Ozone Generators, Are They Effective?

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Do They Really Work?

Available scientific evidence shows that at

concentrations that do not exceed public health

standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air

contaminants.

How Does Ozone Affect Us?

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.

Ozone Concentrations:

Many factors affect ozone concentrations including the amount

of ozone produced by the machine, 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.

Air Purifiers, Do They Work?

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Simple Air Cleaners:

Indoor air pollutants are unwanted, sometimes harmful

materials in the air. They range from dusts to chemicals

to radon. Air cleaners are devices that attempt to

remove such pollutants from the indoor air you breathe.

The typical furnace filter installed in the duct work of

most home heating and/or air conditioning systems is a

simple air cleaner. This basic filtering system may be

upgraded by using another filter to trap additional

pollutants or by adding additional air cleaning devices.

Portable Air Cleaners:

An alternative to upgrading the induct air cleaning

system is using individual room, portable air cleaners.

Air cleaners generally rely on filtration, or the attraction

of charged particles to the air cleaning device itself or to

surfaces within the home, for the removal of pollutants.

The use of “air cleaning” to remove pollutants from the

air in residences is in its infancy.

How To Reduce Air Pollutants:

Source Control

eliminates individual sources of

pollutants or reduces their emissions, and is generally

the most effective strategy. Some sources, like those

that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed;

others, like combustion appliances, can be adjusted to

decrease the amount of emissions. Unfortunately, not all

pollutant sources can be identified and practically

eliminated or reduced.

Ventilation

this works by bringing outside air indoors. It can be

achieved by opening windows and doors, by turning on

local bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans, or, in some

situations, by the use of mechanical ventilation systems.

However, there are practical limits to the extent

ventilation can be used to reduce airborne pollutants.

Costs for heating or cooling incoming air can be

significant, and outdoor air itself may contain undesirable

levels of contaminants.

Should I Use An Air Purifier?

Because many factors need to be considered in

determining whether use of an air cleaner is appropriate

in a particular setting, the decision whether or not to use

an air cleaner is left to the individual. As of yet, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not taken a

position either for or against the use of these devices in

the home.

How To Choose An Air Cleaning Device

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Air Cleaning:

Air cleaning may serve as an adjunct to source

control and ventilation. However, the use of air cleaning

devices alone cannot assure adequate air quality,

particularly where significant sources are present and

ventilation is inadequate. Air cleaners are usually

classified by the method employed for removing particles

of various sizes from the air.

Types Of Air Cleaners:

There are three general types of air cleaners on the

market: mechanical filters, electronic air cleaners, and

ion generators. Air cleaners may be in-duct units

(installed in the central heating and/or air-conditioning

system) or stand-alone portable units.

The effectiveness of air cleaners in removing pollutants

from the air is a function of both the efficiency of the

device itself and the amount of air handled by the

device. A product of these two factors (for a given

pollutant) is expressed as the units clean air delivery rate

(CADR).

Choosing An Air Cleaner:

Things to consider when choosing an air cleaner:

  • The potential effectiveness of the device under the conditions it will be used;.
  • The need for routine maintenance, including cleaning and replacing filters.
  • The estimated capitol and maintenance cost.
  • The installation requirements ( e.g. power, access).
  • The manufacturers’ recommended operating procedures.
  • The possible production or re-dispersal of pollutants, such as ozone, particles, formaldehyde and trapped gaseous pollutants.
  • The inability of some air cleaners to control gases and some odors, such as those from tobacco smoke.
  • Possible health effects from charged particles produced by ion generators.
  • Possible soiling of surfaces by charged particles produced by ion generators.
  • The noise level at the air flow rates that will be used.