Best Air Filters for Mold Spores In Your Home

A mold problem can be serious trouble for your health. This is especially true for allergy sufferers, but it can be a nuisance for perfectly healthy people. It is important to reduce our exposure to mold with the proper air filters.

The best air filters for mold will keep your indoor air quality pure and safe. They go a long way in ensuring your air is clean. They frequently need changing to stay efficient.

Before we dive into the best air purifiers you can get for your home, it is important to understand how they work. Each air purifier and filter is slightly different. This will help you decide which is best for your specific home and needs.

How Air Filters Work

Air filters clean your air from mold, mildew, and viruses. Air moves through your home in ducts. This is part of your heating and air conditioning units. The air in your home is brought in from outside. This can carry all sorts of particles and irritants.

Filters are part of the duct system and capture the particles in the air so they do not circulate into your home. This way, things like pet dander, mold spores, and dust get trapped.

Air Filter Add Ons

There are also a few accessories you can get for HEPA filters to further improve your indoor air quality.

You can get HEPA filters with ultraviolet or UV-C light to kill mold spores in the air. Ultraviolet light provides other benefits beyond just stopping mold. It also covers germs, airborne viruses, and bacteria.

However, UV-C lights can emit ozone, and the spores need to be exposed to the UV-C light for an extended time period. Ozone can irritate your respiratory system. So, if you use one of these, we recommended using it sparingly.

Other HEPA air purifiers include an antimicrobial layer. They are coated with microbe-killing chemicals. These do not impact your filter’s functionality and can help prevent mold growth.

You can also purchase HEPA with carbon filters. Carbon, also known as activated charcoal, works differently than other filters. An activated carbon filter focuses primarily on removing gases and odors from the air.

Carbon filters use a process called adsorption. Whereas absorption is where liquids or solids are dissolved by liquids, adsorption is when they stick to the adsorbent’s surface. While a charcoal filter does not impact airborne mold spores, it does reduce musty odors. This will help leave your home smelling fresh!

Why You Should Frequently Change Your Air Filter

It is important to swap out your air filters to keep them clean. Filter changes ensure that our air stays pure. If you do not replace your filters, you will be left with a filter that has collected pathogens and is unable to properly clean your air.

As the air filters work, they absorb and trap passing particles which begin to build up. You do not want an air filter to become too full of dirt and debris to be efficient.

We recommend checking your filters every three months. If your filter is black, then it may be because of mold. You can usually tell that the blackness in your air filter is mold because it will be wet and slimy, rather than dry and powdery like soot.

If you want replacement filters delivered right to your door, Filter King has your back. With our filter subscription service, you never have to worry about forgetting to get a replacement filter again.

What is Mold?

Mold is a fungus that naturally occurs in the air. It consists of small organisms. All that mold needs to grow is moisture. So it is important to properly ventilate the air in your home and have high-quality filters.

Mold is commonly seen in places like shower curtains, kitchen drains, and basement flooring. Mold can be black, white, orange, purple, or green in color.

Mold spores are small and lightweight. It is normal to have small amounts of them at any given time. But when these mold spores attach to moisture, they grow, which can pose a health risk.

What Are the Three Types of Mold?

Air filters are important for our general health because they keep the air in our homes clean. There are multiple types of mold that have different impacts on our health. These are allergenic, pathogenic, and toxigenic molds.

Allergenic Mold

Allergenic mold will not necessarily get you sick. But it will aggravate people suffering from allergies or respiratory illnesses like asthma. Mold can aggravate a runny nose, itchy eyes or skin, or wheezing.

Pathogenic Mold

Pathogenic mold is the type of mold that will get you sick. This is especially dangerous for those who are immunocompromised.

Toxigenic Mold

Toxigenic mold is, as the name suggests, toxic for those who come in contact with it. Toxigenic mold is also dangerous to pets. Toxigenic mold, like black mold, releases mycotoxins. These are the chemicals that go airborne with spores.

How Mold Impacts Your Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mold can affect your health in multiple ways. Some of the symptoms of mold are:

Stuffy nose
Sore throat
Coughing or wheezing
Burning or itchy, red eyes
Skin rashes

People who are immunocompromised or have respiratory conditions may experience more severe reactions. This includes lung infections, especially for people suffering from chronic lung disease.

The Institute of Medicine found that indoor exposure to mold can be linked to respiratory issues in otherwise healthy people. Their research also found it enhanced asthma symptoms in those with asthma. And in those with an immune-mediated condition, they linked mold to hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The CDC also states that studies have shown that mold can contribute to the development of asthma in children.

