I know that it is tough to find permanent solutions for mold. An air purifier with an adequate filter (although not a solution for mold itself) can be a solution for mold-related problems. In this post, we will dive into a deep analysis of mold problems and try to find the best air purifier for mold.
The peculiar nature of molds means they cannot be eliminated by just a single act exactly but rather by a series of measures put in place. Of all these measures, one of the most effective is having a good filtration type device for capturing spores in the atmosphere, and what better way to do this than using the best air filter for mold with max coverage?
Since manufacturers today portray so many devices as top air purifiers for mold, making the right choice to settle on a good air purifier has been left in the inexperienced hands of customers. This article simplifies and addresses that problem, reviewing a few products on the mold air purifier and recommending the best air cleaner for mold problems.
Talking about the best air purifiers for mold, the emphasis always falls on one major quality: the presence of a HEPA filter. The presence of a good and effective HEPA filter is what stands on the thin line between quality and poor. As a result, the quest should be a search for the best HEPA air filter for mold for more accuracy rather than just the best mold air purifiers.
Sneak peak: Our pick for the best air purifier for mold
Painstakingly, we discovered that only a few devices do the job, like the Honeywell HPA300, which is among the best HEPA air purifier for mold. With its impressive capacity, the Honeywell HPA300 covers large spaces up to 465 sqft without excluding its major function of removing 99.97% allergens and contaminants in the air and as small as 0.3 microns in size. This feature is, of course, possible through an exclusive HEPA filter.
Going in a little further, this air cleaner circulates the air in a room at a very impressive rate, and in its recommended space, it can do that up to 5 times in an hour. For quality by the books, it has AHAM verified pass.
Can air purifiers help with mold?
First, you should know that the mold spores, not the mold exactly, get inhaled into the body, and the mold differs from its spores.
Molds are the actual black-looking organism found in corners with a high level of moisture, which continues to grow till they mature and releases spores into the atmosphere. It is this spore that can be inhaled and invoke allergic reactions. However, directly contacting the mold itself could also trigger reactions.
Given that, filters in air purifiers can clean the particles in an atmosphere, removing contaminants, including mold spores, and keeping those unwanted reactions away. However, they cannot do anything to hinder the growth of the mold itself, regardless of the amount of cleaning they do—the only way to deal with this is to reduce humidity.
Read more: Top 5 Best Dehumidifiers for Mold Removal
What type of air purifier helps with mold spores?
The type of air purifier required for removing mold spores is the one that contains a HEPA filter as well as a carbon filter.
HEPA filters specialize in removing the smallest particles, holding them back so they can cause no harm, in this case, the spores, while a carbon filter is responsible for removing mold odors.
Using a UV-C light device also helps prevent mold from reproducing spores. Some of these devices, however, produce ozone or cause irritation to people, which is why it is important you do your research before purchasing.
What You Should Consider When Selecting An Air Purifier for Mold?
1. Filter types/ stages
How effectively an air purifier can remove condiments from the atmosphere, in this case, mold, is mainly down to the type of filter it possesses. Other things that count for a plus also involve the stages of filtration present and the type of filters used in those stages. However, several stages would always look like a plus, the two most important nonnegotiable filters to have included the HEPA and an activated carbon filter.
The ability of a HEPA filter to trap particles as small as 0.3 microns with 99.97% accuracy is unmatched, while the carbon filter deals with the musty odors that accompany mold-infested areas. A nano cold catalyst for further dealing with gaseous contaminants is also awesome.
2. Capacity
The room where the air cleaner would be used should be accurately captured per dimensions, and comparisons should be made with the device before making a purchase. It is important that the air purifier is able to do just what you need it for. To be safer, we recommend you rather err on the side of purchasing a device with a slightly larger capacity than you would need rather than one with a smaller capacity.
3. CADR level
Clean air delivery rate is how quickly the unit can cycle the total amount of air in a recommended space within a certain period. Devices with high CADR have a faster impact on the atmosphere than lesser CADR devices, regardless of their recommended capacity (consider that a high capacity doesn’t necessarily mean a high clean air delivery rate).
4. Warranty
These days, the electronic device warranty highlights how risk-free investing in a purchase would be. Though it doesn’t necessarily speak directly about the quality of the product, it is always good to have some sort of legal protection on the event of something going unexpectedly south.
