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How Do You Know Whether a Room Needs a Dehumidifier?

“How do you know if your room needs a dehumidifier?

One way is to check for signs of excessive humidity such as musty odors, mold growth, or dampness on walls and floors. You can also use a hygrometer to measure the humidity level in the room which should be between 30-50%. If it is consistently above 50%, a dehumidifier may be necessary to reduce the humidity and prevent potential health hazards.”

dehumidifier is moldyHow Do You Know Whether a Room Needs a Dehumidifier?

Humidity is an essential element of our environment, but when it gets too high, it can lead to a whole host of problems. The air in our homes can become stuffy and damp, leading to musty odors, mold growth, and even health problems such as allergies and respiratory issues.

One way to combat high humidity levels is through the use of a dehumidifier. But how do you know if your room needs a dehumidifier? In this article, we’ll explore the signs of excessive humidity and the steps you can take to determine if a dehumidifier is necessary in your home.

One of the most obvious signs of excessive humidity is musty odors. If your home has a damp, musty smell, it’s a clear indication that the humidity levels are too high.
This smell can be caused by mold and mildew growth, which thrive in damp environments. If you notice mold growth on walls, floors, or in other areas of your home, it’s another indication that your humidity levels are too high.

Dampness on walls and floors is another sign of high humidity. If you notice that your walls or floors feel damp to the touch, it could be a sign that there is too much moisture in the air. This can lead to warping of wooden floors, peeling paint, and even structural damage over time.

In addition to these visual cues, you can also use a hygrometer to measure the humidity level in your room. A hygrometer is a device that measures the amount of moisture in the air. Ideally, the humidity level in your home should be between 30-50%. If the humidity level is consistently above 50%, it’s a good indication that you need a dehumidifier in your room.

What size Dehumidifier do I need?


If you’ve determined that your room needs a dehumidifier, you may be wondering how to choose the right one. The size of your room, the climate in your area, and your budget are all factors to consider when choosing a dehumidifier.

A small room in a moderate climate will require a smaller unit than a large room in a hot, humid climate. It’s important to choose a dehumidifier with a capacity that is appropriate for the size of your room.

Another important feature to look for in a dehumidifier is a built-in humidistat. A humidistat is a device that measures the humidity level in a room and automatically turns the dehumidifier on and off to maintain a comfortable humidity level. This can save you energy and money in the long run.

When using a dehumidifier, it’s also important to properly maintain the unit. Be sure to clean the filter regularly, and empty the water tank as necessary. A clogged filter can cause the unit to work less efficiently, and a full water tank can cause the unit to shut off prematurely.

In conclusion, 

Excessive humidity can lead to a variety of problems in your home, from musty odors to mold growth. By keeping an eye out for the signs of high humidity and using a hygrometer to measure the humidity level in your room, you can determine if a dehumidifier is necessary. And with the right dehumidifier and proper maintenance, you can keep your home comfortable and healthy all year round.

To determine if a room needs a dehumidifier, you can check for signs of excessive humidity such as musty odors, mold growth, and dampness on walls and floors. You can also measure the humidity level in the room using a hygrometer, which should ideally be between 30-50%. If the humidity level is consistently above 50%, a dehumidifier may be necessary to reduce the humidity and prevent potential health hazards.

 

 

 

Dehumidifier Energy Use: A Comparison to Other Household Appliances

dehumidifier energy use

Dehumidifier energy use:  a comparison two other household appliances.

Dehumidifiers? Expensive right?  More specifically what you can expect to get in terms of energy use with a dehumidifier?

Dehumidifiers are great appliances for helping you control indoor humidity regardless if it’s in your home at work or any other space.

Dehumidifiers work by drawing in air from the surrounding area, then removing the excess moisture and releasing it back as dry air into the room.

Musty odors, mold and mildew growth, or just having a sticky uncomfortable feeling are all issues that a dehumidifier can help you deal with.

They come in a host of different sizes and styles as to suit your different needs and different sized spaces. So you are certain to find one that suits your specific needs.

But, as you may have heard, dehumidifiers have a reputation of being energy hogs that can take a lot of money to run.

