Mold is insidious, with a foul aroma and plenty of health risks. You may be wondering how to handle mold inside your home, questioning how to get rid of mold with an air purifier. Here is some help on how to use the best air purifier to clean mold from the air.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Air purifiers can help with mold spores in the air, though we recommend using one with a high-grade true HEPA filter for this issue.
- Another useful appliance is the dehumidifier, as mold tends to thrive in damp and humid environments.
- An air purifier will only deal with airborne mold spores and will not impact the physical outgrowth.
What is Mold?
It can be helpful to understand exactly what mold is before you go about tackling the problem. Mold is a type of fungi or multicellular organism that is known for its ability to rapidly reproduce and disperse itself through the air. Exposure to mold can cause a number of health issues, including throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, cough, wheezing, and more. Mold thrives in damp areas of the home where there is organic matter to latch onto. In other words, if you experience a water leak and this water leaks onto wood, you will likely get mold. Other than mold, you can.
Insider Tip
Mold thrives in damp areas of the home where there is organic matter to latch onto.
Can an Air Purifier Get Rid of Mold?
Certain types of air purifiers will do a good job at removing mold spores from the air, which should reduce the number of adverse health effects. If you are looking to capture mold spores, you will need an air purifier with a high-grade filter. We recommend the use of a true HEPA filter when dealing with mold spores, as these filters will easily trap spores before they can disseminate throughout the rest of your home. You must dispose of this filter once it has done its job.
It is important to note that an air purifier will only reduce mold spores from the air and will do nothing to combat any physical outgrowth of mold. A good air purifier will also reduce mold’s particularly foul and pungent odor, however.
Tips to Eliminate Mold
In addition to running a HEPA-equipped air purifier, there are a number of other ways to get a handle on your mold situation before you get sick.
Fix the Cause
Mold doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Mold is normally caused by a damp environment filled with organic matter such as wood planks. Water leaks are known to cause mold outgrowths when left unrepaired for a period of time. You should perform due diligence to address the root cause of the mold before any other remediation process, otherwise, the mold could just return. The leak could be from a burst pipe behind a wall or in the ceiling so take that into consideration as you budget out repair costs.
Insider Tip
We recommend the use of a true HEPA filter when dealing with mold spores, as these filters will easily trap spores before they can disseminate throughout the rest of your home.
Place a Dehumidifier
Mold thrives in humid environments so part of the remediation process should be reducing the overall humidity in your home. An air purifier, like the Levoit LV-PUR131S, will help with this, but your main go-to should be a purpose-built dehumidifier. Place one of these in any rooms where mold has been appearing and let it do its job. Please note, that you will have to regularly empty a dehumidifier’s water tank to keep it operating at peak efficiency.
Professional Remediation
If your mold problem is out of control and you are experiencing adverse health symptoms, it could be time to call in a professional mold remediator. These qualified pros will bring out the big guns to completely eradicate your mold outgrowth. A well-regarded contractor will even place a guarantee on the remediation, returning for free if necessary.
DIY Clean-ups
There are a number of steps you can take on your own to handle a mold problem. Place an air purifier with a HEPA filter in the infected room, along with a dehumidifier. Next, clean all of the surfaces with a homemade cleaning agent. We recommend using vinegar, bleach, and water, though ratios will vary depending on your needs. Finally, place a cup of vinegar in each room where mold has appeared. The vinegar will naturally combat mold spores, though it may take a day or two before you start to see results. Please be careful when taking these steps and wear protective gear. Ensure that you also clean bad odor from your air purifier which may be caused by the build-up when cleaning molds.
Additionally, you can hide your air purifier, if it is an eyesore and still leave it working effectively. This may not help maximize your air purifier efficiency, but if you install a germicidal air purifier in an A/C duct, that’ll keep it hidden.
Warning
Exposure to mold can cause a number of health issues, including throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, cough, wheezing, and more.
F.A.Q.
Do air purifiers help with cigarette smoke?
Air purifiers can certainly help filter out cigarette smoke, as smoke is one of the primary substances that air purifiers excel with.
How long do air purifiers for mold last?
An air purifier used for the removal of mold spores will last as long as an air purifier used for any other task. However, the air filter used inside of the purifier will likely be ruined by the mold spores. We recommend disposing of the air filter after a couple of days of hard work.
Can air purifiers filter the outdoor air that enters your home?
Air purifiers can filter any air, even outdoor air. However, it will be a question of volume. If you have a window cracked, no problem. If you have the front door open for hours on end, the air purifier could struggle to keep up.
STAT: Change HVAC air filters every 30 to 90 days, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Before investing money in an air purifier, you might consider conducting a home air quality test first to see if you need one. (source)
