Air purifiers keep mold and mildew out of your home by filtering the harmful, airborne mold spores out of the air and then recirculating back into your room purified air. It is a process that is ongoing and repeats itself several times every hour.
So if you go outside and bring back by way of the open door or on your clothing, new mold spores the air purifier will continue to pull the air in your home through the filter, remove the mold spores, and send back out purified air into the room.
Why You Should Consider Purchasing an Air Purifier for Your Home
Obviously, air purifiers have the core use of purifying the air, hence the name. But how do they help prevent mold growth in your home?
1. Clean the Air in Your Home
Air purifiers will help guarantee that you are breathing in clean air. The EPA estimates that indoor air is typically 2 to 5 times dirtier than the outdoor air. With a good air purifier you can keep your air clean.
2. Reduce Moisture
Moisture is one of the main things that mold needs to thrive. Without it, you usually can prevent most mold growth. Having an air purifier helps you to keep common mold growth areas with an even amount of moisture.
3. Generate Airflow
Mold thrives in environments that have stale air. The spores are so light that they travel long distances from the smallest gusts of wind. However, if mold spores are not allowed to settle, it is difficult for them to germinate.
4. Remove Spores and Toxins
Air purifiers vacuum dirty air through their filters in order to remove toxins and debris. This is a great way to catch mold spores from the air in your home, and prevent mold growth.
Overall, by reducing moisture, increasing air flow, and filtering mold particles out of the air in your home, air filters allow you to easily reduce the chances of mold growing in your home.
Tips for Using Air Purifiers to Reduce Mold and Mildew
1. Place Your Air Filter in a Moist Area in Your Home
You want to place your air purifier in the rooms in your house with the most moisture in order to prevent mold growth. These rooms are:
- Bathrooms
- Bedrooms
- Kitchens
- Basements
- Closets
2. Don’t Place Them Behind Something
While it is nice to keep your air filter hidden away and out of the way, they work most efficiently when they are placed in the center of a room. When using your air filter, you will want to do this in order to make sure that all of the air in the room is circulating properly.
3. Keep Your Windows and Doors Shut
With air purifiers it is important that you keep windows and doors shut as the purifier is working. If you have your windows or your doors open and the air purifier on, the air purifier will try to pull the air in from outside.
Most people think that having windows and doors open simultaneously is beneficial because it allows for more air flow. But this is wrong. Having your windows open when your air filter is on can push many particles through it at once, eventually clogging it, and wearing out filters faster.
Essentially, the longer you have the doors and windows open, the harder your air purifier will have to work to keep that space clean.
Why We Recommend Portable Air Purifiers
The nice thing about owning portable air purifiers is that you are able to move them from one room to another throughout the day.
When it is the middle of the day you can put one in the living room while you are reading on the couch so that the air you breathe is clean.
But when you move around the house, perhaps doing homework in an office or going to bed, you can move the air purifier into that same area to create a clean and breathable space at whatever time you need.
What to Look for in a Good Air Filter
Air purifiers come in a variety of sizes designed to fit any size space. They also have multiple features. You can choose things like oscillating fans, energy saving settings, multiple speeds, twin filters, or special filters based on your specific needs.
1. UV Lights - Keep Allergies Out
Stronger filters with UV designs can be used to kill bacteria which might be best suited for larger families especially those families often susceptible to annual flus or colds. Other designs can help support allergies, eliminate odors, or kill off mold spores before they have a chance to germinate.
2. Compare Sizes
When you are comparing air purifiers you need to start with the type. This includes the type of filter but more specifically the type of purifier you want for your space. A small, one-bedroom apartment is going to need a different type of purifier compared to a 700 square foot living room and kitchen area. Likewise a residential area might need a different type than a commercial area.
3. Keep Your Needs in Mind
People who are susceptible to allergies, people who have smokers in the house, people with pets, all need different types. As a result, you want to make sure that the air filter you choose is made specifically for your needs. Each filter is different, some made for keeping finer particles out, while others are made to keep specific types of bacteria out.
4. Compare Price - Know Good Value
To that end, you should also consider the price point. Good air filters can be found at around $100, all the way up to several hundred dollars. But the primary cost of the filter is not the only thing you have to consider. You also want to consider the long-term sustainability.
