A friend is having severe health issues which began when she moved into a very old home that has had water damage.
Even her cats are getting sick and all signs point to mold exposure as the cause. She is unable to move and remediation is out
of the question. The only low-cost solution we have come up with is an air purifier that will hopefully kill, but at least trap, mold
spores and mycotoxins. We’re trying to determine whether we should be looking for an “air purifier” or an “air scrubber”.
A lot of sites show supposed laboratory testing but don’t give relevant information as the name of the actual testing laboratory and the actual amount of mold prior to testing. We’ve also seen some claim they clean surfaces of homes, as well as the air, and that would be most preferable. Scientific Proof - ActivePure Technology
I had some good results with a ozone generator, though nothing alive that you want to keep alive can be home when it runs or for some time after. So people, pets and plants have to be relocated. It did make a tremendous and lasting difference in something that would cause me to sneeze and get congested.
She does have that as part of her basic air purifier & occasionally uses it with good results. But she needs something that she can rely on to do a more thorough job. Thanks.
I think as long as it has a HEPA filter, it should be sufficient.
I worked in water damage mitigation for 13 years and mold remediation was immediately adjacent to that. The use of vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters and air scrubbers with HEPA filters was considered sufficient for “cleaning” the air and surfaces in the affected space (this is a big, big simplification of the actual procedures involved).
Generally, I would advise that whatever might be contributing to the growth of mold in a home be addressed, first. You speak of the water loss in past tense but I would double check to make sure it’s not ongoing. A dehumidifier might help promote an environment that is not conducive to mold growth and a HEPA air scrubber would remove most mold spores floating in the air (don’t put it near an area of mold growth, the air movement it induces will just throw more spores into the air).
It’s important to address the mold growth head on. Your friend can use whatever device they want to mitigate their condition, but if the mold is left as is it’s only going to get worse. If you can see the mold and know where it is, great. That’s easy to address. If you don’t know where the mold is, you’ll have to get an inspector. They’ll be able to tell you what’s causing it as well.
As for mold prevention, air purifiers with the right filter will help. So would a dehumidifier to keep humidity low. You can also try to improve air circulation by installing ceiling fans or using an air circulator. Keep doors and windows open as often as possible and use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms to vent out as much moisture as possible.
This. If she already has an air purifier, make sure it’s fitted with a True HEPA filter. Not “HEPA-type” or any other sketchy rating like that. If it’s a large multi-room dwelling, and she’s particularly sick, she may need more than one purifier.
Not sure if this website helps but it has some info.
The solution proposed is nonsensical. It’s like saying, “we’ve got a leak in the roof, would a sponge in the bathroom be a temporary solution.”
If her house has mold growing in it. The only type of air purifiers that would work is to outfit every living thing in the house with a scuba tank. Those freestanding air purifiers may clean the air in the spot where it’s in-taking air. Is everyone while they are in the house, going to be only sitting infront of the out-flow of the purifier?
Find the source of the mold and remediate it.
This is one of those situations where you probably shouldn’t use an improvised solution since there are health risks for getting it wrong. If she thinks that an air purifier is sufficient, she may have a false sense of security and could end up with more serious issues. Even if a purifier worked, the filters would need to be replaced on a frequent basis and they can be relatively expensive. It wouldn’t take too long to spend more on filters than it would take to get the problem actually resolved.
HEPA filters can definitely be expensive (sometimes > $100/filter), and the costs would certainly start to add up.
Hiring a professional to properly clean and remediate a mold-affected area can easily costs several thousand dollars. Your homeowner’s insurance policy may cover some of the costs, depending on the particular policy. Your insurance agent might be the best source of information on that front.