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Can home air filtration systems help to reduce mold spores in the home?

Mold Restoration

We all have mold in the home.  Sometimes it is active and growing.  Some times it’s only the mold spores in the air.  Water damage, a dishwasher leak, water heater failure, a flooded basement, all can cause mold growth but the mold spores were there before the water damage. 

Check out or Mold remediation page on our PuroClean Disaster Response web site for more information about mold, mold growth and our mold removal capabilities.

Mold spores are pervasive. They are everywhere, inside and outside. When we mold tests performed in a home it is not a question of whether mold is present or not it is a question of whether the concentration of mold spores inside the house is comparable to that outside. We look at type and quantity of different strains of mold. We are looking for anomalies where the type or quantity of mold spores inside is significantly higher than outside.

We can not eliminate mold from our lives but we can reduce it in our homes and keep our inside air much cleaner.

Mold spores are microscopic particles that circulate in the air. It is from these spores that mold grows into the spongy (mold growth) substance we are familiar with. Four things are necessary to start mold growth; the right temperature, moisture, food and oxygen. All of our homes provide this environment for mold growth.

Improvements in home air conditioning and heating (HVAC) systems now make it possible to capture mold spores in the air circulation systems keep household air cleaner than ever before. Not all home air filtration systems are the same and not all of them will help clear the air of mold spores so you need to be informed to make a smart decision about home air filtration.

There are some key facts that must be understood about mold types and sizes before you go invest in an air purification system.

Mold spores range in size from 1 to 20 microns in size so owe need filtration that will capture particles that small. To put this in perspective human hairs range in size from 50 to 100 microns. The typical household vacuum cleaner filter captures particles as small as 30 to 50 microns. Unfortunately, mold spores are smaller that that.  All of us live with this airborne contamination all the time but People with a sensitivity to mold and people who have immune deficiencies can suffer ill effects from the mold spores in the air.

There are a wide range of home air purifiers. Most forced air heating systems have filtration as part of the system. These furnace filters are designed to keep dust and debris out of the furnace. While they may help reduce dust in your house they will not eliminate microscopic particles. Check this link from This Old House for more on furnace and furnace filter maintenance.

Air filtrations systems that are most effective at removing mold spores are referred to as high efficiency air purifiers (HEPA). The HEPA standard dictates that a HEPA certified system remove 99.97% of particles down to .3microns. Since mold spores range from 1 micron up to 20 microns a HEPA system is well suited to remove mold spores from the air. HEPA Certified Vacuum cleaners are also available.

If you are sensitive to mold or someone in your family suffers from sensitivity or immune deficiency, HEPA filtration systems and vacuum cleaners may be a worthwhile investment.

Even if you have a HEPA certified system it will not remove active mold growth. That requires a different approach. Check the Mold Remediation page on our web site for recommendations on how to clean up small areas of mold growth in your home.

If you have larger or more complicated mold infestations call us, our technicians are certified in Advanced Mold remediation and they know how to eliminate mold growth safely and thoroughly from your home.

PuroClean Disaster response helps homeowners with household mold and water damage in Longmont, Frederick, Firestone, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, Northglen, Westminster and all northern Colorado communities.