If you pay for an air purifier that costs $300 and it lasts for eight years before it has to be replaced that is going to be a cheaper option for you long term compared to an air purifier that costs $100 but only lasts for one year.
5. Factor Maintenance Into Your Cost
You also need to be cognizant of the number of filters you will have to replace throughout the lifespan, and the warranty length.
All of this ties into the design and the warranty options. You might want a very long warranty because your air purifier is designed to last long term or you might be okay with a warranty that expires after the first two years because you plan on moving into a bigger home in a new area within the next few years, at which point you will need to invest in a different design.
3 Common Types of Air Filters
1. Carbon and Chemical Air Filters
Active carbon filters rely on small, absorbent pores to trap the pollutants as they pass through the filter. These pores chemically react to the pollutants in the air so the activated carbon filters will get rid of things like chemicals, smoke, and odors but they typically won't remove dust or allergens.
2. Air Filters for People With Allergies
If you have a problem with pet odor or some other type of odor in the air you can use a HEPA filter that has activated carbon and you will get the benefits of both the removal of pollutants like chemicals and smoke as well as odor elimination.
3. Air Filters that Kill Bacteria
UV Purifiers will help you to remove viruses and bacteria from the air. These filters have ultraviolet germicidal lights on them which kill any germs in the air. They typically work best with HEPA filters as well because they better purify and eliminate odors simultaneously.
Top 5 Air Purifiers We Recommend
There are hundreds of air purifier brands on the markets, with different models and sizes, but these are generally our top recommendations for homeowners based on their:
Cost
Dependability
Usability
Size
Maintenance Cost
Longevity
Name |
Cost |
Particulate Matter Reduction |
Long Term Cost |
Best For |
Coway AP-1512 HH Mighty |
$225 | 99% | $500 | Efficiency, overall cost. Can be used regularly, 24/7 for years without issue. |
Pure Blue 211+ |
$250 | 99% | $700-$800 | Good performance, better for small to medium spaces at a time. |
Coway Airmega 400 |
$650 | 98% | $2000+ | Large spaces (it comes with twin filters and works larger areas than the others on this list) and those willing to spend extra on high quality. This is the highest performing on the market. It can reduce air pollutants by 98% in a 600 square foot space in just one hour. Twin filters cycle air four times per hour. |
Pure Blue 411 |
$100 | 90% | $200 | Small spaces no more than 200 square feet. It is compact and the most affordable. |
Austin Air HM 400 |
$525 | 99% | $1500 | Chemical sensitivity and odor removal. Perfect for areas with high levels of particulate of VOC pollutants. It has a 15 pound VOC filter that is better than the rest. |
Wrapping Things Up - Why Air Purifiers Are Important
To some extent, small amounts of mold will always exist in your home. While this is unavoidable, and some levels of mold are harmless, you want to make sure that you take the steps necessary to prevent mold growth in your home. Purchasing an air purifier is one of the best ways to keep mold out of your house.
They save you money from mold damage, time, and a lot of headache if used right. The best air purifiers for homeowners trying to keep mold and mildew out are portable ones with dependable lifespans and low maintenance costs.
Air purifiers help to keep the dangers of mold out of your home, and protect common mold spots from sprouting new spores. This is a perfect DIY way to reduce mold that is easy, cheap, and long-lasting.
What to Do if You Have a Mold Problem That Air Purifiers Can’t Fix
No one likes to admit it, it’s not fun to talk about, and even less fun to think about - mold growth has affected everyone.
Don’t be afraid to seek professional help for your mold problem. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this, because mold can be dangerous to have in your home, and can expose your family to certain health problems if left untreated for extended periods of time.
If you have a mold problem that does not seem to go away, or fear you may have some mildew and moisture your air filter cannot get rid of, give us a call. Our mold removal experts can give you a free consultation on your mold problem and give you suggestions on what to do next.
We are here to help you, and make sure that not only is the mold out of your house, but that it stays out! Give us a call today, and we can make the recommendations you need and take the steps necessary to prevent mold in your home once and for all.