5. Ease of use:
This feature is wrapped up in many other bit-part qualities like the control panel, having a display, being able to run in the smart mode, or having a timer feature. All these combine to make the device much easier to use for operators. The smart mode is an important feature highlighting a few necessities, allowing the device to vary the speed according to contamination level. Coupled with a timer, they make a perfect blend that monitors energy consumption effectively and manages energy consumption.
6. UV-C sanitizer:
After removing mold spores from the atmosphere, if the mold itself is not dealt with, there is a good chance that it produces more spores to replenish the air, making the air purifier virtually on a rat race. This is where the UV-C light comes in, as the rays it produces are able to attack molds on a molecular level, breaking them down and ultimately preventing the production of more spores.
Though this sounds like a very good plus to the world of cleaners, it is important that you check if the device generates any form of ozone at all before purchasing. Products with a high ozone level would only compound your irritation problems in the long run and should be avoided at all costs.
The 5 Best Air Purifiers for Mold In 2023
1) Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier
Though this air cleaner doesn’t come with the most pleasant of looks, it still falls among the top category of domestic products in the Honeywell line. However, it is not literally a honey well product per se, but made by manufacturing giants KAZ. Since licensed by Honeywell, you can be sure to get equal quality.
Explained Below are what distinguished Honeywell HPA300 from others
True HEPA and Activated carbon filter
Mold removal alongside other contaminants in the air is carried out by this device through the presence of a 2 stage filtration system. These stages consist of a true HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter, to get the job done in the best possible manner. The true HEPA filter removes 99.97% of contaminations as small as 0.3 microns, while more volatile molecules like gases are trapped by the activated carbon filter.
CADR and capacity
Being able to serve 465 sqft of area, at the size of the device, is pretty impressive. Further staking its claims on effective performance, the device boasts a very impressive CADR, which is more than enough to clean the air in a recommended closed area up to 5 times per hour.
AHAM and filters Durability
You wouldn’t be purchasing filters anytime soon should you choose this product. The reason is that the filters are designed to last for up to a year before replacement is needed. However, it varies depending on the atmosphere’s nature or usage frequency. The long life also means you would spend far lesser cost compared to many other products out there
Turbo mode
For the price of getting a bit louder, this air cleaner can make a telling impact within a short period of time when allowed to run in turbo mode. This model is characterized by increased fan speed and air movement. We recommend you run in this mode when the contamination level is high or no one is around to get disturbed by the noise.
KAZ product and poor customer service
As earlier said, this machine is. Actually, Kaz made and Honeywell branded, which raised a few brows in general. One major difficulty for customers is poor customer service, especially in fixing defects and claiming warranties.
Pros
- can cover large spaces
- filters particles up to 0.3 microns
- High CADR
- leaves the atmosphere with a clean, fresh breath
- neutralizes odors
- Filters last for about a year
- AHAM verified
- very durable with long life
- touch-sensitive control buttons
Cons
- kind of bulky in size
- costs a few extra bucks compared to other products in the same range
- technically not Honeywell-made
- poor customer service
- tendency to release repulsive odors on first use
2) Germ Guardian Air Purifier
Anyone who has stayed around air purifiers for a while would have heard a thing or two about manufacturing giants, germ guardians. This device is a master in removing 99% of contaminations in the air down to 0.3 microns in size, which captures molds in its spores. It can also deal with that moist odor residue mold adds to the air when present.
Fashion at its simplest
This device looks ordinary but is still very impressive for anyone looking closer. Its incredibly wide surface area means it can force more air through several layers of filters at once, making a faster impact on the atmosphere. In the end, maybe this is what is responsible for its next awesome quality at the CADR level.
CADR Level
The clean air delivery rate of this air purifier when tested across several conditions and against specific contaminants, the clean air delivery rate of this air purifier stands at 200CFM (though it is actually a bit higher). This is impressive and helps the device cycle the air more frequently and at a lower time frame when used in the recommended 338 sqft room size.
Filter life
Earlier established that the devices come with HEPA and activated carbon filters. You should also know that a pre-filter protects these two filters externally. The product is a 3-stage filtration device, and for lower running costs, the filters are designed to last for a good amount of time. Users are expected to replace filters every 6 to 8 months, though you also know the filters are expensive.
We are talking of around $70 cost for each, which in 2 years, the total cost of filter replacements could surpass the cost of purchasing the unit as a whole. That’s a real turn-off.
Ease of use
Even the shape of the device and positioning of control buttons are tailored to the user’s convenience. While these features are beneficial, its real ease of use is in possessing a timer. This 8-hour programmable timer ensures that users can set the device start and stop time frame without actually stopping it. This also saves power and is an energy star rated for even lesser energy consumption.
