Category: Ozone Technology

Ozone gas is all around us. It is in our planet’s stratosphere and in the air we breathe. Ozone is also a very common disinfectant used in water, air and surface sterilization to keep the things we use everyday safe from harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, minerals and other contaminates. Ozone can be utilized as a sterilizer in nearly any industry from transportation to home care and everything in between. Guidelines are put in place to keep ozone concentration under a certain limit when it is being used in an area occupied by anyone. When ozone concentration is over the specified limit, the people in the immediate area may experience some discomfort. We know this, it has been tested, limits defined, regulations put in place, and the cleaning power of ozone harnessed safely and effectively. One area of concern that may be present in the lives of many, is the safety of ozone around pets and animals.

Can ozone clean the messes brought upon us by our furry friends? Are animals more sensitive to even lower concentrations of ozone? And finally, how effective is as an cleaner compared to any of the other common cleaners we usually use to clean our animal companions’ messes? Let’s learn more about how we can use ozone more safely and effectively, making sure all of our family is living in a safe and comfortable environment.

Animal Safety

The regulations and guidelines set by governing bodies in each country regard the safe limit of ozone concentration around people and pets to be around 0.1ppm (parts per million). This is considered to be the standard for most of North America and Europe. Any higher than 0.1ppm is considered excessive, less than 0.1ppm would make the ozone less effective as a sterilizer. So at the international standard of 0.1ppm, is this level of ozone concentration safe for animals? Not only is 0.1ppm of ozone safe for animals, it is also being offered as therapy!

Hydrotherapy, is the process of pumping a basin full of water with ozone and placing usually voluntary animals into the water carefully so that the ozone infused water can coat their skin. This ozone infused water is believed to improve micro-circulation. This process leads to boosting oxygen into the animals skin, which also relieves inflammation, and alleviates infection. This type of process is being offered at more and more veterinaries across North America and Europe. 

Cleaning Applications

From the magnitude of mess that a pet is capable of, to the frequency and sometimes repulsiveness, how can ozone possibly and effectively clean up after an animal? In certain areas and environments, messes may be purely due to nature. Having a large or small pet animal normally means regular traveling outside and then coming back into your home, or even making messes while just staying in the home. Will ozone be prepared for these types of clean ups? Yes, and in more ways than you may think. For example, when our beloved animal companions come back with a skunk smell, ozone can be used to more effectively remove the smell without the need of any heavy cleaners, or chemicals, or even messier tomato sauces.

Ozone can also remove dirt from the skin gently and safely along with each bath time when our curious critters go sneaking out and come back covered in whatever else that isn’t their natural skin colour. It does so with a nice mist of ozone infused water as a spray or gas cloud. Then the messes and odors are said to be more easily washed or even seemingly dissolved away.

Compared to other Common Cleaners

To put this into perspective, let’ s compare how ozone would deal with similar messes compared to the ones that we would normally use to clean with. These types of products are more chemically manufactured and mass-produced cleaning products. Alcohol is commonly used to treat wounds on animals and humans. Using alcohol routinely to treat singular areas on skin often also causes dryness and burning to that area over time. Ozone disinfects gently over the wound, leaving the skin healthy and allowing it to repair more quickly in less time.

Bleach and other multi-purpose cleaners are used to clean up after animal and human areas when we want to kill viruses and bacteria. Ozone is also prepared to take this challenge with a more soft and gentle approach. Ozone has the ability to kill 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasitic organisms in a similar way it is being used to treat wounds, clouds of ozone gas and ozone infused water mists.  

Those of us who are willing to choose to adopt pets into our homes do so because of the love we have for that or those animals. Those animals then become a part of our families, and they also deserve all of the care, love and support that we are able to provide. Pets can be more sensitive than ourselves to the environment that we provide of them. We need to think about what is best for all of us, without cutting corners. Everyone deserves the right to a safe, healthy and comfortable living environment. The next time you go to clean up after your pet, think about if you are doing the best job possible. Are you really giving them the safe, clean space that they deserve as being a fellow family member, or could their space be even more clean, even more healthy, giving them an even more comfortable life. Do what is best for yourself, do what is best for your family, including your pets, and instead of cleaning with harmful chemicals, try sterilizing with ozone.

