If ozone generators and ionizing purifiers have questionable efficacy at cleaning air, what can be done to remove contaminants from our homes? There are three basic steps, in order of usefulness: Get rid of the source of the contaminants. If the problem is cigarette smoke, smoke outside. If mold is causing problems, identify the moldy areas and clean them up. Severe cases may require extensive work to get at mold within walls, but if the mold is left in place, the problem will only get worse. When pet dander is a problem, the pet could be limited to certain areas of the house and kept off furniture. Good hygiene along with regular cleaning and vacuuming will remove a great deal of dust and limit opportunities for mold growth. Using special plastic bags on mattresses and box springs can also keep down allergy-causing contaminants. Image courtesy Andrea Booher/FEMA Mold growing on household walls should be cleaned thoroughly and as soon as possible to avoid illness. The next logical question, of course, is "how do you know which air cleaners are effective?"

Fortunately, there is an industry standard that makes it easy to compare air cleaners. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) assigns a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) to air cleaners. AHAM runs a standard test to see how well an air cleaner removes certain contaminants from a volume of air. An air cleaner bearing the AHAM seal will have three CADR numbers listed: one for tobacco smoke, one for pollen and one for dust. A higher number indicates a greater ability to clean air, with maximums of 450 for pollen and smoke and 400 for dust [ref]. air purifier for pm2.5AHAM recommends using an air cleaner with a CADR number at least two-thirds the area of the roomair duct cleaning oakville From the CADR Web site: "For example, a 10-foot by 12-foot room -- 120 square feet -- would require an air cleaner with a tobacco smoke CADR of at least 80. true hepa air purifier with ionizer

If your room size is smaller, the unit will simply clean the air more often or faster. If you have ceilings higher than 8 feet, you'll want an air cleaner rated for a larger room." For lots more information on air cleaners and related topics, check out the links on the next page. The link or location you used does not exist or was moved. For the fastest assistance, please try one of the following options: Thank you for visiting FDA.gov.Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is achieved when you combine UV light rays with a TiO2 coated filter. This process creates hydroxyl radicals and super-oxide ions, which are highly reactive electrons. These highly reactive electrons aggressively combine with other elements in the air, such as bacteria andVOC is an acronym for Volatile Organic Compounds, which include harmful pollutants such as formaldehyde, ammonia and many other common contaminates

released by building materials and household cleaners generally found in the Once bound together, the chemical reaction takes place between the super-charged ion and the pollutant, effectively "oxidizing" (or burning) the pollutant. This breaks the pollutant down into harmless carbon dioxide and water molecules, making the air more Catalytic Oxidation (PCO) is an advanced process by which volatile organic compounds (VOC�s), bacteria, mold and fungus is destroyed by incorporating photon and ultraviolet (UV) energy activating a catalyst creating photoPCO is produced by the air being exposed to photon light and passing through a catalyst comprised of specific nano-sized mineralAfter exposure and upon entering an area, three specific free radicals are released which destroys the bioaerosols (bacteria, molds, andDuring the process, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and hydroxides attach themselves to specific organisms and kill them.

of producing PCO is directly linked to the efficacy of the results.  advantage of this specific technology is a higher yield of free radicals which occurs due to the exposure of catalytic compounds.  If low levels of PCO are introduced into a room, this would be effective in removing odors caused by organic elements, smoke, fungi, and bacteria.  When the levels of PCO are increased, it would only produce a greater benefit.  This would be appropriate in such places as homes with smoke damage or high levels of microbialThis would also be useful in automobiles with tobacco or musty introduction of PCO into an environment would be to destroy the microbialAnother aspect of using PCO is that it is successful at killingThere are various types of microbial spores that can be treated, but it is also an advantage that advancement in this technology now makes it possible to use PCO as a defense against specific organisms that may threaten the general population when used by radical organizations.

If you are reading this page, it can only mean one thing: you’ve stumbled across a review on an air purifier that caught your interest. However, you’re confused by a bunch of strange acronyms which mean absolutely nothing to you. Most people are somewhat intimidated by these so they give up on the purchase altogether or, even worse spend their money on an air purifier without knowing what it is they’re buying. Today’s mystery word is HEPA which stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. For some insight on how it works, its history and applications as well things to look out for keep reading. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment when HEPA filters were invented. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say they were developed over time, but the first recorded use of HEPA filters occurred during the Manhattan Project (yes, that Manhattan Project the same one that produced the first atomic bomb). Basically, HEPA filters were employed to stifle the dispersion of radioactive particles inside research labs.

The next important chapter in the history of HEPA filters came about in the 1960’s when German brothers Klaus and Manfred Hammer introduced the first commercially accessible filtering systems. These were used to reduce the concentration of airborne soot particles as a result of using coal-burning stoves. They would go on to form one of the most renowned companies involved in the production of air cleaners called IQAir whose model, the HealthPro Plus I’ve reviewed on my website. In order to make a HEPA filter glass fibers are used, and thanks to the unique configuration they’re arranged in air is able to pass through the filter while large contaminants such as allergens, mold or dust are captured. The pollutant particles are captured using several different principles. For the most part particles come into contact with the filter, and are then trapped based on the principle of adhesion while clean air is free to circulate. Other cases include contaminants being trapped after achieving partial contact with the glass fibers, or being pressed up against the filter because of the strong air flow inside the purifier.

Furthermore, airborne particles are attracted by other particles which are already trapped by the HEPA filter. Thanks to these various ways of stopping contaminant particles before they are able to pass through, HEPA filters can collect 99.9% of airborne impurities as long as they’re larger than 0.3 microns in diameter. Since most contaminants fall into that category, just imagine how much of an impact these filters have on the quality of air you breathe. Stuff like dust, allergens, pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mildew and mildew spores are eliminated with the use of a HEPA filter(especially useful for people who suffer with asthma or hay fever). Just like all air purifiers aren’t created equal, HEPA filters too differ from one another. So, I would like to shed some light on things you should look out for if your air purifier of choice has a HEPA filter. First of all, there are a lot of air purifiers out there which are advertised as having HEPA filters, but actually don’t.

Usually these are disguised as having HEPA-like filters, and don’t meet strict HEPA standards. You just have to look carefully because HEPA-type filters are sometimes advertised as being able to stop 99.9% of contaminants larger than 3.0 microns, which is nowhere near the level of filtration offered by True HEPA filters. That doesn’t make them useless since they are still able to capture large particles, but it’s your responsibility to get all the facts straight. Hopefully my website will do just that for you. Another thing you have to realize is even a True HEPA filter can’t do everything, and this is why you should always look for an air purifier that also has a pre-filter. These capture larger particles such as dust, pet hair and lint etc. This maximizes the effectiveness of HEPA filters and increases their longevity since they won’t get clogged up or damaged. Also, don’t expect HEPA filters to deal with nasty smells, odors and VOCs. This is what the activated carbon filter is for and you should, if possible, go with a HEPA purifier which also features an activated charcoal filter.