One of the most common questions that I get asked by people who have done a little bit of research about the different types of air purifiers is “which air purifiers are ozone-free?”
The reason that they ask this question is usually because they are aware that some air purifiers emit large amounts of ozone gas, either as a by-product of their air purification technology (ionic air purifier) or as their main purification method (ozone generators).
Afterwards they then discover that, despite the marketing claims of those companies that manufacture such air purifiers, many environmental health organisations consider that ozone generators are potentially hazardous to human health.
As a result of these discoveries, these people want to know which are the best ozone-free air purifiers so that they can enjoy the benefits of removing unwanted air particles from their homes without subjecting themselves and their families to the adverse affects of ozone gas in the process.
I have previously written an article about whether or not ionic air purifiers are safe and so I am not going to repeat myself here. Suffice it to say that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is so concerned about the possible side effects of ozone gas in the home that it has classified it as a “toxic gas” and there is plenty of evidence to show that it is potentially very harmful to humans if inhaled in sufficient quantities.
Rather than looking at the science behind the harmful effects of ozone gas in humans, this article is simply going to help you to identify which types of air purifier are ozone free and safe to use.
Ozone-Free Air Purifiers
The best ozone-free air purifiers usually come fitted with a True-HEPA Filter and an Activated Carbon Filter. These 2 different types of air filter work well together in removing a variety of common contaminants from the air in your home because they work in different ways and target different types of air particle.
1. True-HEPA Filters
A True-HEPA Filter consists of a series of fine fibrous materials that are folded up like a concertina. These layers act to trap airborne particles and, thus, remove them from your home.
In order to qualify as a True-HEPA Filter, it must be able safely remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles that are as small as 0.3 microns.
Some high-end machines even come with what’s called a Hyper-HEPA Filter and they can remove particles that are as much as 100 times smaller than those removed by a True-HEPA Filter.
Importantly, since a HEPA Filter simply removes air particles by trapping them in layers of material, there is no ozone gas emitted in the process and they are perfectly safe to use.
HEPA Filters are very good at trapping the larger particles like pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores, but not so good at dealing with smaller particles such as gasses and odors.
The good news is that this is where the Activated Carbon Filters take over and work in conjunction with the HEPA Filter to remove these other smaller gas and odor particles.
2. Activated Carbon Filters
Activated Carbon Filters basically consist of multiple sheets of carbon that have been engineered to better absorb and bond with certain types of small particles as they pass through them.
They are especially good at removing very fine chemical pollutants such as smoke, odors, and other harmful and unpleasant chemicals.
They do not filter larger airborne particles, but then that is what the HEPA Filter is there for. Many machines actually come with a Pre-Filter that is designed to remove the larger air particles so that the HEPA Filter doesn’t get unnecessarily clogged up with them.
Again, Activated Carbon Filters do NOT cause any ozone gases to be released into your home and they are perfectly safe to use.
Finding the Best Ozone-Free Air Purifiers
When looking for the best ozone-free air purifiers, I strongly recommend that you concentrate on those that come with a good True-HEPA Filter (or Hyper-HEPA) and an Activated Carbon Filter as their main particle removal processes.
Finding the best ozone-free air purifiers can still be a complicated and confusing process, even when you have some idea of what you are looking for.
There are many ozone-free air purifiers to choose from and much will depend upon your budget. Not everyone can afford to spend the best part of $1,000 on an air purifier, especially since you many need to buy more than one machine if you want to purify the air in more than one room in your home and/or office.
There are, however, good ozone-free air purifiers to suit all budgets. Obviously, the more expensive air purifiers will perform more efficiently and they will often have very sophisticated programming and automation features that you won’t find on the cheaper models.
Some of the cheaper models, however, will still do a good job of cleaning the air in your home, albeit that they might not look as stylish and will lack some of the extra convenience features that are found on the premium air purifiers.
I have reviewed a number of excellent ozone-safe air purifiers (to suit all budgets) and you can find those reviews if you follow these links:
- Desktop Air Purifiers
- Best Asthma Air Purifiers
- Air Purifiers Under $150
- Air Purifiers Under $200
- Air Purifiers Under $500
- Air Purifiers Under $1,000
Leave a Comment
If you have any opinions to share on the question of “Which Air Purifiers Are Ozone Free?”, please just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you have any suggestions for the best ozone-free air purifiers? Please feel free to share your recommendations and I will be happy to check them out.
I did not have a clear picture about the air purifiers that emit ozone although I was asked by the sales person I really did not think it through until I came across your article.
It is a great read and tells a lot on how one should avoid using air-purifiers have ozone and I even have an idea on which purifiers are ozone free. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment.
I am delighted to hear that you found my article to be informative.