Ozone problems and mercury-infused bulbs
If you use this air cleaner, you should first know about its production of very minute ozone residues due to UV-C light, making it a bad choice for those with weak body defense systems. The UV-C bulb also contains mercury, which is very toxic should it get out into the environment.
Pros
- can cover large spaces
- HEPA filter that traps particles as small as 0.3 microns
- UV-C sanitizers for molecular cleaning
- 3 stage filtration
- effective odor removal through an activated carbon filter
- operates in a quiet fashion
- impressive CADR ratings
- impressive filter lives
- energy star rated for efficiency
- 8 hours programmable timer
Cons
- Filters cost a lot to replace
- It might produce some level of ozone
- toxic but minimal material in the mercury-infused bulb
3) Nuwave Portable Air Purifier
One of the major features which helps this device stake a claim among the top is it’s dual 3-stage filtration system, which ensures that nothing gets through asides from clean, fresh air.
Design
With completely soft-touch buttons and a digital display for a stress-free machine-human interface, this device is pretty much very convenient to use and carries a very modern look, to say the least. Its overall design appeals to the eyes, allowing it to blend into any home setting easily.
Dual 3-stage filtration
Dual 3-stage filtration is a system that uses three different types of filters to purify the air. In Nuwave Portable Air Purifier, the air purifier uses an H13 True HEPA filter, a carbon filter, and a pre-filter.
The pre-filter is the first line of defense and captures larger particles, such as dust and pet hair, extending the life of the other filters.
The carbon filter traps odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The H13 True HEPA filter captures particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, dust mites, and other airborne allergens.
The Nuwave Portable Air Purifier is designed to effectively purify the air in a room of up to 1,130 square feet with 24 full air exchanges daily. It’s proven to remove the most harmful particles from the air, including dust, smoke, pollen, and other allergens.
Regarding mold, the H13 True HEPA filter captures mold spores as small as 0.3 microns. This makes the Nuwave Portable Air Purifier effective in reducing the amount of mold in the air. However, as I mentioned before, it’s important to note that an air purifier alone may not be enough to eliminate mold in a home completely. It’s also recommended to address the source of the mold and to take steps to reduce humidity levels in the home to prevent further growth.
Energy Efficient
The Nuwave Portable Air Purifier is Energy Star certified, meaning it’s been independently certified to meet energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Energy Star certified products are designed to use less energy, save money on utility bills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As I have not tested this myself, the product details on Amazon say that you can operate the Nuwave air purifier 24 hours a day for a year for less than $10 in electricity costs. This is a significant cost saving compared to other devices in the home that may consume more energy, such as air conditioners, heaters, or refrigerators.
For example, according to the EPA, an average refrigerator uses about 350 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, while an average central air conditioning unit uses about 3,500 kWh per year. In comparison, the Nuwave Portable Air Purifier uses only 40 watts of power on the highest and 8 watts on the lowest settings!
Pros
- Dual 3-stage filtration system
- smart mode with a timer feature
- operates in a quiet fashion
- sleek looks
- Lightweight
- intuitive control panel design with the display
- draws in air from all directions for a more even impact
- high CADR
- easy to use and move around
- operates very quietly even on the highest setting
Cons
- Difficult to find filter replacements
- LED display seems still very bright even in sleep mode
4) Pro Breeze 5-in-1 Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter
Pro Breeze was, of course, going to appear among the top air cleaners for mold, though one would have thought perhaps higher. This device is above the minimum recommended requirement for air cleaners intended to get rid of mold and even possesses extra layers of filters for more impact on the atmosphere.
<h4Virtually a single filter with all functions infused
Though it consists of a HEPA, activated carbon, and cold catalyst filter, they are basically infused as one, which, though makes for good manufacturers economics, reduces their individual effectiveness to a great extent. This means the single filter wouldn’t be as effective as having each standing filter placed side by side, as seen on other air cleaners.
Despite this design, the product is not a poor air cleaner, still working to remove 97% of contaminants and PM2.5 as small as 0.3 microns. However, a major highlight is its cold catalyst filter, whose specialty is removing formaldehyde, common gas contaminants in homes.
Smart timer and sleep mode
With a smart timer, this device is able to both automatically switch on and off after a certain amount of set hours ranging from 1, 2, or 4, depending on the user’s preference. This feature affords much user flexibility and basically removes the inconvenience of running and operating the unit.