If you are having symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and headaches, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Common Causes of Mold

It’s fairly easy for mold to get into your home and grow. Air filters can help clean your air if you have mold spores in your house that have come in from outside.

Some common causes of mold include:

Poor Ventilation: Mold spores spread best when the air is not properly ventilated in your home. When air is stagnant, it gives the mold a prime opportunity to grow. This is because it allows humidity to build up.
High Humidity: When there is high moisture content in the air, it can be easier for mold growth. This can be caused by poor ventilation or living near the ocean or a lake. The CDC recommends keeping the humidity levels in your home between 30 and 50 percent.
Leaks: Look out for leaks in your roof, air conditioner, or pipes. Slow leaks build up over time. Look for leaks in your ceiling, attic, behind drywall, underneath sinks, or behind the walls. You should also monitor your carpets for any mold growth.
Condensation Build Up: Proper ventilation is key to preventing condensation build-up. Condensation builds up when there is a shift in the temperatures in the wintertime. This is common on cold surfaces. This includes pipes, tiles, concrete, and brick surfaces.
Damp Foundations or Basements: Poor ventilation to your basement can lead to mold buildup, especially since they are underground. Foundations can also suffer from mold due to poor water drainage outside. These factors can contribute to increased dampness, making it a great environment for mold to grow.

Because mold spores are naturally occurring, it is impossible to eliminate mold entirely. But having a great air purifier for mold in your home should help with ventilation and destroying spores.

However, we also recommend finding the source of the mold problem. It is important to remove the mold for your long-term health.

How To Properly Clean Mold

An air purifier for mold will filter the spores out in your home. But if mold is already an issue, it is important to clean and remove it entirely.

If the mold issue is not extreme, you may be able to clean it up by yourself. Here are some tips and things you can do to clean mold.

Whenever you clean mold, it is important to limit your exposure to it. Be sure to wear long gloves that extend to the middle of your forearm. You should also wear a well-fitted N-95 respirator.

Use detergent and water to scrub mold off of hard surfaces. Completely dry the area when you are done to prevent regrowth. Vinegar is also a popular substance for killing some household molds.

While bleach can temporarily remove mold, it won’t permanently kill it. Mold can regrow after it is bleached.

If you have a plumbing leak, repair it immediately. After repairing leaks or plumbing problems, make sure the area is dry.

Do not paint or caulk over any moldy surface. Clean the area thoroughly to remove the mold first. If you paint over mold, you run the risk of the paint peeling off.

Surfaces that are absorbent or porous may need to be removed. If a surface like your ceiling tile or carpet becomes moldy, the mold might fill in the crevices. This can make it impossible or incredibly difficult to remove entirely.

Depending on the surface or how long the mold has been there, it may stain. For larger mold issues, we recommend hiring a professional. They may use different methods that are more advanced.

When You Should Test For Mold

Testing for mold is not always necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently does not have any federal limits set for mold or mold spores. This means that you can not test or sample to check for a building’s compliance with federal standards.

According to the EPA, sampling is unnecessary if you can see the growth. However, surface sampling can be helpful after cleaning.

We recommend hiring a professional rather than doing this yourself. A professional will be able to properly analyze the sample with the methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

What to Look for When You Buy an Air Purifier

There are so many different air purifying filters on the market. Each of these filters will have different goals and targets. Some air purifiers are better for removing household odors. Other air purifiers specialize in mold or allergens.

When shopping for an air-purifying filter for mold, there are a few key factors that you should look for to remove allergens and contaminants. These are some common air purifier features.

True HEPA Filter

This is the most important factor when picking your air purifier. HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA Filters remove mold and other airborne particles. These days, most mold air purifiers on the market have HEPA filters.

HEPA Filters have a very fine mesh. It is usually made from glass. It removes 99.97 percent of particles from the air with a diameter as small as 0.3 microns. Mold spores typically range from 1 to 30 microns, so true HEPA air filters will filter them out.

HEPA filters can be more expensive compared to a standard filter. But they are worth it if mold is a serious concern. They can remove more particles from the air than a standard filter thanks to their fine mesh.

Ionizers

While some air purifiers include ionizers as part of a larger system, others rely exclusively on them. Ionizers work by sending ions with negative charges into the air. These negative ions then find positively charged ions, including mold.

They then become too heavy to stay in the air and will eventually fall to the ground. This is why we recommend systems that include ionizers, but don’t rely entirely on them. The mold particles are not removed entirely but are no longer present in the air. However, they do still live on the floor.