When it comes to disinfection and home care, ozone has many applications and uses to keep your home, car or workplace environment clean, healthy and smelling fresh. Modern ozone generators are able to produce safe levels of ozone concentration that are still powerful enough to catch and kill 99.99% of germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other common contaminates. Ozone has the power to clean and eliminate some of the most dangerous microscopic home invaders, the ones so small that they are invisible. This is impressive of course, but how does ozone work against smells? What are smells, how are they made, and are bad smells immune to the disinfecting power of ozone?

Ozone is something that we hear mentioned regularly, but what exactly is ozone? The ozone that we commonly hear about in the news is most likely referring to the ozone layer. The ozone layer in the sky acts as a barrier between our atmosphere and space. The ozone in the sky helps to block harmful UV rays admitted by the sun, keeping our planet cool and temperatures stable. Ozone is a naturally occurring molecule containing three oxygen atoms. The oxygen that we usually breathe has two oxygen atoms, but when the oxygen is separated by a catalyst, it will sometimes rejoin into groups of three, creating ozone.

The most common catalysts to separate oxygen into individual atoms is electricity and UV light. Electricity at a high enough voltage is able to separate each oxygen molecule into its individual parts, and then because of oxygen’s atomic characteristics, the oxygen will rejoin into ozone or standard oxygen. The ozone is then utilized as a disinfectant and can be used around the house or on the go to clean the air, water or surface contaminates. Ozone as a gas is very unstable and it wants to break down into standard oxygen with two oxygen atoms instead of three. The spare oxygen atom from ozone is then passed to other molecules and used to break those molecules down or alter them so that they are not harmful to humans.

What causes odors?

Ever walk into a room and notice a lingering smell or odor that is unpleasant or unwanted. Most common household odors are caused by a source, and that source is usually bacteria or a manufacturing byproduct. Some bacteria produce gases that are pungent and extremely foul smelling. These bacteria stockpiles are usually found in bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, basements and home offices. A lot of smelly bacteria stockpiles are hard to find, as in most cases they are invisible to the human eye or in hard-to-reach areas. The longer these germ depots sit and fester, the more offensive the smells can become. These types of odors are nearly impossible to hide, no matter how much air freshener you spray, the smell will always return unless it is dealt with at the source.

How does ozone eliminate odors?

We know that common household odors are usually caused by a bacteria source. We also know that ozone is a great, highly-effective natural disinfectant. Ozone can be utilized in multiple ways to work at finding and eliminated the hard-to-find, hard-to-reach bacteria piles. Lets look at how ozone can be used to disinfect all three states of matter; Liquid or water, gas or air, and solid or common household surfaces.

🔷Water

Ozone generators for purifying water work especially well by not only cleaning the water, but also cleaning other objects that come in contact with the purified water. Ozone gas in water eliminates the contaminates hiding in the water, which could be bacteria, parasites, viruses, gases and some heavy metals or minerals. Ozone gas in water has a lifespan or half-life of about 30 minutes, meaning during that 30 minutes, the ozone is still working and cleaning any contaminates that may be in the water, or any contaminate that comes in contact with the ozone charged water. Ozone in water is perfectly fine for consumption, after 30 minutes or so, the ozone will have completely broken down, cleaned nearly all contaminates, and dissolve back into pure oxygen and clean H2O.

🔷 Air

Purifying the air with ozone is becoming more and more common in households and workplaces that are constantly occupied by people. Ozone generators that are designed to purify the air in areas with high amounts of human traffic, generate ozone concentration levels that are safe for people but not for germs. These types of generators turn on only when they are needed and easily turn off by a push of a button or by a preset timer. These ozone disinfectors are great for any indoor space that accumulate bacteria and smells, such as kitchens, washrooms, basements and offices.

🔷 Surface

Even commonly used surfaces can be disinfected using ozone. Ozone can be used along with water to disinfect all types of surfaces. The ozone water mixture can be applied to counter tops, tables, chairs, door handles, appliances, glassware, anywhere that could potentially harbour germs or viruses.

While there are many ways today to disinfect all areas of your home, car or workplace, there are not many products that can disinfect all areas effectively. Ozone is one of those products that CAN disinfect all types of living or working spaces, especially in areas that are hard-to-reach and hard-to-see. Bacteria hiding in these hard-to-reach and hard-to-see areas often produce foul smells and lingering odors, effecting the overall environment in that space. Get rid of germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi and SMELLS using ozone disinfection. Ozone generators can be utilized for effectively disinfecting all states of matter, and does it easily and worry-free. Use the cleaning power of ozone and transform the quality of your life today.

