What Air Purifier Will Clean Mold Spores From the Air?

Health Issues Caused by Mold

Mold spores are very small and are often inhaled into your nose and eventually into your lungs. Sometimes the cilia that clean out your lungs can't remove the mold spores, which could cause the mold spores to grow in your lungs, leading to a lung infection in a very small amount of people. Allergic reactions are more common effects. They include a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes and coughing and sneezing. Allergic reactions are more common among those with respiratory or immune system weaknesses.

High efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filters can be effective in removing mold spores from the air in your home. HEPA filters are generally more effective in removing small particles from the air, such as dust, dust mites, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants. HEPA filters work by pulling air through a very fine filter that will trap small particles. Because there is no moisture in the HEPA filter, the mold cannot reproduce inside it. Nevertheless, clean the HEPA filters often to ensure the mold spores don't get back into the air.

HEPA filters are designed to be used to remove small particles from the air, but every HEPA filter is manufactured differently. Some filter out particles of at least 5 microns while others filter particles as small as 3 microns. Mold spores vary greatly in size, but choosing a filter that filters out particles of at least 1 micron will ensure that you are removing most of the mold spores from the air. Some HEPA filters filter .3 microns and will remove all of the mold spores from your home.

HEPA filters are effective in removing mold spores from the air, but using them will not remove visible mold growth, which is a gathering of hundreds of mold spores. To remove the mold growth, you'll need to spray it with a mold-killing solution and scrub it up. An air filter will help prevent more mold from forming after you clean mold growth up.