I’m looking into buying an air purifier as my husband has Graves’ disease and our flat is prone to condensation and mold in the winter. Apparently the mold can trigger the illness so I would like to cover all possible basis. I would be grateful for any recommendations. It’s very important for the purifier to be very quiet as we would like to use it at night.
Silent HEPA air purifier: I’m looking into buying... - Thyroid UK
Silent HEPA air purifier
I have a dyson air filter and fan. It’s very quiet on the night setting. You can hear a slight noise when not running (on auto) which is the noise of the monitor as it continually monitors the air so it knows to come on when it detects something. Obviously you can hear the air of the fan when it’s running (you dint have to have the air blowing into the room if it’s cold).
I haven’t heard a non fan air filter to complete it to. If you buy another one make sure it filters mould spores as some of them only filter particular things. It’s a bit of a minefield!
As an aside would trying a dehumidifier be an idea first as they are cheaper?
May be a dehumidifier would be helpful with damp and mould. I use detox surface cleaner, or antibacterial mold spray wiping the wall with a j cloth. It is the moisture which causes the condensation in the atmosphere. You can put it on for several hours with at least a litre capacity. You may be surprised to see how much water collects in the machine. I have an air purifier too which has ultraviolet purifiers which I use when there are bugs around. Hope you solve the problem.
Thank you. We have a dehumidifier and it’s really helpful but far too loud to keep it on during the night. We are keeping the mould and condensation under control but I’m worried that the spores are still flying around.
Know the feeling. We have a lot of bushes and trees, and climbing plants. When it rains the air moisture increases, so we have to check air vents, to see if they are not blocked. Also our floors are wood but don't have a concrete base, so even though the floor is real wood, the base of soil can affect damp. We had a damp course fitted which worked. Then we had problems with windows so had to replace the glass when the edge stripping round the window frames was damaged. Now everything is fine. We have an e bac which is noisy it is over twenty years old but is very effective. We lent it to the postman who had floods in his house and it worked well helping drying out his home. Expect you can find a dehumidifier which is quieter. Have seen some smaller ones with crystals which absorb the water, and which you then dry out with low wattage. This is a silent product!
I'm not sure air purifiers are any good. If you have a HEPA vacuum you could keave that on for a couple of minutes each day. As regards damp, which leads to mould and dust mites, it's a matter of appropriate heating and ventilation. Central heating is best, gas or oil heating produces water.
Thank you. We have a gas heating. Unfortunately I don’t have HEPA vacuum but I have a dehumidifier. We are putting in a lot of effort in controlling the mould but it is a challenge during the winter. I find that old properties in the U.K. don’t have a proper ventilation and insulation. I lived in 3 flats here and each one has the same problem which I have never encountered in other European countries. Maybe I need to put more effort into leaving dehumidifier on in the bedroom before we go to bed.
That seems a good idea to try as you already have one. You could contact your local environmental health to see if they have any advice.
It’s really important to get a hepa filter vacuum. Probably more important they an air purifier. Most of the toxins and allergens we are exposed to at home are in dust and that will still be there even if you try to purify the air. If you are going to spend your money on something I would prioritise that over the air purifier. I like mine and it seems to work but reports are mixed about their effectiveness as Jimh111 says.
You may be able to buy a hepa filter for your current vacuum if money is an issue. You can find putt by contacting the manufacturer or checking their website.
Regular damp dusting is also a good idea.
And obviously killing any visible mould that you see as quickly as possible. Don’t just wipe it with water use a bleach solution.
Invest in a good dehumidifier. We used to buy Ebac but they are not very reliable. Have a Mitsubishi now does have an anti mould setting. We leave it in auto and keeps humidity at your required setting. They are quite expensive but we have had it for a long time with no problems.
Thank you! We have a Meaco dehumidifier which we are happy with. Maybe indeed I don’t need an air purifier and should just put the dehumidifier on in the bedroom before going to bed.
We used to leave ours on all the time. It automatically cuts out when the optimum humidity is reached.
I’m not really comfortable with leaving it on when we are out and we are out 12h a day during the week. I need to make more effort in the evenings with it.
Forgot. to say I had an air purifier many years ago and it was totally useless. I also have a dehumidifier which wasn't any good althogh our rooms are not damp. Dehumidifiers might be good at getting rid of dampness but will not make the air dry enough to prevent dust mites, possibly will prevent mold. I would address the problem at source if that's a possibility.