And in certain instances that can be entirely true.

This article is meant to give you an ideal of exactly how much energy you can expect to expend and how that compares to other types of appliances that you are already running in your home.

First of all, the energy use of a dehumidifier depends on the size of the unit and the humidity level of the surrounding environment in which it is being used. Generally, dehumidifiers use more energy than some appliances like a lamp or a small fan, but in comparison, they use much less energy than other appliances like a refrigerator or a clothes dryer.

To get a sense of how the energy use of a dehumidifier compares to other appliances, The easiest way is to look at the appliances energy label or the manufacturer specs. That information will give you an estimate of the appliances use in watts or kilowatts.

Here are some examples of how the energy use of a dehumidifier might compare to other appliances in your home.

1.A small dehumidifier with a 30 pint capacity might use about 250 Watts of power. That is about the same amount of energy that you use when you were running a medium size window air conditioner.

2. A larger dehumidifier that has a capacity range of more like 70 pints might well use 500 Watts of power a day. That would be on the same level as running a space heater throughout the day.

3. And a medium sized dehumidifier that collects about 50 pints The water a day uses around 350 watts of power. That’s about what your clothes dryer uses.

Overall, The energy use of a dehumidifier depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the dehumidifier, how high the humidity is at any time, and how long you use it for.

Here is a few helpful tips to reduce the amount of energy that your dehumidifier uses.

1. Try a smaller unit and set it to a lower humidity level. Then turn it off and it’s not in needed.

2. Use the dehumidifier and conjunction with other measures to reduce humidity.

Such as:

  • Seal up leaky windows and doors
  • Use exhaust fans in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.

This will reduce the amount of work that the dehumidifier has to do which was result in saving energy and lowering the cost of operation.

3. Turn the thermostat down.

The ambient temperature of a room can affect the amount of humidity in your home greatly. High temperatures are often filled with moisture whereas lower temperatures not so much.

4. Purchase a higher efficiency dehumidifier.

Just like any other appliance, dehumidifiers are made in a range of styles that include some that are inexpensive and use higher amounts of energy and dehumidifiers better made to be much more efficient and use less energy.

In closing

Using a dehumidifier is an effective way of controlling the humidity in your home or any other space and it can help alleviate many problems that are caused by high humidity. Problems like musty odors, mold, mildew growth, and other problems that are just annoying like frizzy hair and constant perspiration.

But it’s important that you be aware that dehumidifiers can use a significant amount of energy.

Especially if they are being used too long and too large of a space.

Although there are things you can due to get a better energy performance out of your dehumidifier, things like using a smaller dehumidifier for a smaller amount of time and just turning it off when you’re not using it.

And using it with other humidity lowering methods like using exhaust fans and turning down the thermostat.

Also fixing any leaky doors or windows that might be letting humidity get inside.

If you are just now in the market for the humidifier, you should consider buying a more energy efficient dehumidifier.

Hopefully some of these tips can’t help you save money and still maintain a comfortable humidity level in your home.

We appreciate your time and thank you for using some of it to read this article.

Humidity Blues? 11 Tips for Beating the Heat and Moisture

  1. Fixing moisture sources
  2. Using a dehumidifier
  3. Exhaust fans
  4. Closing windows and doors
  5. Air conditioning
  6. Moisture-absorbing plants
  7. Using a humidistat
  8. Drying laundry outside
  9. Mechanical ventilation system
  10. Cleaning gutters
  11. Proper insulation
 
 
 

  1. Fixing moisture sources


    When you’re trying to prevent high humidity in your home, identifying the source of the humidity is going to be at the top of your list.

Leaks and dampness are often caused by damaged pipes and plumbing.

Gaps or cracks in your foundation or walls are also high humidity points.

As well as any leaks in the roof.

Finding and fixing any of the above problems is The first step to reducing the high humidity in your house.

2. Using a dehumidifier

Other areas in the house that can suffer from high humidity or damp basements in bathrooms.

You may need to consider getting a dehumidifier to remove the excess moisture in these areas.