“Water is life, and clean water means health.” – Audrey Hepburn

Safe, clean drinking water is essential for a healthy life, and a right for all of humankind to have access to. Unfortunately today, there are many people without access to one of our most basic human needs. Advances in technology have brought clean, drinkable water to billions of people around the world. Billions of people can go into a room in their home, turn on a tap and have access to seemingly crystal clear water on demand. Although the water in most of our homes may seem clean, and for the most part, maybe it is, there are almost always going to be some micro-biotic matter floating around and ending up in our bodies, causing an array of health issues.

Two common ways we have combated these unseeable invaders in our water are with chlorine and ozone. Chlorine is a chemical element that is added to water in small quantities to kill algae and other impurities that could cause illness. Ozone is a molecule comprised of three oxygen atoms stuck together, commonly found blocking the UV rays from the sun in our stratosphere, or at ground level after a lightning storm. Ozone is also a very effective disinfectant, able to kill almost all bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites, as well as break down hazardous gases like hydrogen sulfide.

Efficiency

Both Chlorine and Ozone are effective at disinfecting water and have been used to protect municipal water supplies for decades. It has been found that ozone is much faster at disinfecting water and does so more effectively than when compared to chlorine. Ozone disinfects water by oxidizing germs, bacteria, viruses, parasites and metals immediately on contact. After being used, ozone breaks down and returns to a more stable element, oxygen, and leaves no trace of smell, taste or chemical residue. Chlorine on the other hand, once added to water, requires some time to completely dissolve and rid the water of harmful material. However, not all harmful matter can be removed the water with chlorine, such as some metals, gases and chlorine resistant parasites. Chlorine also leaves a distinct chemical smell, taste and residue which over time can be especially annoying and dangerous.

Applications

Water disinfected with ozone and or chlorine has multiple applications, the main one being cleaning municipal water supplies in urban areas. While chlorine is most often noticed and easily recognized because of it’s distinct smell and taste, ozone purified water has been used to disinfect municipal water beginning as early as 1906 in Nice, France. Since then, ozone has been becoming a more popular choice for disinfecting water than its counterparts.

Now, Ozone is not only used to disinfect large scale municipal water, but can also be utilized in smaller scale applications thanks to the advancements in technology since the early 1900s. Ozone generating water systems can be easily installed into a home and be used to sterilize water used for doing the laundry, taking a shower, washing dishes, cleaning surfaces, and of course, drinking.

Cost

The cost of using chlorine versus the cost of choosing ozone as a disinfectant differ greatly. Chlorine is relatively much more inexpensive initially when compared to the set up of an ozone generating device. Ozone-generating water filters can range in price from a couple of hundred dollars to thousands. That being said, the initial cost to set up an ozone generator is only a one time cost, and will continue to produce a higher quality of water for years after its initial installation. Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect water because it is so cheap, usually costing only cents per liter. When using chlorine to disinfect water, you must constantly replace the chemicals after being used, meaning even though it is so cheap, it is a reoccurring cost and will need to be resupplied indefinitely.

Storage

Chlorine for the purpose of disinfecting water is commonly purchased in a solid or liquid state. This makes the transportation and storage of chlorine relatively simple. Chlorine is also a stable element meaning it can be stored for a very long time if it is not being used. Ozone on the other hand is an unstable compound and has a half-life, which means over time, usually in a matter of minutes, ozone molecules will break down and turn back into oxygen. This makes the storage of ozone extremely difficult and impractical. If choosing to use ozone as a disinfectant, ozone must be produced or generated on demand as soon as it is needed.

Safety

Ozone and chlorine are both relatively safe ways to disinfect water. Very low, trace amounts of chlorine or ozone in water are completely harmless and can be consumed without worry. However, both have to be used with caution and must be considered thoroughly before being used.

Chlorine in a concentrated state, before being added to water, is extremely poisonous and can cause serious harm or even death if consumed. Once added to water, chlorine is broken down and dissolved, making it less harmful, but not completely. There have been trace amounts of chloroforms and halomethanes found in water disinfected with chlorine, both of which are known cancer causing carcinogens. There are also some waterborne parasites found to be resistant to chlorine, meaning they can also be easily consumed with infected water, causing serious illness.