Though with a decent CADR level, this air purifier is only suitable for small-sized areas up to 200sqft when putting to the test (as opposed to 500sqft listed by manufacturer), which is kind of a disappointment but still makes a decent value for the price.
Pros
- 5 in 1 HEPA filter captures particles down to 0.3 microns,
- effective against odor contaminants,
- a specialist in trapping formaldehyde,
- high CADR,
- timer feature
Cons
- combined filter function makes the device less effective than individual filters would have been,
- cannot cover large areas 200sqft,
- prone to rubber tire odor during early usage,
- very bright LED light might be a problem at night
5) LEVOIT HEPA Air Purifier for Home
Rounding up our list of recommended products for dealing with mold problems is the level HEPA air purifier. This a relatively low device but makes for a very good deal at the price which it goes. It is more suited to very small spaces of about 150sqft tops and cannot exactly handle a very high level of contamination
ETL listed, FCC certified, and CARB compliant
Despite its low capacity and consequentially low CADR, this device still boasts all the qualifications required in air purifiers to show quality. ETL-listed, FCC-certified, and CARB-compliant, with the highlight being CARB-compliant, meeting California’s strict indoor cleaning device standards.
With a 3-stage filtration, this device consists of a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter staged layer after layer. The pre-filter removes large particles in the air, while the HEPA deals with particles as small as 0.3 microns in size, with a near 100% efficiency (99.9% precisely). The activated carbon filter removes odor-causing molecules in the air. Do also know that this product comes with two extra pre-filters as a plus, while the carbon filter lasts about four months, and the HEPA filter 6 to 8 months.
The design and mode of operating this device rolls back the years, with the presence of simply a control knob for varying fan speeds. It is also portable and easy to carry around, though its single intake and outlet design drastically reduce its impact on the atmosphere. From customer experience, we can safely conclude that replacement filters are pretty difficult to come by in the market and is a real challenge as soon as the time to change comes.
Pros
- 3 stage filtration,
- filters contaminants as down to 0.3 microns in size,
- easy to use analog function,
- operates very quietly,
- filter wheel reminder for easy filter life monitoring,
- the package comes with two extra pre-filters,
Cons
- lacks any form of modernity,
- can only serve small-sized areas,
- employs the conventional system of one direction air intake and outlet,
- scarce replacement filters
What happens if you inhale the mold in the air?
Whether you are naturally predisposed to mold allergies, continual exposure to mold will surely trigger some sort of response from the human body. In the case of those with an already fragile system or mold-allergic, it could be very harmful. The major source of harm is not actually in a single exposure to mold but when it becomes a continual act.
The array of irritations caused by mold exposure includes sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash, to mention a few. For individuals with asthma, inhaling or touching mold could go as far as causing shortness of breath, chest tightness, as well as serious asthmatic attacks
Can mold grow in a HEPA filter?
The trick for mold survival is this, if they can find enough moisture, they can thrive, and your beloved HEPA filter is not excluded. In a case where humidity is high, it is possible for these filters to hold a handsome amount of water, which would support the growth of molds and other organisms, quickly turning the device into a box of infection.
This is why it is important you don’t just focus on one atmospheric property when trying to create a safe environment. Air quality is just as important as humidity, which is just as important as temperature. When dealing with molds, the first rule is always to drop the humidity to a safe range.
How do you tell if mold is making you sick?
The best way to be sure is to monitor your body’s reaction in and outside mold-infested environments, or more accurately, high and low humidity areas.
If you notice a difference in comfort and some of the symptoms we would be listed here, then the mold has most likely gotten to you. Some of these symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sore throat, wheezing, skin rashes, cough, red eyes, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, tight chest, etc. if you notice any of these after residing in a high humidity environment for a while, then it’s almost certain that the mold is making you sick.
Final thoughts on the best air purifier for mold
According to quality and performance, sitting at the top of our recommendation for the best air purifier for mold problems is the Honeywell HPA300. It effectively handles mold removal from infested environs and has a simple design to fit easily into homes.
With a true HEPA and carbon activated filter, this air purifier is equipped with all it takes to get the job done in large areas up to 465 sqft while being AHAM verified further speaks volumes of its quality. Despite all these impressive qualities, some might still call it too expensive, which is why we believe a five-year warranty is attached to purchasing the product.
The Germ Guardian Air Purifier is also a good choice for those with a slightly lower budget. This device is suitable for large areas, this device comes with a 3-stage filtration that ensures effective air cleaning and an 8-hour programmable timer for much easier operation. Its filters last very long and add very little to energy bills, being rated by Energy Star.