If you’re not familiar with dehumidifiers, they are machines that work by pulling air out of the environment and use a refrigerant to cool it down.

When the air cools the moisture condenses and either collects it into a tank or follows a hose outside depending on your dehumidifier and setup.

3. Exhaust fans

Another way to lower the humidity in your house is using exhaust fans in the areas where moisture is built up.

There’s a good chance you already have exhaust fans in a couple of the main humidity areas of your house.

Typically the kitchen in the bathroom or outfitted with the exhaust fans because they are identified as high humidity areas.

If you do not already have exhaust fans, they can be installed fairly inexpensively by a professional or you can do it yourself if you like taking on your own projects.

close the door4. Closing windows and doors

When the weather is particularly humid it’s a good idea to keep your windows and your doors closed to prevent any outside moisture from entering the home. The simple thing like keeping the doors shut can help keep the humidity more consistent inside.

5.  Air conditioning

Air conditioners unbeknownst to many people are also good at reducing humidity.
Similar to how a dehumidifier works, an air conditioner pulls the surrounding air and cools it off with refrigerated coils. The moisture usually follows a drain line outside. Running the air conditioner is a great way of reducing the humidity inside when the heat outside is the main perpetrator of the humidity.

6. Moisture-absorbing plants

Moisture absorbing plants are a way to naturally reduce the humidity in the air.

A couple of popular varieties of plants that are known for reducing humidity are snake plant which is also called mother-in-law’s tongue, and peace lilies.

7. Drying laundry outside

The laundry is also another huge source of humidity, especially running the dryer.

Avoid hanging wet clothes in the house and consider adding more ventilation to your laundry room to pull the humidity out when you’re doing laundry.

8. Mechanical ventilation system

A mechanical ventilation system can be used to reduce humidity in your home by exchanging indoor air without door air.

This is a more powerful version of using exhaust fans because it actually exchanges the air instead of just pulling it out.

9. Cleaning gutters

Keeping the gutters cleaned is also a good way of reducing humidity in your house. When gutters get clogged and damaged they can allow water to leak into your home and cause excess moisture.

10. Proper insulation

Insulation is also a great tool for keeping humidity down in your home. Installing proper installation can help prevent moisture from coming in your walls and your ceilings.
Ceiling up any gaps or cracks and adding insulation to your attic is a great way of keeping the humidity in check.

11. Using a humidistat

Use a hygrometer and a humidistat to keep the humidity consistent.
Some of the signs like static electricity and condensation on the windows are obvious signs that your humidity is too high, just going off of your frizzy hair is not exactly the best way to keep the humidity consistent in your home.

Consider purchasing a hygrometer to measure your humidity and a dehumidifier that is outfitted with a humidistat that will turn it on and off as needed to keep your humidity status quo.

Why Is My Room So Dusty? 11 Suggestions

Taking the time to dust the furniture  and clean the house is a chore and can be disheartening when you realize how fast the dust has came back. Simply walking is enough kick it back up and undo your work.

Dust something we all battle but if you have an allergy to dust or asthma, the battle is more like a war.

Why Is My Room So Dusty?

Here is a list reasons that may help you identify why there is so much dust in your room.

  • Cheap HVAC filters
  • Dryer Hose
  • Shoes
  • Leaky Vacuum
  • Carpet
  • Humidity or Lack of
  • Dirty Duct work
  • Proximity to Outdoor Dust
  • Windows
  • Pets
  • Dead Skin
  • Bugs

Cheap HVAC filters

This is easily one of the main reasons your room or house can become excessively dusty.

Cheap poor quality air filters can do little to nothing to filter out the dust from the air that is being circulated around the house via the forced air system.

Using cheap filters in your HVAC can make your air handler a whole house dust machine.

On the flip side, purchasing better filters with a Merv rating of at least a 9-12 can turn your HVAC into a whole house air cleaner and dust remover.

A warning though. A higher Merv rating means keeping the filters replaced more often 2 reduce undue strain on the unit.

If the dust level in your home does not warrant it, A filter with a 5-8 Merv rating will better for your machine and pocket book.

