If you have ever dealt with mold before, then you must know how difficult to remove it. Mold spores could be dangerous to the people exposed to them. They can cause itchy skin and eyes, wheezing, stuffy nose, asthma, and other health problems.
Fortunately, you can eliminate all of them from your home completely. All you need is an air purifier for mold. But with the many brands of these devices in the market, it is difficult to pick the most excellent to take care of your mold and mildew problem.
We have compiled a review of the 5 best air purifiers for mold spores. We have also included a buyer’s guide to make it easier for you to pick the model for your needs.
List of Top 5 Air Purifiers for Mold in 2023
Best HEPA Air Purifier for Mold
GermGuardian AC4825
If you are planning to invest in an air purifier, you will want to get an excellent one to enjoy the results. GermGuard is one of the best air purifiers for mold that you can get in the market today. The device features UV-C technology to kill viruses and bacteria.
It comes fitted with a HEPA filter that has the ability to trap up to 99.97 percent of allergens, dust, pet dander, mold spores, and plant pollens. It has a three-speed setting that is versatile enough to make this model effective at filtering even medium-sized rooms.
GermGuard AC4825 also comes fitted with durable filters that can last between 6 and 8 months depending on where you use it. With its long lasting filters, you will definitely get value for your money since most filters require frequent changing.
WHY WE LOVE IT
- It’s ultra-quiet
- Fitted with UV-C control
- Has a three-speed setting
- Long lasting filter
TAKE NOTE
- Emits electrical burning smell
GermGuard AC4825 is the best all-around air purifier that delivers maximum results and has an effect that exceeds its price range.
Best for Bedrooms and Living Rooms
Alen BreatheSmart FIT50
Alen BreatheSmart Fit50 is the best purifier for mold and mildew to tackle large rooms. This is because it clears up to 900 SqFt in every 30 minutes. It features proprietary whisperMax technology that is responsible for its quietness while its soothing pink tones enhance sleep quality. This makes it an ideal air purifier for use in bedrooms.
The device also features intuitive intelligence with a smart sensor that detects airborne particles as low as 0.3 microns while its air quality indicator light shows the quality of the air in a room in real time. It also comes fitted with Auto-Mode that self-adjusts its fan speed to address the ever-changing indoor environment. With this unit, therefore, you simply sit and breathe easy.
This model is built with an ozone-safe ionizer that helps effectively cleaning your indoor air. It does this by creating negative ions that attract and clump even the very fine particles so that the HEPA filters can trap all the dirty air.
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Easy to operate with a display panel
- Cleans air effectively and silently
- Has a three-timer setting: 2 hours, 4 hours, and 12 hours.
TAKE NOTE
- Unresponsive customer service
- Very expensive
Alen BreatheSmart Fit50 is ideal for use in your large living room to remove allergens, molds, and pollen from your large room.
Best for Large Rooms
SilverOnyx Air Purifier for Mold
This mold air purifier delivers a powerful performance despite being compact and lightweight. SilverOnyx is designed with 5-stage filtration that enables it to trap both large particles like pet dander and ultra-fine particles like dust while neutralizing your indoor odors.
It comes with HEPA H13 filter that is well-known for filtering ultra-fine particles and capturing up to 99.97 percent of allergens, dust, and the smallest particles. Moreover, it comes fitted with built-in ionizers and UV sanitizers that are important at removing molds, mildew, and other harmful germs from your indoor environment.
Its design incorporates easy to use functionalities. It features easy-to-use push buttons and displays that give you easy access to the variable 5-speed fan, UV-light, on/off timer, built-in ionizer, as well as the auto mode. SilverOnyx Air Purifier is ideal to cover a large space up to 500 sq. Ft., including the basement. The 2.5 sensor automatically adjusts the flow of air to ensure you get the best air quality.
WHY WE LOVE IT
- It has versatile purifying powers
- It is easy to use
- Delivers great air quality
- Runs quiet
TAKE NOTE
- Not ideal for large rooms
- Only 1-year warranty
SilverOnyx air purifier for mold is perfect for those who want a compact and lightweight but powerful device in his large room.