Photocatalytic Oxidation

Photocatalytic oxidation, also known as PCO, combines ultraviolet light and titanium oxide. This is in the form of a TiO2-coated filter. This can destroy particles as small as 0.001 microns! This will emit some ozone, but it is less than the recommended amount for medical devices.

MERV Rating

Keep an eye out for the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating. Each filter will have a MERV rating that ranges from 1 to 20. A filter with a high MERV rating has weaves so tight that airflow has difficulty going through.

A rating between 1 and 4 will protect your HVAC system, but will not improve air quality.
A rating between 5 and 13 is useful in fighting mold, pet dander, bacteria, and some viruses.
Anything rated at a 14 or higher has the highest efficiency. This includes True HEPA Filters.

The air system needs to compensate for any airflow problems by using extra energy to push the air forward. The average home ventilation system is most effective when using moderately rated filters. Filter King has two models of filters that you may install in your home.

AHAM Certification

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has a certification program. It is voluntary and gives you the clean air delivery rate (CADR) of a purifier. Unfortunately, because the program is voluntary, not all filters will have a CADR rating.

The CADR rating tells you how many square feet your purifier will cover. This certification also offers guidelines on what sized room you should use the filter for based on the covered volume. The CADR rating is measured off of the highest fan speed.

There are not any specific CADR rating figures for mold. But they do have specific figures for airborne particles like smoke, pollen, and dust. Ratings are based on how efficient the filter is and the air flow.

Energy Star Rating

Energy Star ratings are also important to look out for. Air filters and purifiers are most effective when they can run constantly. This makes it critical to have an energy efficient air purifier. The Energy Star Rating can let you know how much energy they will be using.

A higher rating means you will save more money in the long run. Plus, it is better for sustainability! Energy Star states that their certified room air purifiers are about 25% more energy-efficient than a standard model.

Filter Replacement Indicators

Many mold air purifiers will have a filter replacement indicator. This is often in the form of a built-in light that changes color. This way, you know exactly when it is time to replace your filter.

A filter replacement indicator is a convenient feature. But if your air purifier does not have one, Filter King can help. We offer free filter reminders so you don’t have to keep track of when it is time for a change.

9 Best Air Filters to Reduce Mold Spores

Now that we know what to look for, it can simplify the shopping process. Different air filters will serve slightly different purposes. But these are nine of the best-rated air filters for mold. All of them can effectively fight mold spores and keep your air clean.

Not all filters are created equal. Materials can vary which impacts the efficiency. What works great for one person may not be the best air filter for your home and specific needs.

These are our recommendations based on some of the criteria we listed above. We also looked at the quality of the filter, how much room it covers, and if the purifier is adjustable.

Alen BreatheSmart Classic Air Purifier

Alen BreatheSmart Classic Air Purifiers come in a few different variants. This is so you can specialize your filter based on your needs. One of the options is to focus on mold and airborne bacteria. It is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon with over 790 ratings.

The Alen BreatheSmart Classic uses a HEPA silver filter and carbon filter. This is to trap mold, bacteria, and fungi. They also use a medical-grade true HEPA filter layer. It includes a vacuumable prefilter to help increase filter life.

The Alen BreatheSmart Classic includes an air quality sensor light. The light changes colors depending on the air quality. If you set the purifier to auto mode, the sensor will adjust the fan speed to clean the air more efficiently.

This filter is larger in size. It is recommended for officers, large rooms, and larger buildings like schools. It cleans 1,100 square feet every 30 minutes.

LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Allergies

Another popular choice is the LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Allergies. This filter has a 4.7 out of 5-star rating on Amazon with over 26,000 reviews.

This air purifier uses a Core 300 True HEPA Air Purifier. It claims to freshen your air in just 12 minutes. It refreshes the air in a room up to 219 square feet five times per hour.

This filter is great for allergy sufferers. It uses an H13 True Hepa Filter alongside a Pre-Filter and High-Efficiency Activated Carbon Filter. This maximizes the number of allergens it can capture.

There are also multiple filter choices that you can choose from to best suit your needs, like for smoke or pet owners.

The LEVOIT Air Purifier also has different options for nighttime. The sleep mode reduces noise levels to not disturb you at night. You can also turn the display light off and set it to a timer.

This filter is also Energy Star certified. It does not use ultraviolet light, so you do not have to worry about ozone emissions. This is a great option for your home or small spaces.

Molekule Air Mini

The Molekule Air Mini is a great option for those who need something more portable. This has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon with over 590 reviews. It is ideal for smaller rooms or apartment spaces. It cleans up to 250 square feet.

The Molekule Air Mini uses Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) nanotechnology. This technology actually destroys viruses, VOCs, allergens, bacteria & mold. This means that PECO nanotechnology is able to kill the mold spores that it traps on a molecular level!