Dryer hose

The dryer can be a huge source of dust.
If the dryer hose has come off in the back or if it has damage that is keeping it from focusing the dust outside, then you can expect all that dust to settle indoors .

Why is there so much dust in my houseShoes

One of the biggest reasons your room can be extra dusty is because it is being carried into the house by your shoes.

This is true especially if your having to walk through dirt in order to get to your house.

The easiest thing to do to prevent dust from traveling into your house with your shoes is to use door mats and keep the door mats clean.

Even better, make sure you and your family take your shoes off before you walk around the house.

Leaky Vacuum

If your vacuum doesn’t fully capture the dust and is leaking back into the air, it may actually be helping you make your room dustier.

Consider purchasing a vacuum that is fully enclosed and is equipped with a HEPA filter to capture smaller pollutants.

And don’t empty the dust canister or change the bag in the house.

Carpet

Carpets can get very dirty and be very hard to get dust out of. Especially when you’re talking about thick shag carpet.

A dirty carpet can easily be the culprit in an extra dusty home. If you have an old carpet or a thick carpet that is hard clean, just walking through the house can kick up dust onto your surfaces.

Humidity or lack of

A dry climate is a natural source for dust. when the air is dry you can expect dust in the air to be a problem because there is no moisture to help it settle.

Consider running a humidifier in your room. It will not only help keep the dust out of the air, it can help ease your dried nasal cavities.

Dirty Ductwork

If your ductwork has not been cleaned in a while, then you may have a issue with your HVAC distributing the dust inside the ductwork throughout your home.

Dust mites and mold or also attracted to the inside of your ductwork because of the high humidity level inside of the air handler.

Dust mites and mold spores are both common household allergies that could be originating in dirty ducts.

Having your ductwork cleaned and system checked may be the answer you need to control dust in your house.

Proximity to Outdoor Dust

Look around you. Are you living near a construction zone where dust and are being continually thrown around, you live near a highway or a busy Street wear exhaust is an issue?

Do you have patches of dirt in your yard or do you live next to a vacant lot?

Your proximity to outdoor dust can 100% affect the level of dust that you can expect to deal with inside of your house

Windows

If you have poorly sealed windows or open windows, you can expect dust to come through the windows.

Also windows and shades tend to become very dusty because of their proximity to the out doors.

Keeping your windows and shades clean can help does from building up and spreading further out from the windows.

Consider throwing out your old dusting  t-shirt and getting a microfiber cloth instead. You can also get microfiber dusters that will help you capture the dust even better.

Pets

It’s no surprise that if you have pets that are coming in and out of the house that they are transporting all types of dust with them.

Not only dust, it’s their hair also.

Pet dander can be a real issue for allergy sufferers. Pet dander is actually bacteria that comes from your animals licking themselves and then shedding.

If you have pets in the house then consider brushing and bathing them more to help prevent dust.

Dead Skin 

If your bedroom is extra dusty then you should know that it is actually your skin that is the issue.

Whether you realized it or not, you are actually shedding yourself.

And the bedroom, being one of the most used rooms because of the amount of time you spend sleeping and grooming there is taking the hit on the amount dead skin that is accumulating.

Consider washing your bedding and pillows more often to help reduce the amount of dust in your bedroom.

Bugs

Finally bugs.

Insects leave behind feces and bacteria that turns into dust.

Not only is it their feces, it’s their shell.
Dead bugs break apart and become part of the overall dust issue.

Another problem is rodents leaving there tracks and feces everywhere.

If you have a bug problem, you can very easily contribute to your dust problem.

In that case it’s time to get an exterminator.

dusty houseWhen you got a problem with your room or house being dusty, it usually comes down to the few primary reasons we have tried to lay for you here.

We hope you are able to take advantage hope some of these helpful hints.

 

Does a Humidifier Make a Room Warmer?

If you have a warm mist humidifier or vaporizer, then your device is creating steam by boiling water.

Though technically you may not see the number on the thermostat get any higher, steam can make the room feel warm.

I remember a few Christmases ago ( maybe more than a few, I’ve lost track)
Me and my wife were at a Christmas party where they were having a white elephant gift exchange. If you have never heard of a white elephant gift exchange, the idea is simple.

