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Here's a question from a reader:
"Does an air purifier do anything about mold in the air?"
Mold is a major reason people are looking into air cleaners. Both mold and mildew are a kind of fungus. They're often found indoors in damp places, and can do serious damage to your house. They reproduce by sending out tiny spores into the air - a problem for people because they get lodged in your lungs and in your nose. Some people are allergic to the spores, and these allergies can cause symptoms like sneezing, itching, congestion, discharge from the nose, and skin problems. The spores can also make asthma worse (or even cause it in some cases). In short, you don't want to be breathing in mold or mildew spores.
An air cleaner isn't a cure-all for a mold problem. It definitely helps. Mold spores are very small, but most HEPA filters can deal with them and will substantially reduce the amount of spores in the air. Even the smallest mold spores are bigger than the .3 microns that a filter has to catch to be considered a "HEPA" filter. So it will get the spores out of the air - but it won't get rid of the source. To do that, you'll want to have any mold or mildew in your house removed professionally. Until you can get that done, an air purifier will suck most of the spores out of the air. Depending on how sensitive / allergic you are, it should be a big improvement. Remember, though, that most cleaners only work within a certain area, usually about the size of a room. So one cleaner may not work for your entire house.
On balance, though, they're a good idea if you've got sensitivity to mold. If you've had it in your house once, you could easily get it again. Spores can come in from outside, too. Just make sure that the brand you get is described as "HEPA." There are lots of different kinds of filters, but if it's not HEPA it may not get the spores out due to their small size. It might also be a good idea to look for one with a carbon filter. They are good at getting rid of smells, which often accompany mold and mildew.
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