This is the best one I've found shop.mercola.com/product/20.... It uses four technologies to purify the air & covers a large area. Also be careful to avoid foods with high mold. Peanut butter tops the list. Many wines also.
Thank you! I think also Brazil nuts are prone to mold!
This may not be helpful, 10 years ago we brought an Ionic Breeze air purifier for bedroom, lounge and kitchen. We saw them in america and were impressed. The difference it made to us was huge, no more stuffy nose in mornings, or headaches, kitchen smells, our dog had diabetes type 1 and every allergy known to dogs, her allergies went. We lived on a main road so all the dust, pollen, exhaust fumes were caught on the filter. They lasted years no filters needed, just clean the bars weekly. They finally packed up and we have not been able to source them outside USA and currently looking in france.
What really sets them apart from other filters are they are totally silent, the hepa ones are to me annoying like air con. We had to get use to the slight smell of ozone ions, positive charge in air (faintly bleach smell) our dog was very old and smelly but the house never smelt doggy to dogless friends. My husband works in central London and had the plug in car version and he really misses that in traffic, it cleared the air of exhaust fumes, he never got stress headaches driving with it.
You have reminded me to start looking again for them. This is the one we had from sharper image and they are unavailable again
amazon.com/Sharper-Image-Co...
Thank you! Shame they are not available.
Yes we were gutted. I dont want one of the noisy ones and have stayed at friends with hepa filters noisy and not effective as woke up with stuffy nose. Unless its one you know works it could be a waste of money and they are not cheap. x
Ionisers are very bad for your health. They make a nice smell but they are essentially filing your house with ozone.
I use a Fellowes one. I set it on the lowest setting at night as on auto it can get too noisy. I also have to cover the neon lights as they are bright. But boy you should see the state of the filter when we change it. 😱 Well worth it.
To prevent mould, you need to heat the flat sufficiently to keep it dry and never dry clothes indoors. Use an extractor fan in bathroom or open a window after having a bath or shower. Also make sure that you sometimes open a window. You can also buy very cheap dehumidifiers (plastic tubs of crystals). The best filter in the world won't do any good if you are keeping the flat damp
Yes, I’m doing all this 😊 In the winter however I have to dry clothes indoors but I always put dehumidifier in the room. And yes, I do open the window! 😊 I’m honestly doing everything possible to prevent the mould and I am keeping it under control.
Use the laundrette, or see if you can get a tumble drier on Freecycle or cheap on Gumtree - it'll make a heck of a difference. Indoor clothes drying is one of the main causes of mould.
Hello, It's been proved that moulds in the living/working environment can seriously damage health in many ways including affecting thyroid function. This is well known, well researched and treated in the USA but UK doctors are lagging behind. It is very important to keep your living space as mould free as possible, and to treat moulds in the body. You may find this site helpful rawlsmd.com/health-articles...
Most importantly can I suggest that you get a copy of this book amazon.co.uk/Toxic-Toxicity...
It is newly published but I have mentioned it several times already in this group and I unashamedly do so again. It reflects a major breakthrough in the way that chronic illnesses are looked at and treated in an integrated and holistic way, and is written by a brilliant and extremely compassionate man. He saved my daughter's life and that of many others. If you do buy it I suggest you get the paperback form as it has many tables, diagrams etc. which can be tricky on a kindle. I wish you success. Jane x x
Do you use an air purifier @janeb15?
Yes. We use an air purifier and dehumidifiers as well as trying to control mould growth. Cleaning with white wine vinegar and thieves oil helps with that as well as using thieves oil in diffusers, washing machine, dishwasher etc. Jane x
What is thieves oil, please?
Thieves oil has been used for centuries as a microbial killer. It is useful to clean and kill mould patches (bleach should NEVER be used on mould - it bleaches but does not kill!), bacteria and viruses. It should not be taken internally but it is very effective, cheap and easy to make. It can be used in diffusers and to disinfect dishwashers washing machines etc. instead of those expensive products from the supermarket, and is especially useful to anyone with chemical sensitivities. I always take some on a plane to put a few drops on a hankerchief in case there may be anyone carrying flu/cold symptoms etc. This site has some useful information and a the recipe I use to make it.smallfootprintfamily.com/ho...
White wine vinegar is also useful for disinfecting sinks, dishwashers, laundry etc.
Jane x