The participants all bring a gift that is supposed to be around the same value. Once the gifts are opened, you have the opportunity to steal someone else’s gift one time till all the gifts are taken.

This particular Christmas, I got what I thought was a humidifier as a gift.

I was pretty excited, a humidifier is a pretty decent gift and we did not have one in our bedroom.

That night, I put water in it, turned it on and went to bed.

I thought I was in for a refreshing cool air coming from the direction of the humidifier but that is not what I got at all.

We woke up to a swampy hot bedroom.

Turns out what I thought was a cool mist humidifier was actually in fact a vaporizer.

And I had been filling the room with hot steam.

Does a humidifier make the room warmer?

A humidifier can make the room feel warmer when the humidifier that you are using is a warm mist humidifier or a vaporizer.

Vicks is one of the most popular vaporizers. And they are sold primarily as a way of delivering their eucalyptus smelling medicine to help you breathe better.

For that, they work very well. 

And as a humidifier, they do raise the level of humidity in the air.

What type of humidifier do you have?

Do you have a warm mist humidifier or a cool mist humidifier?

If you are using a warm mist humidifier, then you can expect the room to feel warmer because the humidifier is basically providing you with a sauna type of atmosphere.

Warm mist humidifiers or vaporizers are excellent for helping open up your airways with the steam that comes from them and the fact that they lend themselves to being able to add a medicine like Vicks or eucalyptus that can also help clear your airways.

They also have the distinct characteristic of not growing mold or bacteria inside of the machine because boiling water kills those things.

On the other hand,

A cool mist humidifier emits moisture that is primarily room temperature.

The feeling you can get in front of a humidifier is similar to the feeling of a cool breeze.

Summary

Does a humidifier make the room warmer?

The type of a humidifier that can make a room feel warmer is a warm mist humidifier or by another name “vaporizer”.

Vaporizers bring water to a boiling point to create steam as a means of humidifying the air.

  And adding steam to your room can make it feels a little swampy or a bit like a sauna.

If you like the idea of using steam to humidify your room, then vaporizers do have some good features.

If not, a cool mist humidifier will not make your room feel swampy.

Should I Put an Air Purifier in the Baby’s Room?

As a new mother or a not so new mother we are always looking for the best way to keep our baby’s room safe from the things that would keep our little ones from sleeping well and being susceptible to colds and viruses.

The typical “go to” device for the baby’s room is the humidifier. And it is true that keeping the relative humidity between 30 and 50% is very important especially considering the effects the dry air can have on a baby.

But what about the other parts of the year where humidity is not an issue or when it is an issue, but not the lack of it.

Should I put an air purifier in the baby’s room?

Yes an air purifier should be part of the defense against the airborne germs and viruses that can make your babies, as well as your own life miserable.

Air purifiers, unlike humidifiers, are useful for reducing airborne contaminants that can get into your baby’s lungs and nasal passages all year long. Not just during the dry winter months.

What kind of air purifier do I need for my baby room?

1. HEPA filter

 The primary thing to look for in an air purifier for the baby’s room is that it uses a HEPA filter.

H13 HEPA filters which have rapidly become the norm for baby air purifiers can filter out contaminants as small as .01 microns.

Which makes them very good as a defense against the common cold.

2. Carbon filter

Carbon filters are sponge like filters that are very good at filtering out VOCs, gases, and odors.

This type of filter is important because it is able to absorb the type of airborne contaminants that can come from chemicals. Things like paints and adhesives that are underneath the carpet as well as aerosols.

   They are also useful for absorbing chemicals from cigarette smoke if the baby is being exposed to a smoker.

Other air purifier considerations

1. Filter price

HEPA and Carbon air purifiers require replacement filters every 3 to 6 months.

The price of the filter or filters is a big consideration when purchasing an air purifier.

Some air purifiers may cost a little less up front but the price of the filter more than makes up for it on the back end.

And there are a lot of air purifier companies that only sell combination hepa and carbon filters.

