| I used to start sneezing, sniffling and asthma | | | | Ozone Producing Air Purifier Machines |
| from mold and mildew exposure (although my | | | | Ozone, which is isimply Oxygen with an added |
| allergies also included dust, pollen, and pets). Shots | | | | particle of oxygen (o3), works for odor, mold, |
| at the allergist and medications were a weekly | | | | and mildew, but is not good for gathering pollen |
| routine. I began to experiment with air purifiers | | | | and dust. Too much ozone will irritate the lungs, |
| and air cleaners of all kinds at age 11. When | | | | especially in asthmatics. Ozone machines did little |
| allergic to mold you'll try anything for relief. | | | | for allergies. Today's primary Ozone brand is |
| Thirty years of experience has given me a lot of | | | | Ecoquest (formerly Alpine). MOLD & MILDEW |
| experience with air purifiers and mold problems. | | | | ALLERGIES: RATED EXCELLENT FOR MOLD AND |
| The following represent the primary types of air | | | | MILDEW REMOVAL, BUT DANGEROUS TO |
| purification, with a quick rating on their | | | | LUNGS. |
| effectiveness for mold and mildew allergies. | | | | Ionizers Air Purifiers |
| Electrostatic Plates | | | | Ionizers put negative ions into the air. Will kill some |
| An electrostatic machine is basically a machine | | | | forms of mildew, pollution, and odor, but not very |
| with positive and negatively charged plates. Oreck | | | | good for pollen or dust since there is nothing to |
| may call these plates "Truman Cell" (maybe it | | | | collect the pollen in the air. MOLD & MILDEW |
| stands for Harry Truman??) but they're most | | | | ALLERGIES: RATED FAIR |
| often called "ionic" or "electrostatic". Works for | | | | Carbon and/or Zeolite |
| pollution since carbon from car exhaust is charged, | | | | Primarily for smoke, chemicals, odors and fumes |
| and they are washable but since most pollen and | | | | since these organic minerals absorb and trap |
| dust carries little charge however they are not | | | | gases. Not effective in any way for mold or |
| effective for pollen or dust or mold FOR MOLD | | | | mildew. But they do not trap dust and pollen. |
| & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED POOR | | | | MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED POOR |
| HEPA Filters | | | | Ultraviolet (UV) Air Purifiers |
| The 1st choice for allergies like pollen and dust | | | | UV (ultraviolet light) and Tio2 ( Titanium dioxide - |
| HEPA traps and holds pollen and dust. Allergists | | | | nanotechnology) are used by hospitals and |
| recommend it most. The downside = you have to | | | | dentists because they kill bacteria, germs, and |
| replace it every year or so. It will remove mold | | | | mold/mildew. UV light has a frequency which kills |
| spores to reduce the spread of mold but will not | | | | micro-organisms and hence is effective for mold, |
| kill mold or mildew. If you include HEPA find | | | | while Tio2 magnifies UV light up to 1000 times |
| affordable replacement filters as some companies | | | | MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED |
| can soak you after you own their Hepa air | | | | EXCELLENT AND SAFE. |
| purifier. Avoid the expensive air purifiers like | | | | So: Should You Buy A "UV ONLY" AIR PURIFIER? |
| IQAIR ($and Austin Air which are primarily HEPA | | | | I would avoid UV only air purifiers and get a |
| and forget about them for mold & mildew. | | | | combination of UV, Tio2, HEPA and Ion. That's |
| They're over-priced for a HEPA filter, and even | | | | because you can find many air purifiers for |
| though they are well made you can find better | | | | $200-300 using a combination of these |
| mold air purifiers for less than $300. MOLD & | | | | technologies to do an effective job on mold and |
| MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED FAIR (removes | | | | mildew, plus clean the air completely. |
| mold spores only) | | | | |