Air purifiers that produce ozone are potentially dangerous for homeowners in Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.
Not only is ozone potentially dangerous to your health, it may not even work at all. Below are warnings from the EPA and four reasons why you should never use an air purifier that produces ozone.
Direct warning from the United States Environmental Protection Agency You
Must Read This!
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ozone-generators-are-sold-air-cleaners
Whether in its pure form or mixed
with other chemicals, ozone can be harmful to health.
When inhaled, ozone can damage the
lungs. Relatively low amounts of ozone can cause chest pain, coughing,
shortness of breath and, throat irritation. It may also worsen chronic
respiratory diseases such as asthma as well as compromise the ability of the
body to fight respiratory infections.
Some studies show that ozone
concentrations produced by ozone generators can exceed health standards even
when one follows manufacturer’s instructions.
Many factors affect ozone
concentrations including the amount of ozone produced by the machine(s), the
size of the indoor space, the amount of material in the room with which ozone
reacts, the outdoor ozone concentration, and the amount of ventilation. These
factors make it difficult to control the ozone concentration in all
circumstances.
Available scientific evidence shows that, at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone is generally ineffective in controlling indoor air pollution.
The concentration of ozone would have to greatly exceed health standards to be effective in removing most indoor air contaminants. In the process of reacting with chemicals indoors, ozone can produce other chemicals that themselves can be irritating and corrosive.
Recommendation
The public is advised to use proven methods of controlling indoor air pollution. These methods include eliminating or controlling pollutant sources, increasing outdoor air ventilation and using proven methods of air cleaning.
4 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Air Purifiers that Produce Ozone
1. Ozone Generators May Not Work at All
Some manufacturers suggest that ozone
will render nearly every chemical contaminant in the home harmless by producing
a chemical reaction. This is incredibly misleading because a thorough review of
scientific research has shown that in order for
many of the dangerous chemicals found indoors to be eliminated the chemical
reaction process may take months or even years. Other studies have
also (PDF) noted that ozone cannot
effectively remove carbon monoxide or from outside. If used at concentrations
that do not exceed public health standards, ozone applied to indoor air
pollution does not effectively remove viruses, mold, bacteria, or other
biological pollutants.
2. The Chemical Reaction Can Be Dangerous
Even if ozone generators were proven
to be effective at eliminating these chemicals, there are certain side effects
everyone must be aware of. Many of the chemicals ozone reacts to results in a
variety of harmful by-products. For example, when ozone was mixed with
chemicals from new carpet in a laboratory setting, the ozone reduced many of
the chemicals but created a variety of dangerous organic chemicals in the air.
While the target chemicals were reduced, the dangerous by-products rendered the
process moved.
3. Ozone Generators Do Not Remove Particulates
A third factor to consider when
looking at ozone generators is that they do not remove particulates such as
dust or pollen from the air. This includes the particles which are primarily
responsible for allergic reactions. To combat this, some ozone generators
include an ionizer which disperses negatively charged ions into the air. In
recent analysis’s, this process was found to be less competent in the removal
of air-borne molecules of dust, smoke, pollen, and mold spores than HEPA filters and electrostatic precipitators.
4. It Is Impossible to Predict Exposure Levels
The EPA notes that it is increasingly difficult to determine the actual concentration of ozone produced by an ozone generator because so many different factors come into play. Concentrations will be higher if more powerful devices used in smaller spaces. Whether or not the interior doors are closed rather than open will affect concentrations as well. Additional factors which affect concentration levels include how many materials and furnishings are in the room to react with ozone, the level of outdoor air ventilation, and the proximity of a person to the ozone generating device.
What are some better solutions?
There are other solutions that are much safer and more effective than using air purifiers that produce ozone.
We neutralize the source of your odor and contamination by applying our eco-friendly, safe chemical everywhere within your affected area that may be causing the odor. Depending on the job, we apply our formula by spray, mist, foam, or fog. Our treatment eliminates all contaminants, including airborne, surface and sub-surface. The average time of our on-site service is approximately one hour. An additional four hours is required to achieve maximum effectiveness. We ask that you stay out of the area for approximately 5 hours in total. Read more about how we work.
Pacific Decontamination Services uses the world’s strongest, most effective and safe antimicrobial disinfectant, deodorization and chemical decontaminate. Our professional application will eliminate up to 99.9999% of any allergen, germ, bacteria or fungus that it touches. AND as powerful as it is, it is also completely safe.
What do you do next? How do you solve the challenge of odor and associated health hazards?
Call Pacific Decontamination Services at 778-269-0208 or email us!
Serving All of Vancouver Island: Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.