Which from a convenience stance is great, but considering that carbon filters can last much longer than HEPA filters depending on your needs,

You could be buying twice the amount of filters by choosing an air purifier that has a combination filter.

2.  Ionic technologies

You can also purchase air purifiers that use ionic technologies like Plasmacluster.

The main thing to think about with ionic technologies is that they can create a bit of ozone. Which can be a long irritant.

But at the same time, a technology like plasma cluster can completely kill airborne viruses and bacteria, whereas a HEPA filter will only capture them.

Air purifiers like the Winx Plasmacluster feature the bipolar ionic technology as a completely independent feature on their air purifier that can be turned on when you are out of the house.

That gives you the option of using the technology to reduce the chance of airborne viruses and yet not have to ever use the feature when your baby is sleeping in the same room.

Summary

Should I put an air purifier in the baby’s room?

An air purifier in the baby’s room is one of the best ways you can help defend your baby against airborne germs and viruses.

And unlike humidifiers which are excellent during the dry months, air purifiers are useful all year long to help keep your baby breathing clean air.

The type of air purifier that is best for a baby is the Hepa H13 and carbon air purifier .

But remember, a HEPA filter and a carbon filter do not necessarily have the same lifespan, so it is useful to do your research before you get into purchasing an air purifier that requires a combination filter that is not necessarily useful and costs much more.

Can You Over Humidify a Baby’s Room?

A lot is said about the importance of keeping the humidity at the proper level in your baby’s room.

And it’s for good reason. The effects of dry air, especially for a baby, can make a person miserable.

Dry cough, sore throat, dry and stuffy nose, to name a few.

Overly dry air can also facilitate the transfer of viruses and allergies that only make matters worse.

So having a good humidifier for the baby’s room can be a godsend. They can help your baby breathe and sleep so much easier when the air is too dry.

But as much as a relief that humidifying your baby’s room can be when the relative humidity is too low,

High humidity also affects the way the babies breathe and sleep too.

Can you over humidify a baby’s room?

The answer is yes. You can over humidify a baby’s room.

Though a humidifier can be one of the best ways to clean the air when the relative humidity is low,

Adding humidity to a room that is already humid can have the opposite effect than what you intend.

High levels of humidity can make the air thicker and harder to breathe.

  High humidity also facilitates the growth of mold and becomes a source of nutrition for dust mites.

Which is also a cause of congestion which leads to problems sleeping and breathing.

So there are times of the year that instead of adding more humidity to the air with a humidifier,

You may actually need to take steps to reduce the humidity in your baby’s room.

Sometimes that means running the air conditioner on dry mode, and sometimes that can mean having a separate dehumidifier.

How do you know if you’re over humidifying the baby’s room?

Fortunately you do not have to rely on frizzy hair and static electricity to tell you that the humidity level in your home is out of balance.

A hygrometer is a humidity gauge to let you know exactly what the humidity is in your home and in the baby’s room.

According to most sources, keeping the relative humidity between 30 and 50% is the key to avoiding health problems that arise because of low relative humidity.

Hygrometers can be purchased fairly inexpensively and they also come packaged as a humidity gauge and thermometer combination.

  Also humidifiers and dehumidifiers can be purchased with a built-in hygrometer that displays the relative humidity in the room on the front of the machine at any time.

Modern humidifiers come with a hygrometer and a humidistat that you can set to a specific humidity level and will automatically control the humidifier and keep the room at the proper humidity level.

Summary

Can you over-humidify a baby’s room?

Using a humidifier when the relative humidity is already high enough can lead to over humidifying a baby’s room.

The easiest way to avoid over-humidifying is to use a hygrometer to measure your humidity.

A hygrometer is a humidity gauge that is similar to a thermometer but works for humidity rather than the temperature.

Modern humidifiers come with hygrometers built-in so that you can see the relative humidity in the room on the front of the humidifier.

So keeping the relative humidity between 30 and 50% is much easier when you know what your humidity is.

And if you want to spend more, there are humidifiers that use sensors to measure your humidity and control the humidifier to make sure that your room does not become over humidified.

Are Outlet Air Purifiers Worth It?