The Molekule Air Mini does not emit ozone. The PECO nanotechnology is actually able to destroy it. PECO nanotechnology functions similarly to PCO. But this type of air purification technology is exclusively found in Molekule products.

This has a one-touch interface and even connects to WiFi. This allows you to control the device remotely from your phone. It has five fan speeds depending on if you need a boost or if you are looking for it to run more quietly.

SilverOnyx Air Purifier for Home

With over 2,600 reviews and a 4.6-star rating on Amazon, the SilverOnyx Air Purifier for Home is another highly recommended choice. This is ideal for larger rooms within a home. It covers up to 500 square feet of space.

The SilverOnyx features five stages of cleaning. It features Advanced purification for the cleanest air quality. It also has a combination filter cartridge with mesh pre-filter and HEPA H13 activated carbon filter.

Plus, it has a UV light and Ion generator. This is to freshen the air even more. It uses True HEPA filtration to keep your air clean.

Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier

The Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier is another popular pick. It is highly recommended with over 7,600 ratings on Amazon. It has a 4.7-star rating.

The Winix is suitable for mid-size to larger rooms. It covers up to 360 square feet of space. It includes PlasmaWave, which can safely break down odor, allergens, chemical vapors, and other airborne pollutants. This does emit any ozone.

It also features a Smart Sensor. This monitors the air and adjusts the fan speed as necessary when set to auto mode. There is also a sleep mode for silence during bedtime.

This purifier features a True HEPA Air Filter and uses a three-stage cleaning. The Winix 5300-2 removes a variety of allergens, including mold spores.

Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier

This four-in-one air purifier for mold is a great budget option. With a 4.7-star rating on Amazon and over 37,000 ratings, it is a reliable option.

It features a True HEPA filter to fight against harmful germs, dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and other allergens.

The Germ Guardian is great for medium to large spaces. It purifies the air four times in an hour. It will cover up to 153 square feet. It uses UV-C light to kill airborne viruses.

It also has an activated charcoal filter. This is to help to reduce unwanted odors. This includes odors from pets, smoke, cooking fumes, and more.

It has three different speed settings. The lowest speed produces an ideal gentle white noise sound for bedtime.

RedyPure Air Purifier for Home

The RedyPure Air Purifier is another ideal option for those on a budget. It has over 400 ratings on Amazon and ranks 4.5 stars. The coverage area is 221 square feet. This makes it a great choice for bedrooms or smaller office spaces.

The RedyPure uses a medical-grade HEPA filter, so it will capture mold spores and other contaminants. It is ozone-free and uses advanced blade technology to stay quiet. If you are ready for bed, it has an automatic lights-off function. RedyPure also will let you know when it is time to change your filter.

Medify MA-25 Air Purifier

If you’re looking for a tabletop filter, then look no further. It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon with over 2,600 reviews, so you know you’re in good hands.

The Medify MA-25 Air Purifier packs a powerful punch! This air purifier for mold is small enough to rest on a table but covers up to 1,000 square feet of space. This makes it ideal for an office, dorm room, or even a nursery.

These purify your air with an H13 HEPA filter, which removes 99.9% of particles. It has two filters with three layers of filtration each. It starts improving the air quality of your room in as little as 15 minutes.

The Medify MA-25 features three fan speeds, an eight-hour timer, and a night mode so you can adjust the settings as needed. It also includes a child lock in case it is in a place that is accessible to children.

RENPHO Air Purifier

The RENPHO Air Purifier has a 4.6-star Amazon rating with over 3,100 reviews. It only takes the push of one button to adjust the fan speed or sleep mode, so it’s no wonder it’s highly recommended.

The RENPHO Air Purifier specializes in allergies. But it does use an H13 HEPA Filter. This makes it a great option for those concerned with mold as well. It does not use UV-C, so if you are concerned about ozone, this filter does not emit any.

This filters the air in your room three times an hour. It covers up to 103 square feet. That makes this filter ideal for a smaller room or office space.

There is also a filter light indicator. The light will change about every six months when it is time for a replacement filter.

Get Air Filters Delivered To Your Door

Do not let a busy schedule distract you from the importance of maintaining a healthy home environment. Our simple air filter delivery service ensures that clean air is something you never need to worry about.

To get started, all you have to do is answer three simple questions. We have a wide variety of sizes to meet all of your needs. We guarantee fast shipping on our premium and custom-sized filters.

We also offer free filter reminders so you can always keep your air pure. This way, if your purifier does not have filter change indicators built-in, you still do not have to worry about forgetting.

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