Ozone is much more effective at killing nearly all viruses, bacteria and parasites, even those resistant to chlorine. Ozone is completely harmless when used in water as it will eventually break down into oxygen, leaving no chemical residue. Ozone as a gas is also completely harmless at low concentrations, although if exposed to very high concentrations of ozone gas, it can cause headaches and some discomfort. 

While chlorine and ozone are used around the world for their disinfection properties, in terms of which one is right for you in your home is completely dependant on your needs and means. There are many things to consider before choosing to use chlorine or ozone as a disinfectant in your home.

Even though the initial cost of using ozone as a disinfectant is higher relative to the cost of using chlorine, it is definitely something to be seriously considered. In the long run, the health benefits and quality of water purified by ozone justify the cost of having an ozone-generating water filter installed in a home. Pure, clean, safe, tasteless drinking water should not be seen as a luxury, but as a necessity for all.

Ozone is being used everyday in our fight for a cleaner and healthier life. You may be surprised as to how many individuals and industries choose ozone as a trusted disinfectant, as well as some of the applications in which ozone can be used. Here are eight reasons why we love using ozone as a natural disinfectant, and some reasons why you should too.

Naturally Occurring

Ozone is a compound formed with three oxygen atoms. Ozone is most abundantly found in the Earth’s stratosphere where it blocks a lot of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Ozone can be produced at ground-level and in our atmosphere most predominately when there is a major lightning storm. The distinctive smell produced after a storm is of ozone that has been produced from the lightning strikes. With advancements made in technology, engineers have been able to reproduce the effects that lightning and UV light have on oxygen molecules, and produce ozone on demand and in varying concentrations. Now, harnessing the disinfecting properties of ozone at home, in the workplace, or on the go has never been simpler.

Cleaner Water at Home

Cities and townships across the world have been using ozone to disinfect local water supplies safely and effectively for decades now. It has been reported that ozone is more effective at cleaning water of harmful organic material than chlorine, by a large margin. Arguably best of all, ozone disinfects water without the need of harmful chemicals, leaving the water free of the strong chemical smell or taste. Ozone treated water is 100% safe to drink, clean dishes with, shower with, and even wash laundry with. Because of the disinfecting properties of ozone, you can have cleaner clothes and dishes after washing them with ozone treated water, without the need of regular amounts of soap, saving you time and money in the long run.

Eliminates Smells and Odors

Ozone not only gets rid of contaminates like germs and viruses, but is also able to eliminate odor causing bacteria and gases. For many years, ozone has been used in part as a step in flood and fire restoration, to rid homes and vehicles of smoke and mold damage. If left untreated, smoke and mold can cause serious health issues. Ozone offers a safe and effective treatment for these types of home and car restoration. Ozone can also be used as a preventative measure against common household and automotive odors. For example, keeping the inside of a fridge smelling fresh, eliminating cigarette smells from cars or rooms, clearing bad smells in the washroom or kitchen, and general air purification in every room or enclosed space.

Ozone Preserves Food Longer

Most of us know that feeling of reluctantly throwing out food that has spoiled in the fridge before getting a chance to eat the food. Food waste is a very common and expensive issue. Luckily with ozone, you can hold onto that food a little longer. Ozone is able to attach to and kill food spoiling bacteria. It is commonly used by food processing factories during the packaging process, to safely increase the shelf life of the food without the need of added substances or chemicals. Ozone can also be used at home in your fridge to extend the life of chilled fruits and vegetables.

Gets Rid of Airborne Contaminates

Ozone has the ability to attach to and kill airborne contaminates as well as those on surfaces. All around us at any given time, there could be millions of microbes, bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites floating through the air, and landing on items that we use everyday. This is why it is so important to wash our hands, because those viruses and bacteria that land on everyday items become easily attached to our hands and enter our bodies, making us sick or worse. As a form of preventative healthcare, you can quite easily kill those viruses and bacteria before giving them a chance to enter your body and make you or your family unwell. Ozone is able to catch and kill all types of viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and other harmful organisms both in the air and after they have settled.

Safe Disinfection of Personal Protective Equipment

In recent years, there has been a significant fare up of personal protective equipment (PPE) being worn by health professionals and everyday people. Examples of PPE are face masks , face shields, gloves, biohazard body suits, medical gowns and aprons, among other things. These forms of PPE are essential in our protection against viruses, germs and other pathogens from entering our body or covering our clothes and skin. Ozone is being utilized for its disinfecting properties to safely sanitize PPE when being disposed of to limit the risk of cross-contamination of the dangerous microbes.

