Air purifiers to control mold?
Well, they can help.

There really aren't any air purifiers to control mold, at least not all on their own.

Why? Because, if you have substantial amounts of mold in the air in your home, it will overwhelm even the most powerful air purifiers.

What exactly are we talking about here?

Molds are tiny fungal organisms (When we say tiny, we mean microscopic.) They spread and decompose organic material.

Molds reproduce by forming spores (in some way similar to pollen spores that are such a problem for many people with allergies). These spores are designed to ride the wind and land on organic materials where they can take hold and grow.

Where are molds found?

Think basements and bathrooms. Warm, wet and dark places are the perfect homes for mold to really take hold and thrive.

The real enemy of mold is dry air, since they thrive on moisture in the air.

A few situations to check for periodically:

• a leaky roof
• plumbing leaks
• poor ventilation in bathrooms
• damp basement
• any damp or standing water in crawl spaces

What can you do?

The good news is, if you have mold around, you know it. And you likely can follow the smell to find the source.

And that's where it all starts. The source.

The number #1 solution

Source control. What does that mean?

Simply put, eliminate the source.

Once you've identified mold, attempt to increase ventilations and/or drainage immediately. It is the only way to permanently fix the problem.

The bottom line ...

The best allergy air purifier will do little if there is an active source of mold spores in the home. 

Remember: Simple steps to limit the source of allergy will make the best allergy air purifier work effectively. Not doing so will render the best allergy air purifier practically useless.

OK, if I limit the source, can an air purifier help?

Yes, but it's no magic cure. Let's look at a couple simple steps before considering air purifiers to control mold.

Step 1

Keep humidity as low as possible, certainly below 50%. Low humidity is especially important in areas like the basement.

Step 2

If you have air conditioning, use it when humidity is high. Also, consider purchasing a dehumidifier to limit moisture that mold thrives on.

Step 3

Now, let's consider the qualities to look for in your best air purifiers to control mold. 

Smaller airborne allergen particles like mold can present lingering problems. Briefly, the two technologies worth considering are:

Filtered air purifiers use a paper or cloth filter to "strain out" airborne particles. The best use a HEPA filter, which doesn't refer to a brand but is an acronym ("High Efficiency Particulate Arresting" filter) which refers to the efficiency of the filter.

Electrostatic ionizing air purifiers use an ionizer to charge particles before passing air through oppositely charged metal plates that draw the particles out of the air.

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