Sometimes called plug-in air purifiers, outlet air purifiers are small air cleaning devices that plug directly into an outlet and hang on the wall by being connected to the outlet.

  Most of the outlet air purifiers on the market are actually air ionizers.

An air purifier is usually what you call a machine that uses filtration as a means of cleaning the air.

If you look at the top Air purifiers on Amazon, you’ll see that they all use a HEPA filter and a carbon filter.

Outlet air purifiers are not big enough to have a large enough filter to make a difference in the air quality.

  There are some outlet air purifiers using ultraviolet light with a catalyst.

And even one brand that is strictly  a miniature ozone machine.

But the majority of outlet air purifiers are negative ion generators, for ionizers for short.

Ionizers work by emitting negative ions into the airstream.

Through polarity, the emitted ions attach themselves to the particles already in the air.

Which makes them too heavy to float so they fall to the surface. Leaving your ambient air clean to breathe.

Are outlet air purifiers worth it?

Outlet air purifiers may be worth it in certain situations. I can envision a scenario where they help keep the air quality good in a cubicle or small office.( Although you want to keep a microfiber cloth handy to keep your computer screen wiped off. More on that later.)

But for things like kitchen odors or cat litter odors, I would say don’t waste your money.

One thing they don’t tell you about ionizers is that they tend to get very dusty.

The ions that are supposed to float and clean the air throughout the room tend not get very far and end up as dust all over the device itself.

The ions are also infamous for collecting on TV and computer screens because of the magnetic pull.

If you have your heart set on buying one, then I would definitely pick the one that uses a ultraviolet light with a catalyst.

This is a technology that is used in large air sanitizers that has the ability to oxidize germs and viruses leaving them inactive.

There are some very effective air purifiers that use this technology like Air Oasis and Guardian Tech.

I believe that you could get a better result with one of these and you than just a simple ionizer.

But the bottom line is these are very small air purifiers, that will only work in a very small space.

If you keep that in mind and don’t get your hopes up too much, you’ll probably like the results.

But since most of the literature on these small outlet air purifiers tend to boast their ability to work in larger square  foot areas,

You might be disappointed.

Are outlet air purifiers worth it?

Personally I would rather have a smaller purifier that I can move around and actually have a HEPA filter and carbon filter.

The ionizer is a good extra feature if it has it, but it’s the first thing I would go without.

Thunderstorm Air Purifier – What Does That Mean??

It’s interesting that so many of the air purifiers from the ’80s and ’90s used the “after a thunderstorm freshness” to describe what their air purifiers were supposed to do. And now that advertising has become popular again.

The air purifiers that use the thunderstorm jargon were responsible for the measures to prevent devices that produced ozone from being sold as home air cleaners.

The after a thunderstorm effect that the advertising alludes to is the fact that lightning creates ozone and it oxidizes all the contaminants in the air, leaving the air clean and fresh.

All very true.

But the problem with using ozone as an air purifier is that it does not only oxidize the contaminants in the air, it can also oxidize your lung tissue when you breathe it.

That’s why they say that ozone can be a lung irritant.

  And ozone has a nasty habit of building up inside of a closed room.
What makes it unsafe to use as a domestic air purifier.

There are not too many companies selling ozone machines as air purifiers anymore.

No one wants to be associated with something that actually could cause harm. Especially if you’re claiming the opposite.

And there is the problem with not being able to sell to California at all because of their specific ozone laws.

But just when you thought it was safe to come out of the water,

There’s a company selling a…

Thunderstorm” plug in air purifier.

The air purifier in question is the EdenPURE® OxiLeaf® II Thunderstorm™ Air Purifier.

The literature for this air purifier specifically says that it uses ozone molecules to clean the air and that it is not available in California.

There is no one trying to hide anything here.

The device is a miniature ozone machine that you plug directly into an outlet.

And the reason they can get away with selling it is that it does not create enough ozone to be considered a breathing hazard.

And to be fair, any air purifier that has an ionizer, whether it be a negative ion generator, a ultraviolet light, photocatalyst, or plasma,

All create a small amount of ozone that is considered to be negligible because it is not enough to be dangerous to breathe.

