Air purifiers are great ways to rid your home of all kinds of airborne particles – everything from mold to pet dander to pollen. You should always look for an air purifier that uses a HEPA filter. HEPA filters take the smallest of particles out of the air and keep them from reproducing. A high-performing purifier can help improve the air quality in your home for you, your family, and your pets.
When buying an air purifier for your home or office, steer clear of HEPA/ionic air purifiers with built-in ozone-generating devices. These purifiers use electrostatic plates as their primary means of filtration and incorporate ozone to remove odors and freshen the air. If the purifier uses ozone technology, it will often be displayed prominently on the box or in the description. Still, it’s essential to read as much information as you can about the product to ensure you aren’t getting one that uses ozone. Manufacturers will sometimes use words or phrases like “activated oxygen,” “super oxygenated,” or “energized oxygen” in their description to imply healthy oxygen. Still, they are, in essence, just other ways to describe ozone technology.
In searching for ways to clean up your air and reduce odors in your home, you may also find consumer-grade personal ozone generators for sale. They produce relatively high concentrations of ozone but do not have any other particle filtration functions. They are used to remove odors but are entirely ineffective at removing airborne allergens like mold and pollen. The word ‘generator’ in the name will often help tip you off that the equipment uses ozone technology.
There are commercial grade ozone generators that perform the same function as a consumer-grade personal ozone generator. These should only be used by trained professionals and only in specific settings. Commercial grade ozone generators produce such a high ozone concentration. They should be used under strict guidelines and never in a room where a person is present.
If you’re in the market for a quality air purifier, here are some we recommend for safely ridding your home of airborne irritants and odors. None of them use ozone technology.