Leaves No Chemical Residue

Many common cleaning products, air fresheners and sanitizers use harmful, toxic chemicals to kill bacteria. While being somewhat effective at killing the bacteria, these types of cleaning products pose other health issues, such as leaving behind toxic residues after being used, strong chemical smells, and posing other risks involved in the storage of these types of products. Ozone on the other hand is a much more effective and a safer disinfectant than its alternatives. Ozone does not leave any toxic residues after it is used, nor does it leave a heavy long-lasting smell. Ozone is also produced on demand by an ozone generator, meaning the storage is much safer than having a cabinet filled with harmful chemicals.

Skin Safe

Where some cleaners, especially those in the concentrated form, are very dangerous even to handle without proper protective equipment, ozone posses no such threat and is much safer to handle. It is safe for ozone to come in direct contact with skin without causing any serious skin irritations or reactions. Ozone is strictly regulated in most countries to be under a certain concentration if being used in a home, office or worksite. Because of these regulations, engineers and manufactures must meet strict guidelines when producing ozone generators, limiting if necessary the ozone output of these devices. Meaning the ozone produced by most ozone generators will meet the respective country’s guidelines, ensuring that the level of ozone produced is completely safe for use in the home, office, workplace or anywhere within a space occupied by people.  

Ozone has been used for many years for its effective disinfecting properties. Over the years, technology has continued to advance and engineers continue to produce safer, more effective devices to produce ozone for whatever and wherever it is needed. Ozone is a much safer and effective alternative to a lot of other traditional chemical-based disinfectants and sanitizers. Ozone can be used universally, for cleaning the air, water and surfaces we use everyday, making the world we live in a healthier and safer place to call home.

Let’s all breathe a breath of fresh air!

With growing concern over the past months about viruses, germs and other pollutants in our environment and homes, have you taken the time and thought about the quality and cleanliness of the air you breathe everyday?

Good air quality is essential for a person’s well-being, the same as clean drinking water, a healthy diet, and other health positive practices. The former three get publicized on heavily, but what may not be as commonly known is ‘How do we get good quality air?’

Lucky, if you are fortunate enough to live far away from large cities or urban areas and far away from industrial air pollution, you may already have access to ample fresh, clean air.

For those of us living in large cities or industrial areas, where we spend the majority of time indoors, it may be hard to get access to truly clean air, which can affect our mental and physical health.

So how DO we change the quality of the air if we are constricted to confide spaces in heavily polluted environments? The answer comes in the form of an air purifier. An air purifier does just that, purify the surrounding area, killing airborne bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other irritants, leaving clean breathable air. 

One of the best known disinfectants of airborne pollution found in nature is Ozone. We may have heard of ozone before, more specifically the ozone layer which is a suborbital barrier between our plant and outer space. Ozone is also all around us, working invisibly to clean the air and other external surfaces in the natural world. Although ozone is not as common at ground level as it is in the ozone-layer, new technology has been able to harness the power of ozone, utilizing its disinfection properties, and making it safe and easy to use at home, work or on the go so you may breathe clean natural air wherever you are.

What is Ozone?

Ozone, in its simplest form is oxygen. The oxygen that we all know, love and breathe is a combination of two oxygen atoms, represented as O2. Scientists and engineers have discovered that it is possible to split the two oxygen atoms that form O2 apart, either by low atmospheric pressure, ultraviolet (UV) light, electromagnetic radiation or electrolysis (usually in the form of lightning or an electric current). When the oxygen atoms go to rejoin together after being separated, sometimes they will rejoin together in groups of three rather than just two. When oxygen atoms join together in groups of three, that is called Ozone, which is represented as O3.

Ozone is a colorless gas with a very distinct smell. That fresh smell you get after a lightning storm, that is ozone. Just because oxygen atoms are able to reform into groups of three, does not mean that it wants to stay in groups of three. Oxygen at atmospheric pressure would rather stay in groups of two because of its atomic makeup. That means, Ozone (O3) is very unstable and constantly wants to shed or get rid of that extra oxygen atom.

Because ozone is so unstable, that makes it highly reactive with other molecules and microbes. This is where ozone gets to work. When ozone reacts with other molecules like gases, smells, microbes, bacteria, germs, fungi and viruses, ozone breaks the molecule or microbe down, either off loading the extra oxygen atom or killing the microbe all together. This eliminates the bad gases, smells, or microbes, leaving behind fresh, breathable O2 oxygen.