  And though these plug-in air purifiers are made to simply place them into an outlet and leave them, there is nothing saying that that is the way it has to be done.

If you don’t want the chance of breathing in ozone, even at a very low level, but you do like the ideal of what ozone can accomplish as far as killing germs and viruses,

Turning the air purifier on when you are not in the house and turning it off when you are is always an option.

Thunderstorm Air Purifier- Are they effective?

Plug-in air purifiers are very small air purifiers that will clean a very small space. They do what they say they do but on a very small level.

  Odors are one of the hardest things for an air purifier to remove, even a large air purifier with a large weight of carbon does not remove kitchen odors at a rate that makes them worth purchasing for that specific reason.

Personally, I don’t think the effectiveness of a small plug-in air purifier is worth the money that they are asking for them.

And I don’t really have an outlet that I am ready to completely devote to one of these contraptions.

But that being said, if I’m going to spend the large amount of money on a full sized air purifier, I would want something that has the optional ionizer when I need it.

Which is Better? Ionizer or Air purifier?

What is an Air Purifier?


If you do a search for air purifier on Amazon,  you’ll come up with brands like Levoit and BlueAir that appear at the top of the results.

There are a few other big brand names but they all have the same thing in common.

They all use a combination of a HEPA filter, a carbon filter, and a pre-filter to clean the air.

So when you mention air purifier, what you’re talking about is a air filtering machine.

This is what the industry has said that is the best way to clean air. Who am I to argue?

But if you go down into the results of Amazon a few pages, you start to find air purifiers that use other types of technologies besides the standard HEPA and Carbon.

The Sharp Plasmacluster is one of the first ones you come across that does anything to stray from the straight and narrow.

Plasma cluster is an ionizer that releases both positive and negative ions simultaneously.

Ionizer?

A little further into the search results and you find other companies like Guardian Technologies and Air Oasis that are also doing something different.

Ultraviolet light with photo catalyst and  Bipolar are terms that you see associated with these air purifiers that are at the core; Ionizers.

Interesting.

What is an Ionizer?

A simple ionizer is a machine that emits negative ions into the airstream.

The ions because of polarity, combine with the contaminants in the air.

After which they become too heavy to float and fall to the surface.

That’s the simple version.

Other versions of ionizers combine ultraviolet light and titanium to create  super ions that actually kill the contaminants in the air before causing them to be too heavy to float.

Bipolar ionizers like the plasma cluster technology, release negative and positive ions at the same time.

As soon as the ions are emitted from the machine, they begin snapping together, trapping and oxidizing all the contaminants in the air in the process.

Wow.. 

As you can see, Modern ionizers are pretty sophisticated.

Which is better? Ionizer or air purifier?

So you may ask yourself, if these ionizers can actually neutralize and kill contaminants like viruses and bacteria in the air?

Why would I want an air purifier that just filters them?

Get ready for the Big “O”.

The answer is ozone.

Even if it’s a negligible amount, and most companies claim that it is of course,

There is one thing that they can’t get away from and that is that Ionizers manufacture ozone as a byproduct.

Ozone is a lung irritant if you breathe too much of it.
Which is kind of the opposite of what you want out of a air purifier.

But if you’re willing to go down that rabbit hole, you may find that the benefits outweigh the risk with these ionizers.

Which is better? Ionizer or air purifier?

The standard air purifier with the HEPA and carbon filter combination is a easy answer.

There is no risk involved in simply filtering out contaminants from the air.

Not to mention, that HEPA filters these days are insanely effective.

And ionizers do have a chance of manufacturing some ozone as a byproduct.

Even if it’s a safe amount, it’s understandable if you don’t want to mess with it.

But personally, I like the ideal of having an air purifier that has both HEPA filter and ionizer technologies available to me.

For instance the Sharp plasma cluster that we talked about a little earlier,

The plasma cluster ionizer is a extra feature that you can turn on when you want it, or leave off when you don’t.

I like the ideal of having the option of turning it on if I want to.

I also like the ideal of the science behind the plasma cluster technology.

So which is better?  Both is better.