ions into the air.

It is recommended that you use a can of air too lightly blow the dust away.
This is especially true if your ionizer
Uses a UV that has a titanium oxide coating.

Be very careful not to knock the coating off of the bulb, is that is the part that is giving the ion machine it’s disinfecting power.

Has the blue light turn purple?

If the ionizer that you have uses a UV bulb,( you’ll know it because of the glowing blue light)

You should know that when a UV light is no longer a deep blue color and has turned purple, it has potentially gone bad and can be dangerous is that point.

you should not use the machine til it is check or till the bulb is replaced.

  1. .Too much ozone.

There’s plenty of people that would stop right here and say that ionizers are horrible and should never be used because they can generate ozone as a by-product and ozone is dangerous to breathe.

I’m not in that camp and I do not agree with that statement.

Though you can understand the point of pointing people away from Ionizers, ot only do you not recommend something that’s going to hurt someone,

It is almost at the point to where it is not really feasible to offer ionizers since California will not let you by them for ship them there.

So why not just join the crowd and dismiss ionic air purifiers all together?

It’s because ionizers can do something that HEPA filters alone cannot.

Render bacteria and viruses inactive. source

It’s one thing to capture germs in a filter, it’s another thing to be able to disinfect the air as well as the table tops and surfaces in the room.

This is the capacity that both photocatalytic oxidation ionizers and plasmacluster ionizers both possess.

That is not to say that a HEPA filter is not needed. I know there’s going to actually help a HEPA filter function because they clump air particles together making them big enough to be able to be caught in a HEPA filter and a lot of cases.

But the big question is

Can ionizers make you sick?

One of the reasons that ozone generating air purifiers were about by the EPA and banned in California is that but could not be regulated to ensure that to large of an ion air purifier was not being used in too small of an area.

That is the first point.

If the ionizer that you are using is rated for 100 square feet then placing the ionizer in a room that is 50 square feet would be complete ozone Overkill.

Remember ozone is a lung irritant and can aggravate pre-existing health conditions.

At that point the machine is no longer an ionizer but a full-blown ozone generator.

That leads to the second point.

Classifying the machine as an ozone generator completely changes the way it is used.

The number one rule of using an ozone generator is it is not operated in an occupied space he’s about people pets and even plants.

Saying that your ionizer should not be used around plants maybe a little extreme,

But only using your ionizer when the room is unoccupied by either you or your pets is a safe way to get the awesome benefits of ionizing air machines and keep yourself safe from ever breathing too much ozone.

Not to mention ozone has a pretty pungent odor sometimes. Just smelling too much of it can give you a headache.

Are air purifiers harmful?

Air purifiers are not harmful as long as they are properly maintained and placed properly.

Changing the way you think of air purifiers and how to use them is the best way to keep yourself healthy and not reap any negative effects from air purifier.

Should I Use The Air Purifier Ionizer?

There is a lot of information on the internet about air purifiers. A lot.

There is also a lot of competition when it comes to air purifiers from people who sell HEPA filter air purifiers versus people who sell ionizer air purifiers.

And a lot of misinformation coming from both sides.

Many websites claim that you should never use an ionizer because it can create ozone as a by-product

And of course the other side says that the amount of ozone that ionizer creates is well below the federal limit and is not dangerous at all.

Hmm…

Should I use the air purifier ionizer?

The ionizer on an air purifier should be used because it will clump together the ultrafine particulates that are normally too small for a HEPA filter to catch. Ionization causes the tiny dust particles to become large enough to be captured inside the HEPA filter 

That does not mean that you should only use the ionizer and throw away the HEPA.

These two technologies work very well together. Because ionizers work through polarization that clump particles together, they actually make it possible for a HEPA filter to capture the ultra fine particles.

Ions not only make airborne particulates too heavy to float they also have the ability to render bacteria inactive.

Coway is Amazons Choice for Best Hepa Air Purifier with Ionizer.
 Check it out here

An article by Newscientist claims that “repeated airborne infections of bacteria acinetobacter in an intensive care Ward have been eliminated by the installation of a negative ionizer”

Amazing stuff!

Studies also show that negative ions can have a real effect on your outlook. Who would have thought that negative ions and combating depression could have any relation?

Yes, the ionizer on your air purifier is an amazing tool.

But the problem remains that ionizers do create ozone as a by product and ozone can be dangerous to breathe and can in fact oxidize your lung tissue in the right circumstance.

YIOU Smart Air Purifier for Home See Here

So what are you to do?

