Do air purifiers work for mold? This is a common question, and we’re about to find out the answer!
As long as there are sections of your home that experience high levels of humidity and high temperatures, they will be vulnerable to developing issues with mold growth. And, if the problem of spreading mold is not dealt with and you continue to inhale it, it will result in all kinds of issues with your health, poor air quality, and other issues.
Because it is a very serious issue, you might wonder whether air purifiers are strong enough to deal with mold and remove it from your home. If this sounds like you, then you are in the right place.
What Is Mold?
This is basically a fungus, which will grow in the form of a multi-cell structure called a hyphae. The mold must get its nutrients from other organic substances, which provide nutrition. That is also why it ends up growing on old cheese or bread in your refrigerator.
There are many ways to combat the growth of mold, but air purifiers are among the best methods. If you happen to live in humid climates, you must consider installing an air purifying system to help fight mold. Otherwise, chances are high that they will start forming in a few hours. We are sure that is the last thing you need.
Do Air Purifiers Work For Mold? – Some Bad Effects To Watch For
Some of the adverse effects that are due to mold include:
- The development of respiratory issues, even in healthy individuals
- Flaring up of allergic reactions like coughing, skin rashes, itchy red eyes, and so on
- Multiple flare-ups due to chemical sensitivity – includes nausea, rashes, flu-like signs, memory lapses, breathing problems, dizziness, and so on
- Asthma issues and symptoms
The longer you are exposed to mold, the more health consequences. Especially since you likely do not realize your body is reacting to the mold. These effects include:
- Pulmonary injuries
- Cancers
- Pulmonary fibrosis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Neurotoxicity
- Conditions with the cardiac and/or gastrointestinal systems, problems with pregnancy
- Toxicity in the endocrine, hepatic and renal systems
- Disorders with the immune system
Can Air Purifiers Help With Mold?
The short answer here is: yes. The long answer is: it depends on the kind of filter system you use. The filter you use must include a HEPA filter. This will trap spores and stop them from re-entering your space. It must also contain activated carbon filter system, which helps to remove mold smells, and UVC light, which kills germs and make the room sterile enough to stop spore reproduction.
Another truth you should know is that these air purifiers will not deal with active growth of mold. In this case, you must deal with the underlying cause of the problem, such as correcting humidity problems, or else the mold will continue spreading.
What Filters Should I Use?
These are usually the first solution you turn to in order to remove the chances of mold growing in your home. Air purifiers will be able to keep your air clean for as long as possible. In particular, the use of true HEPA filters will help to capture close to 99.97 percent of contaminant airborne particulate matter, even as small as 0.3 microns in size.
The more powerful air filters will even cut down on spores from mold and fungi, both from inside and outside your home, as well as removing additional contaminants like dust mites, bacteria and viruses.
Some of the filters you can combine to deal with the issue are the following.
Activated carbon
The activated carbon filters of today are reliant on very small amounts, which happen to be very high in their absorption abilities and bond with particulate matter in a chemical reaction. They can help you deal with a wide range of pollutants, including gases and odors.
If you are extremely sensitive to poor air quality, these filters can help you immensely. This includes the elderly, children, and people with respiratory conditions, as they do not use harmful methods in dealing with pollutants. However, take note that they are not particularly effective when dealing with allergens and particulate matter, which is where other filters such as HEPA come in.
UVC rays
Even though these rays cannot remove particles from the air, they work well to eliminate gases, bacteria, and germs. The UV rays will kill microorganisms as they pass through the filter, therefore ensuring that allergens always are out of bounds.
Some of the UV filters will also change water and oxygen molecules into hydroxyl and ozone, which then destroy the pollutants by reacting with them. However, ozone is extremely harmful when inhaled in large amounts. And even small amounts can kill animals, so it is best to minimize their use as much as possible.
Other Things To Remember
Make sure to buy air purifiers that have de-humidifying functions, as this will help to control the humidity levels of the home. This is among the basic requirements to help in dealing with mold growth inside your home. Other measures to take include:
- Clean and dry your floors thoroughly
- Fix any leaking pipes, windows and roofs
- Make sure to ventilate the rooms in your home, including your cooking areas, bathrooms and air vents
In case mold is already present inside your home, you must ensure you clean up your house immediately using some mold spray (a mixture of bleach and soap in water). Ensure you wear gloves while doing this, and protect your nose and eyes while cleaning up. Then apply a moisture fixer to prevent the humidity levels in your home from becoming too high. In addition, aerate your home as often as possible to ensure the flow of fresh air.
Do Air Purifiers Work For Mold: Final Thoughts
When dealing with mold in your home, you need to be careful. Humidity is the major reason why the mold develops, so deal with it as soon as possible. In addition, air purifiers can help to combat the spread of spores, but you should also make an active effort to keep your home clean and sterile enough to not allow the spores to grow.
