Do Air Purifiers Remove Mold?

2/27/2019 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Bartow County for mold removal (770)387-7455

The short answer is yes, but to understand why and how air purifiers can be used to remove mold spores from the air, we need to take a closer look. In this article we will explore a few of the more commonly asked questions regarding air purifiers and mold removal. Hopefully it can help you to better understand how mold grows and how air purifiers can help prevent mold from spreading.

Call SERVPRO of Bartow County for a mold removal estimate (770) 387-7455

How does mold grow?

Mold is one of the most commonly found lifeforms on the planet and it reproduces or grows via spores. Spores can be carried by air currents and spread to environments it finds suitable to take root and grow (typically a cool damp area with poor air movement and minimal sunlight). It can be transferred from surface to surface by direct contact as well. Mold can be a very difficult thing to contain under certain conditions, but not all mold is bad. Penicillin mold, is a naturally occurring mold that has been used to derive the antibiotic penicillin. For the purpose of this article we will be referring to types of household mold that occur after water damage or exposure to the outdoors.

How Do Air Purifiers Remove Mold?

Mold spores are typically between 1-30 microns in size, which means that by using specialized filters called HEPA filters, mold spores can be trapped and removed from the air. Filtering the air in a contained contaminated areas with a HEPA filter will help prevent mold from traveling to non-contaminated areas as well as, reduce the number of airborne spores in the contained area.The goal of any mold removal is to remove, contain, or incapsulate all of the mold spores.

How Do HEPA Air Purifiers Work? What Is A HEPA Filter?

Many air purifiers utilize HEPA filters to remove contaminates such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, tobacco smoke, mold spores and many other types of particulate matter. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air so a HEPA filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter. The way air purifiers typically work is by forcing contaminated air through one or more HEPA filters. These HEPA filters are designed to trap airborne particles greater than 0.3 microns in size. This effectively “cleans” the air and prevents contaminates from spreading to other areas.

When Should You Call A Professional?

This is going to be based on your comfort level and aptitude for home repair. Keep in mind that for most people, our homes are our largest investment and often garner professional repairs. There are all sorts of online resources for mold removal. We would suggest looking to government agencies like FEMA or the EPA or reputable privately held companies like the IICRC.

Here are some reasons you should consider calling in the professionals:

• The mold may already be spreading which creates a nightmare for the unexperienced to contain mold spores
• Spores will most likely be embedded in furniture and other porous objects, requiring additional specialized cleaning treatment.
• If your property has a history of leaks or condensation issues

Call SERVPRO of Bartow County for mold removal (770) 387-7455