Air ionizer dangers

The first rule and regulation for using an ozone generator is that the area must be unoccupied by people, pets, or plants.

Then once the ozone machine has been operated, the area must be allowed to air out at least an hour or two.

Why would the ionizer on an air purifier be any different?

Somehow because an air purifier has an ionizer setting, it tends to make you want to believe that it can be left on all the time.

That’s not the case.

Just because the ozone that is being created by the ionizer on the air purifier is not being distributed at nearly the volume of a ozone generator does not mean that you should not respect the ozone any less.

Just like you would not use an ozone generator in an occupied room, you should use the same logic with the ionizer on your air purifier.

Even the small amount of ozone coming from an ionizer can build up especially if the ionizer is being used in too small of an area.

Using the ionizer setting when there is no people are pets around is the best way to ensure that you or your pets are not breathing in any type of concentration of ozone,

But meanwhile still getting the benefits and advantages of using an ionizer that a HEPA filter air purifier do not give you alone.

Blueair HealthProtect 7770i Smart Home Air Purifier for Viruses Check it out here

 

Personal ionizers

Why is it then that devices like personal ionizers are so popular?

Personal ionizers are usually are the size of a necklace and since you typically wear them around your neck, that’s a good comparison.

These air ionizers are so small that ozone can not even be detected as a by-product. About the equivalent of an ionizer on a fan.

But that also means that they can only work in a very small area.

Do personal ionizers work?

The point of a personal ionizer is to purified or clean the air that is directly in front of you being breathed.

The particles around you especially when you are sitting in front of your computer are positively charged.

And since they all have the same charge they repel each other and remain kicked up into the air in front of your mouth.

Adding a small personal ionizer that is generating negative ions can help clear your personal air by attaching themselves to the positive ions helping them become too heavy to float and falling out of your personal space.

Air Tamer Personal Wearable Air Purifier. Click Here

Negative ions also have some history of being believed to have a positive effect on your mood. Which can be affected by sitting in front of your screen all day.

Summary

Lots of fear and misrepresentation have kept people from gaining a better understanding of ionizers and the benefits did they can get from them.

Air ionizers can be better at clearing the air of ultra fine particles because they use polarity to clump particles together which become too heavy to float and fall.
HEPA filters as amazing as they are cannot capture particles below .03 microns.

Running an ionizer can help clumpy ultra fine particles together which become large enough to be trapped into a HEPA filter.

Cats and dogs playing together.

Ions have also shown to be capable of making germs inactive as well as create a feeling of well-being.

With so many ups, what’s the down?

Ionizer Air Purifier Side Effects

Unfortunately ionizers create ozone is a by-product in Ozone can be a lung irritant in the right situation.

Should that deter you from using an ionizer for the ionizer setting on your air purifier all together?

No. Simply remember that and ionizer is meant to be ran when the room is not occupied with people or pets.

Also ensuring that the size of ionizer is congruent with the size of the room that you are cleaning the air in will help prevent any ozone build up.

Ionizers have definitely had their problems in the past with false advertising or hearsay.

But running an Ionizer is not unsafe at all as long as you do so understanding the most important rule of working with ozone.

Don’t use it around people and pets and allow plenty of time to air out.

Also there are many ionizers such as personal ionizers that you wear around your neck that do not create enough ozone to be detectable and are not a problem to use at all.

Just don’t think that you’re going to get a whole room effect out of a tiny ionizer that you’re wearing around your neck.

The point of such a device has to clean the air in front of your face when you’re stuck inside an office cubicle in front of your flat screen and not much more.

Air Ionizer
Filterless solutions

 

Air Purifier vs. Dehumidifier

Air quality in the home or workplace can be impacted in many different ways.

Air pollution, humidity, as well as dry conditions all have an effect on the way people function and the quality of their health and life.

The market to improve and combat indoor air conditions is vast.

Products range from air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air conditioning, heating, diffusers, etc.

With so many type of products, it is hard to know what is what and what does what.

This article is about air purification and dehumidification and how they relate to each other.

And what type of products are suited for their different needs.

Air purifier vs. Dehumidifier

what is the difference between an air purifier and a dehumidifier?

An air purifier is a device that removes pollution from the air.

A dehumidifier is a device that removes humidity from the air.

Simple enough. But there are times when these two arenas lap over and cross into each others worlds.

For instance, excessive humidity is known to facilitate the growth of dust mites.

By using a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity in the air you can effectively reduce the population of dust mites in your house also.

Let me further explain. Humidity is one of the main places that dust mites get their nourishment.