Because of the effectiveness, simplicity and general safety of ozone, it is an ideal method for treating air, water and external surfaces against most contaminants and pollutants.

Efficiency – How Well Does Ozone Work?

Ozone is one of the strongest disinfectants available, able to treat air, water and other solid surfaces against contaminants. Although ozone is a strong disinfectant, it is still one of the safest available disinfectants for everyday use. Ozone is said to be up to 50 times more effective than chlorine bleach. Even though ozone is up to 50 times more effective, it works without the harmful effects and byproducts which can result from other man-made cleaning chemicals, such as the carcinogenic residue left behind by chlorine bleach treatments.

Even though ozone is a powerful air and water purifier, as well as general disinfectant, it cannot be stored and therefore it has to be made each time it is needed. Because ozone is made on demand, it eliminates additional costs and environmental impacts from the storage and distribution processes.

Benefits – What Makes Ozone A Good Disinfectant?

Ozone is a potent disinfectant at low concentrations. In its gaseous state, Ozone is a proven deodorizer and bactericide. Ozone diminishes the need of chemicals to zero and does not leave any potentially harmful byproducts, hence being the most sustainable and environmental-friendly treatment technology. After all, the main byproduct of ozone after oxidization and disinfecting is O2 oxygen.

Ozone from air purifiers can kill contaminants that provoke mold development in several minutes. It is also efficient against dangerous pollutants such as bacteria cells, harmful microorganisms, and viruses. It oxidizes any surface to eliminate mildew, heavy metals, and pesticides that cause damage human respiratory health. 

Applications – Where Is Ozone Used As A Disinfectant?

Ozone is a very powerful oxidant, able to break down a wide variety of compounds and microorganisms. Ozone is ideal because of its relatively safe to use, as well as it oxidation and disinfection properties which can be fully utilized in many applications.

In treating potable water, ozone has the proven ability to convert harmful organic materials to safer biodegradable materials. As a result, combining ozone with other biological treatments can produce water with lower concentrations of harmful organic compounds and be more cost-effective than any other individual process used.

Ozone is also FDA-approved for direct contact with food. Using ozone to treat the food during the packaging stage can extend the shelf life of most food products.

Ozone disinfection is especially useful for residents in large cities and urban areas where there are numerous factories, heavy traffic, and other high-pollution areas. Ozone air purifiers are a must for these types of everyday pollutants that strive in these types of environments. Ozone purifiers are recommended for industrial areas to get rid of any offensive airborne chemical smells. They can be easily installed to remove various odors that are common in homes, offices, manufacturing areas, laboratories and other various high traffic areas where people spend a lot of their time occupying. Ozone air purifiers are also great for smoking zones to reduce smokescreens, tobacco smells, and other long-lasting odors.

Safety – Is Such A Powerful Disinfectant Like Ozone Safe To Use?

Ozone is considered one of the strongest natural germicides in the air and deals with any and all kinds of atmospheric and surface pollution, among other contaminates. Despite this, ozone is know not to be carcinogenic or allergenic and does not impair reproduction; nor is it easily absorbed by the skin. For ozone that is made for consumer and industrial purposes, there are regulatory frameworks in place in most countries providing guidelines for safe human exposure levels to ozone.

Frameworks are necessary because ozone does still come with some risks to health. A person in direct contact with the ozone in a small area can experience discomforts or even more serious respiratory symptoms within a few minutes.

Nevertheless, it is common in industrial, commercial and residential environments to use high concentrations of ozone to disinfect areas large and small more quickly. During this type of disinfection process, one would be require to leave the room for a while to avoid any discomforts.

Reassuringly, ozone is completely safe to use and be around when it is inside the level limit concentration (LLC), which is commonly considered to be 0.1 parts per million (ppm) and can be easily detectable at low concentrations by humans.

Overall

With the disinfectant power of Ozone, providing purified air, safe drinking water, germ-free surfaces, and cleaner environments in our homes, offices, warehouses and factories has never been easier.

With new technology constantly improving how we harness the power of ozone in our homes or in our place of work, it is becoming safer, easier and more economically efficient to do so.

Using ozone purifiers puts health first, getting fresh air free from unhealthy irritants and other common pollutants or contaminates.

Ozone purifiers are some of the best ways to bring fresh air indoors and give you an exceptional opportunity to breathe freely.

