In many houses, mold may start growing on the surface of objects, and this can affect the quality of air inside the house. Many individuals and healthcare institutions use air scrubbers to effectively remove both airborne mold and shell particles. It is more practical and efficient to use an air scrubber for mold as compared to a standard air purifier.
Mold can have severe consequences; it can damage your property and cause various health issues. In this article, we discuss how to use an air scrubber to remove mold and improve your indoor air quality.
What is Mold?
Mold is a type of fungus. You can find it almost everywhere due to its presence in the air. Mold consists of numerous tiny organisms that can vary in color. Though mold spores are not always harmful, many people are allergic to mold and may develop allergy symptoms when the season changes.
Mold may grow inside your home on the surface of walls, floors, or furniture. It may also be present in the air in the form of spores. Mold spores may get into your body through the nose and can cause hay fever.
Do Air Scrubbers Work for Mold?
Yes, air scrubbers with a HEPA filter effectively remove mold spores. An air scrubber can filter air particles down to 0.3 microns with a high-efficiency rate of 99.97%, which is why it is an effective weapon against mold spores.
Most air scrubbers are factory fitted with HEPA filters that remove specific types of fungus from the surface and atmosphere. It is impossible to remove mold permanently, but with the help of air scrubbers, you can get rid of them temporarily.
Many industries used air scrubbers for the purpose of cleansing industrial properties. Air scrubbers are also useful to clean your house and complement its air filtration. It can filter out most airborne particles.
Related article: Can You Wash a HEPA Filter?
What is an Air Scrubber?
An air scrubber is an air purifier device that can filter tiny air particles. Many healthcare organizations, libraries, homes, and offices use this method to trap air pollutants such as dust mites, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and germs.
Air scrubbers make air quality better by trapping particles from the air and its surrounding surfaces. Like air purifiers, air scrubbers are used for air treatment, but they can remove air pollutants from the air while also cleaning the surrounding space.
Most air scrubbers trap particles as small as 0.3 microns in size with the help of HEPA filters and other filter layers. Construction spaces and clinics use air scrubbers as a method to remove both airborne and settled dust particles and bacteria.
Related article: Air Scrubber vs Air Purifier – Differences You Need to Know
Is Airborne Mold a Severe Health Risk?
Many molds grow on fallen leaves and rotten logs. However, some molds can grow inside your home on the surface of your wooden furniture or walls as well. Molds proliferate in humidity but may survive all year round.
Molds can affect the internal systems of your body and cause allergies. The symptoms of mold include sneezing, itching, congestion, and a runny nose.
Some people are more prone to experience mold allergy symptoms than others. People with medical conditions such as asthma or other respiratory issues may be more at risk of reacting to airborne mold.
When these individuals inhale mold, it can get into their lungs and trigger asthma. A person with asthma may find it more difficult to breathe in an enclosed space that is filled with mold spores.
To avoid these health risks, you should reduce the mold in your whole home, including the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and other rooms. One of the ways to do this is to use dehumidifiers as well as open windows to lower the moisture content within the house. Other ways include using an air purifier to remove mold or an air scrubber.Â
Are Air Scrubbers a Good Investment?
Yes, air scrubbers are a good investment as most mold remediation projects involve air scrubbers to remove visible fungal contamination in interior spaces.
However, before purchasing an air scrubber, you should know that medical evidence supporting the use of air scrubbers for mold is limited. However, it is indicated that by removing mold spores and other allergens from the air, air scrubbers can ensure the safety of your appliances, walls, floors, and furniture, and may help improve your health or prevent allergies.
If you have asthma, you should consider adding air scrubbers to your home to help prevent asthmatic reactions.
Related article: Best Home & Commercial Air Scrubbers
How Do Air Scrubbers Remove Mold Spores From the Air?
A commercial air scrubber for mold follows the principle of negative airflow. In simple terms, negative airflow removes air from an enclosed space.
Air scrubbers typically come with three-stage HEPA negative air filters. The powerful fans of air scrubbers suck ambient air into it and purify the air using a series of filters.
Different filters trap specific air pollutants, while HEPA traps and removes mold spores from the air. In the end, after purifying the air, air scrubbers transfer the air back into the room or vent it outside.
Do Air Scrubbers Create Ozone?
No, most air scrubbers do not generate ozone. Ozone is an irritating gas that can cause breathing problems.
What Kind of Air Filter Removes Mold Spores?
Air scrubbers are available with HEPA filtration, which helps trap mold particles with excellent efficiency. HEPA filters are made with a thick sheet of tiny fibers sealed in a plastic or metal frame and are able to capture almost every kind of particulate matter in the air.
Certified HEPA filters effectively remove the particles down to the size of 0.3 microns. Mold spores are usually larger than that, at about 4 to 20 microns in size.
Air scrubbers have fans that draw in the air containing mold into the HEPA filter, which is able to trap the molds and release fresh air that is safe to breathe back into the space.
Final Thoughts
Molds can be very harmful to your breathing. Running a commercial air scrubber through your place of work or home can help remove molds, making these places safer for you to breathe. As we explained, air scrubbers use HEPA filters to remove tiny mold spores from your air, sucking them into the filter and then venting out the clean air into the space.
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