Best Automated Air Purifier
AeraMax 300 Large Room Air Purifier
AeraMax 300 is designed ideally for people who want a mold air purifier for their large rooms but are economically conscious. It comes fitted with HEPA filters together with activated carbon to trap all pollutants from your indoors. This means that it clears 99.97 percent of the allergens and pathogens.
It comes with four speeds with the lowest speed being the most silent and most economical. At this setting, the unit consumes only 6W of energy, which means that you will save on energy bills. However, if you are removing molds and mildew, you have to use the highest speed setting that will consume 86W.
The device comes with a 3-year warranty, which provides enough time for you to decide whether the purifier is best for you.
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Great at removing particles and molds
- Has multiple filtration stages
- It is energy efficient
TAKE NOTE
- It has a smaller coverage area as compared to its competitors
AeraMax 300 is strongly recommended for those who want the best economical air purifier that performs great at trapping dust particles and killing molds.
Best Value For Money
Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifier
The air in your home should be clean and fresh. To maintain the freshness of the air, however, you must have the most efficient air purifier in your indoor space. Such a purifier is Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifier. It is designed to be 100 Percent ozone free without using UV or ions that produce harmful traces of harmful pollutants.
It features three stages of filtration that removes up to 99.97 percent of dust, allergens, smokers, mold spores, pet dander, and other small and large particles. The 3-speed setting (low, medium and high) offers different conditions. It can also operate quietly throughout the night without disturbing your sleep.
It also comes in a uniquely small size with a modern classy design that makes it a perfect fit in small rooms and offices. Moreover, its integrated filters are easy to install and are durable.
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Fitted with high-grade H13 HEPA filters for faster air cleaning
- Has durable filters that deliver a superior performance for up to 6 months
- Silent operation
- Lightweight and compact
TAKE NOTE
- Clicking a button produces a high pitched noise
If you are looking for the best value air purifier for your office or small bedroom, then we recommend Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifier. It’s also the perfect gift for that friend with a small room or office.
How Does Mold Appear
Mold is a fungus with a microscopic structure. You can see it with a naked eye — everyone knows what spoiled food looks like. However, if you look at the mold under a microscope, you will see that it consists of threads with a bunch of balls around them — spores that it reproduces with.
Mold can be found everywhere – in soil, wood, dust fibers, and even in synthetic fabrics. Most often, mold appears in warm, humid places where organic substances serve it as a nutrient. Therefore, wallpaper glue, dust containing tiny organic particles are all good food for mold. However, the fungus is not always immediately visible, and dark spots signal that the fungus has been successfully developing in this place for a long time.
Bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens are high-risk areas. This is where the first signs of mold appear on the walls most often. Due to the specifics of their use and insufficient ventilation, there is often increased humidity in these rooms.
Main causes of mold:
- high humidity and warm temperature;
- insufficient or faulty ventilation, hermetically sealed PVC windows and poor air circulation;
- the furniture fits the walls too snugly;
- uneven heating or freezing of the room;
- leaks;
- premises above damp basements;
- use of low-quality construction materials during repairs and non-compliance with construction technologies;
- a combination of all or any of these factors.
Why is Fungus in Your Apartment Dangerous?
Fungus in a residential area has an extremely negative impact on the residents’ body and health. Fungi are known to reproduce by spores, that is, by releasing spores into the environment. Thousands of these microscopic particles can float in the room and chances are that they can get into your body and cause various respiratory diseases (rhinitis, pharyngitis, asthma, allergies).
In addition, your immune system weakens because of continuous and close contact with the fungus. Your personal items will have an ever-present smell of dampness, causing them to lose their initial appearance and durability, and eventually, they will rot altogether. This applies not to fabrics only, but wood and plastic, too.
Your health should always be your priority. Therefore, it is best to get rid of the mold as it can pose health problems. For your ease, we’ve listed some of the most common health issues that are caused by mold.
Breathing Issues
Spores, cells, and various unstable compounds can invade the air when mold begins to grow. The dampness caused by indoor mold breaks down substances, which in turn leads to a high level of dust and particles in the air.
Furthermore, these particles can act as irritants and allergens that disturb the lungs, nose, and throat. People who suffer from breathing problems are more vulnerable.