What the HEPA is a HEPA Filter!?

In my search for an effective and safe air purifier, I have heard mention of these so-called HEPA filters. I thought to myself, “What the ‘HEPA’ is a HEPA filter!?”

This question drew me to my regular process of internet searches and educational rabbit holes. Here is what I found:

HEPA is actually an acronym and stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Absorbing Filter, or High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance Filter, hence H.E.P.A.It is not a brand name of filter, which was I initially thought, but it is actually a level of standard given to a filter.

“Your product must be this effective at catching airborne particulate to be considered HEPA.”

But how effective does a filter need to be to be blessed with a HEPA-level of standard, what does it mean when it absorbs particulate, and what is it made out of to make it ‘highly-efficient? These are the questions that still remained, and my new targets for furthering my decent into the next layer of my internet search.

How efficient is Highly-Efficient?

Since HEPA is a level of standard rather than a brand name like Kleenex or Clorox, HEPA filters must follow strict guidelines to bare the HEPA seal.

Firstly, and arguably most importantly, a HEPA filter must be at least 99.9% effective at catching airborne particles that are as small as 0.3 microns. That is EXTREMELY small. To put that into perspective, the average human hair is 100 microns in diameter, human eyes can normally see as small as 35 microns! 0.3 microns is unbelievably tiny, but it needs to be if it has any chance of catching the equally tiny dust, pollen, bacteria and viruses floating through the air.

Where does the particulate go!? And what is a particulate?  

Think of a HEPA filter kind like a kind of microscopic fishing net for little floaty things in the air. Incredibly fine fibers made of polypropylene or fiberglass are scattered, stretched, pressed and formed into long sheets. The sheets are then folded accordion-style and framed into the necessary shape used for the required application or appliance. The space between the fibers is where the air in the room flows through. As the air flows through the fibers, the particles in air collide and are caught on the fibers, allowing clean, virus-free air to return into the room. Because the spaces in a HEPA filter are so small, only 0.3 microns, the filters are able to catch airborne particulates like dust, dirt, pollen, bacteria, and viruses (2.0 – 0.125 microns). Some airborne particulates are smaller than the spaces in a HEPA-rated filter, so how can it really be effective at catching these types of bacteria and viruses?

What makes a good HEPA Filter, good?

HEPA filters are great at catching extraordinarily small airborne particulates for multiple reasons. The first reason being that the spaces between the fibers that make up the filter are very small. At 0.3 microns wide, the small spaces catch the relatively much-larger dust, dirt and pollen particles quite easily. But how about the much-smaller bacteria and viruses? To catch these types of particulates, HEPA filters use a number of different mechanisms to make sure they are caught effectively and not returned back into the room air.

The mechanisms are: Diffusion, Interception, Inertial Impaction, and Electrostatic Attraction.

Diffusion

Diffusion is how HEPA filters catch those extremely tiny particulates, bacteria and viruses that are less than 0.3 microns. Especially effective at lower airflow speeds, diffusion happens when the bacteria or virus getting pushed through the filter bounces and impacts with other gas molecules, increasing the likelihood that it will be pushed onto one of the many fibers in the filter, and ultimately getting stopped and trapped in their tracks.

Interception

Interception happens when particulates flowing through the filter comes in contact with a fiber and gets caught instantly. This is what happens to the mid-sized particulates, the ones that may be able to slip through some of the spaces between the fibers, but not all.

Inertial Impaction

Impaction is for the heftier particulates in the air, the dust and pollen and other debris. This is when the particulates are unable to fit through the tiny spaces between the fibers in the filter, and are stopped early, unable to be passed through and be recirculated out in the air.  

Electrostatic Attraction

Electrostatic Attraction happens when a particulate with an negative ionic charge is caught by the positively charged fibers in the filter. For example, think of the fibers in the filter like the static charge on a birthday balloon. With a positive charge on a balloon, you can “pick up” dust from the floor using electrostatic attraction.

From what I’ve found in my research trying to find the answer to “What is a HEPA filter?”, I have discovered many interesting things about how HEPA filters work. It seems like one of the best, low-maintenance ways catch most of the harmful things floating in the air that I would not want my family, friends or myself breathing in everyday or any day. It is so effective that it can catch VIRUSES out of thin air! It is so effective that HEPA filters are currently being used in hospitals, airplanes, and now some modern cars. This is a technology I can trust. Finally, a breathe of fresh air.