When the humidity is high,  dust mites have a larger source of food available to  them. A larger food source equals a larger population.

Mold and mold spores are another example. Moisture is one of the main ingredients in the production and growth of mold.

By reducing the amount of humidity through the means of a dehumidifier you can reduce the amount of mold and the eventual production of mold spores in your air.

Humidity droplets are also known to behave like a container that is able to house indoor air pollutants and carry them further into the airstream.

Consider that fact.

That means that when you’re having trouble breathing because the humidity is high, it is not only because of the  excessive water content is making the air dense,

It’s also that you are  breathing the pollution that is contained in the humidity.

Once again, a dehumidifier can reduce indoor air pollution by reducing its capacity to travel through the home or office.

Can you use a dehumidifier as a air purifier?

Yes in many ways a dehumidifier will help reduce a number of indoor allergens,  namely dust mites and mold spores.

But unfortunately indoor air pollution is comprised of much more than mites and spores.

For other air quality problems like pollen, dander, and VOCs,
dehumidifiers will do little to nothing.

Not to mention that humidity is more of a seasonal problem but indoor air pollution continues every day all year.

Can you use an air purifier with a dehumidifier at the same time?

The same time? Not too well.

The sequence should be more like running the dehumidifier first and then running the air purifier afterwards.

The reason is excessive moisture in the air can reduce airflow through the dense HEPA  filter that your air purifier uses. Less ability to filter.

Also it is a known fact that carbon filters do not fare well with humidity at all.

You may have seen dehumidifiers with carbon filters.
That’s an unusual combination.

The same logic is applicable here though too. If you run your dehumidifier first and get the relative humidity to a good spot, then the carbon filter feature will work just fine.

But if you get the cart before the horse, the excessive humidity in the room will flatout make the carbon filter useless till it dries out.

Dehumidifier with ionizer?

What does the ionizer button on a dehumidifier do?

Ionizer button on a dehumidifier controls the ionizing function of the humidifier.

Ionizers are not a typical feature on a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier with ionizer would be considered a combination air cleaning / dehumidification device.

Ionizers clear the air by creating either negative ions or both positive and negative ions and omitting them into the air.

Negative ions attach themselves to positive ions, which would be considered the pollutants in the air, including the pollutants housed in the humidity droplets.

The result is they become too heavy to float and they fall to the surface or stick to the nearest wall.

Ionizers that emit both positive and negative ions have a instant polarization that traps any air pollution that gets in the way.

One benefit in using ionizers with dehumidifiers instead of the typical filtering air purifier, is that there is no filters involved to be impacted by the moisture in the air nor does the humidity have any real effect on the capacity of the ions to work.

The down side?

Do dehumidifiers create ozone?

Dehumidifiers do not create ozone unless it is a combination dehumidifier with an ionizer.

Ionizers do create small amounts of ozone and depending on the square footage versus the size of the ionizer, ozone can become a problem because it is a lung irritant.

Most people do not want to be in the same room with a dehumidifier when it is working because of the amount of heat it puts out.

And since ozone dissipates fairly quickly, the small amount of ozone that the ionizer generates should not have much effect on persons because of the likelihood of the room being uninhabited in the first place.

Should you buy a dehumidifier and air purifier combo?

My opinion is no. You can much more use out of a air purifier then you can a dehumidifier simply because a dehumidifier is a seasonal device were as an air purifier is useful every day of the week,  month, and year.

Also you don’t want to haul around a dehumidifier every time you want to put the air purifier somewhere different.

Summary.

Dehumidifiers can work with an air purifier and even work as an air purifier in many situations.

because excessive humidity can be a catalyst for air pollutants like dust mites and mold spores as well as house vocs,

By eliminating the high amount of humidity in the room you can eliminate the source of air quality problems at the same time.

but that does not mean that you have eliminated your need for an air purifier all together.

That’s because indoor air pollution is comprised of more than dust mites and mold spores.

Other air pollutants like pollen and dander will require a filter to capture them.

Some dehumidifiers come combined with an ionizer.

ionizers clean the air by making the particles in the air to heavy the float so that they fall out of the ambient air that you breathe.

Ionizers also do not require filters.
so they do not have any other problems that pleated filters can have with increased relative humidity.

Most people argue that ionizers create ozone and ozone is unacceptable.

But ozone in an unoccupied area is an excellent way to reduce airborne pollutants.

and since there’s not too many people who want to stay in the same room with a dehumidifier while it is running,

the combination of a dehumidifier and an ionizer makes a lot more sense then a lot of the combination air quality machines on the market.