Mold is a worry, and danger, for many homeowners. It can be hard to detect. It can go unnoticed for long periods of time. If you've been struggling with strange, "allergy-like" symptoms, you might be looking for an air purifier to help. But can Dyson fans and filters detect mold and remove it? We've checked with Dyson themselves and other filtration specialists for the answer.
Dyson air purifiers and fans can't remove active mold growths, but the filters do remove airborne mold spores. This improves your air quality and may reduce the chances of mold growing in your home. Mold is trapped in the filter, so it no longer circulates freely in the air.
Keep reading to learn more. We'll explain exactly how air purifiers remove mold spores and what kind of filters are best for stopping airborne mold. Next, we'll explain the different kinds of Dyson air purifiers, and what a "true HEPA" filtration system means. Finally, we'll go over how to test for mold in your home and if your purifier can detect it. So read on for everything you need to improve your indoor air quality and stop the suffering for good!
Do Air Purifiers Remove Mold Spores?
Air purifiers can't do anything about mold growth. Once the mold spores have settled onto a surface, your air purifier won't be able to get rid of them.
But air purifiers do remove mold spores from the air. This, ideally, can help keep those spores from ever being able to find a place to grow.
Air purifiers with a true HEPA filter draw air through them - and any mold spores or other particles or pollutants. The air circulates multiple times an hour. While the air goes through the filter and back out, particles like mold get trapped by the filter.
But again, this doesn't help with mold that's already growing. If you have high levels of mold spores in the air because of growth somewhere in your house, you still need to address the underlying issue.
Does Dyson Filter Out Mold?
Dyson currently offers Dyson Pure and Dyson Purifier. All models of both Pure and Purifier use a HEPA filter, which works to filter out mold.
In the newest versions of Dyson air purifiers, the whole machine is fully sealed. This makes it more effective for cleaning the air. There's no escape point for the dirty air to bypass the filter.
Dyson Pure is available in several different versions. These are the Pure Cool, Pure Hot + Cool, Pure Cool + Humidifier, and Pure Cool + Humidifier Cryptomic. Cryptomic means that it uses special technology to break down household formaldehyde in the air.
Dyson Purifier comes as Purifier Cool, Purifier Hot + Cool, and Purifier Hot + Cool Formaldehyde. Like the Pure Cool + Humidifier Cryptomic, the Formaldehyde version can break down household formaldehyde and remove it from the air.
What's The Difference Between Dyson Purifier and Dyson Pure?
If you already own a Dyson air purifier, you might be confused. For a long time, Dyson only had one line of air purifiers - Pure. So what's this new, Purifier option?
The Purifier line seems to be a rename - they recently rebranded most of their tall floor models as Purifier. The smaller desktop models continue to be Pure. The filtration doesn't seem to vary much, as it indicates the size more than anything. However, anything carrying the Purifier name is their most recent. It uses Dyson's most current technology.
In the past, the larger systems were called Pure. The smaller ones were Pure Me. The company seems to have gotten rid of the "Me" nomenclature. The current offerings on their site list nothing using this name.
However, there are some exceptions to this. The Cool + Humidifier option is still in the "Pure" lineup, even though it is a tall floor model purifier. There is also still one Pure Cool available that is a floor model. Since the name change is relatively new, they may simply have not rolled this one over to the new name yet.
Dyson's website doesn't offer much to clarify the name change. They simply state that they've re-engineered their latest line to be fully sealed for better results. There's no explanation as to why some names changed. But it's possible that they're still in the process of separating the floor models from the desktop version.
Does Dyson Pure Cool Remove Mold?
- Dyson Pure Cool, which circulates purified air.
- As a heater, there is Dyson Pure Hot + Cool, which can also heat the air as it circulates.
- There is a humidifier option with Dyson Pure Cool + Humidifier, which works both to humidify the air and circulate purified air.
- The last type is Dyson Pure Cool + Humidifier Cryptomic - this model humidifies the air and circulates it. In addition, it uses a catalytic filter to break down formaldehyde in the air. It then turns the formaldehyde into water and CO2. Formaldehyde is off-gassed from common household objects like furniture. Prolonged exposure may even lead to cancer in extreme cases.
Are Dyson Air Purifiers True HEPA?
A true HEPA filter is the most effective method of removing even the smallest particles of pollution or allergens from the air. True HEPA filters rate as "H13." If you see an air purifier claiming it has H13 filtration, this is "true HEPA" - or "high-efficiency particulate air." All current Dyson air purifiers meet this standard and are true HEPA filtration products.
This means that they can trap 99.97% of microns that are .3 microns (or bigger). They are still effective at filtering out most smaller particles, as well. However, they don't have to go through any tests to meet any kind of standard for smaller pollutants.
Additional testing may be done by the company. For example, Dyson's latest purifiers can remove 99.95% of particles as small as .1 micron. This is higher than what the US Department of Energy requires.
It's important to make sure you use a product labeling itself "true HEPA." This guarantees that it passes necessary tests, and it meets the standard set by the US Department of Energy. There's nothing preventing companies from using sound-alike words, however. Products marketing themselves as "HEPA-like," for example, have not undergone any testing.
Do Air Purifiers Detect Mold?
Air purifiers don't currently detect mold, just remove it. However, some air purifiers do have sensors that monitor air quality. Most current Dyson models offer this as well.
Air quality isn't specific to just mold. It's monitoring the concentration of all particles in the air. These sensors may also read the temperature and humidity. In addition, some monitor the levels of certain gases.
Testing for Mold
If you want to know about mold levels in your home, there are tests that you can do. These tests do not require you to find any visible signs of mold growth. Many of them use a medium to grow mold in a petri dish. Some kits include the lab fee for testing if you wish to identify the type of mold.
Simply leave the petri dish set out for one hour, then cover it with a lid. Let it sit for 48 hours to see if any mold is growing. After this, check back again every 24 hours. After four days, if there is no mold, your test is negative for airborne mold.
Alternatively, you can fasten the dish with tape over an air duct. Run your HVAC system for 10 minutes. If mold is present in your system, it will blow out into the dish. Cover the dish and wait, using the same method as above. Again, after four days, your test is negative if no mold is growing.
This is an example of an at-home test you can purchase on Amazon. This one does not include any testing fees. It just confirms whether mold is present in the home.
Click here to see this test kit on Amazon.
In Closing
Dyson air purifiers are all true HEPA filters. This means they can filter out most small particles from the air as it circulates. They filter mold and other allergens, but cannot remove mold that's already growing in the home. No air purifier can address active mold growth. But removing airborne particles may help keep mold from settling in the first place.
If you think mold is present in your home, you can test through an at-home kit. If the test confirms the presence of mold, you will need to locate the source and remove it.
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