Air Purifiers

Update - March 30, 2009

When people I meet discover that I'm an indoor air quality consultant, they love to tell me about their new air cleaner.  I typically bore them with something technical about efficiency or ozone, then insult their expensive new purchase.  As you can guess, I'm not a big hit at parties.

Over the past few years, there has been increased concern over the emission of harmful ozone from air cleaners. Learn more about air cleaner regulations on the website for the California Air Resources Board (CARB). 

CARB carries out a non-regulatory IAQ program that includes sponsored research, exposure assessment, development of indoor air quality guidelines, and public education and outreach.

CARB has two great comprehensive papers that you should download and keep in your technical library.  The first is Indoor Air Pollution in California, a great general overview of the topic of indoor air quality.  The second is Indoor Air Chemistry, which delves into the impact that household cleaners have on indoor air quality.

Click any of the links above to go to those specific sections.  Otherwise, click California Air Resources Board to visit CARB's main indoor air quality page.

Update - Jan. 10, 2008

At a hearing on Sept. 27, 2007, the California Air Resources Board approved the nation's first regulation to prohibit indoor air cleaners from emitting more that 0.050 ppm of ozone (consistent with the Federal law  for certain medical devices.

Here's the rest of the story:

The Sharper Image Ionic Breeze lost a class action lawsuit and had been ordered to return customers' money:  Here's a copy of the settlement.  Here's other information from the Consumer Reports website.

So, no ozone, ok?.  Ozone is used in fire damage restoration to remove odor.  The levels of ozone used would be harmful or fatal to humans.  Ozone is a major component of smog.  The levels of ozone produces by home appliances do not have sufficient strength to "kill" mold - they just add to global warming. 

If you think you really need a UV air purifiers, let's asses your air and clean it up first.  Some of the professionally installed models, in certain situations. are very beneficial.

For an air purifier in your bedroom a HEPA is our choice.  Here's why: to remove particles (the "stuff" in the air that you don't want in your lungs) that are between .3 and 10 microns in size - the same size as most mold spores - then HEPA air purifiers are a very good choice.  HEPA means "High Efficiency Particulate Activation" and was invented in the 1940s.  A true HEPA air purifier (look for the efficiency rating) will remove 99.97% of particulates such as dust, smoke, animal dander, mold and other allergens that are .3  or larger.  HEPA air purifiers are also less expensive than the Sharper Image and Orrick, to name just a few.

Here are some links to what Consumer Reports has to say:

Air Cleaners: Some Do Little Cleaning

Important Update

Consumer Reports Quick Recommendations

Consumer Reports Ratings

How to Choose

Simple Air Cleaning Steps

We like to consider air purifiers of any type a "band aid".  The main thing is to get the source of the problem removed so you don't need air purification, except in unusual circumstances.  Give us a call and let's talk about your situation.