Read Also: Best Air Purifiers for Dust Mites
Allergy
The symptoms of mold allergies are similar to those of other allergies. Airborne substances produced due to the mold, affect the upper respiratory tract of an individual. As a result, the person affected might suffer symptoms that include:
- Runny and itchy nose
- Watery eyes
- Sore and itchy throat
- Sneezing
As dust levels rise, the dust mites multiply, too. Consequently, this can be quite dangerous as it can often trigger allergic reactions in some people.
Aspergillosis
Serious health problems can also be caused by specific types of molds, such as Aspergillus. Usually, people do not get sick after breathing in the spores of this fungus. However, it can cause a severe reaction in individuals with weak immune systems or lung diseases. There are various types of aspergillosis, and each type may cause different symptoms.
Related Post: Types of Mold in Homes
How Do I Get Rid of Mold?
To get rid of mold in your home once and for all, you need to take a serious and comprehensive approach.
First, you need to eliminate the source of humidity and poor ventilation in the room where the mold is found. Air purifiers can help you there. Modern air purifying systems allow maintaining an optimal favorable climate in any room, even the one with high humidity. Only after normalizing the room atmosphere can you be sure that the mold will no longer appear.
The second step of this comprehensive approach to fighting mold presupposes mechanical cleaning of infected room areas. You must eliminate all mold foci and perform preventive treatment. There are two ways to do this: chemical and natural (home) agents.
Chemical agents for eliminating mold are the easiest and most effective way to get rid of it. Today, you can buy them in almost any construction and hardware store along with special antiseptics to be applied to the cleaned areas to prevent fungus in the future. If you are not allergic to chemical agents, this is the best way to treat the infected surface.
If you do not want to use chemicals for some reason, there are several natural methods. Obviously, they are less effective yet they can still help. Traditional means are best used as a preventive measure:
- Baking soda – The most famous natural cleaner. It attacks mold effectively and without any damage to your health. To use this method, you need to prepare a solution with 3 teaspoons of baking soda per one glass of water. Spray the surface with this solution, let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, and then wipe it with a damp cloth. Try not to wipe it too thoroughly, so that soda particles are not washed off completely.
- Vinegar – Table vinegar is good for cleaning surfaces from mold. Apply it using the sprayer and let it sit for an hour. Then wipe the surface with a damp cloth. A huge disadvantage of vinegar is its strong unpleasant smell, which is, moreover, harmful to your health. Therefore, it is best to treat the surface with your windows open and wearing a respirator. Ventilate the room thoroughly after the procedure is over.
- Hydrogen peroxide – Another traditional remedy for getting rid of mold is a hydrogen peroxide solution. It is an excellent antiseptic, it is non-toxic, and does not have an unpleasant smell. You will need a 3% solution for this procedure. The only drawback here is that hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties, so it is better to avoid using it for cleaning colored fabrics or wallpapers.
Read: At What Temperature Does Mold Die?
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose The Best Air Purifier for Mold
What are the main features to look out for when buying an air purifier for mold?
Cleaning Speeds: Picking an air purifier with different fan speeds comes in handy because it is efficient at controlling the rate of air being circulated. When molds come into play, you can set the highest setting to get a detailed clean. You can also set a low speed during warmer seasons.
Area It Can Cover: Air purifiers are designed to clean the air in specific room sizes. For instance, one purifier can be designed to handle air in a 400 square feet room while another can do up to 1000 square feet. As such, you need to know your room size and pick the purifier accordingly.
Automatic Mode: An automated air purifier comes with sensors to detect odors, smoke, and impurities before setting the fan in motion. This implies that you won’t have to set the device manually. You simply let it do the job for you.
Noise and Light: You won’t like to have a noisy air purifier in your home. No one wants to have his or her peace of mind compromised. So, be sure to pick one that operates silently.
Filter Efficiency: Mold spores are microscopic, and most of them have 3-100 microns in size. So look for an air purifier that removes this size particulates. A model with a HEPA filter and activated carbon filter is best. These filters efficiently remove odors from mold spores and other household odors from the air.
Read Also: Air Purifiers with Washable HEPA Filters
Conclusion
When out shopping for an air purifier, you don’t need to spend too much to have the best air purifier to remove molds and mildew spores from your home or office. All you have to do is find a model that delivers great performance while still being truly inexpensive. You can choose one of the five models that we have reviewed above.
