Did you know that you can reduce the amount of bad particles in your home or business by using the right air filter? While many standard air filters can remove things like dust, dander, and mold, the efficiency at which they remove them is low. By using quality filters, you can remove up to 95% of bad particles from the air you breathe in your home or business, including mold.

What exactly is Mold?

Molds are tiny microbes that are part of the fungi family; hence they are not plant or animal. They help preserve the natural environment through decomposition of wood, leaves, and other plant debris. The number of species is not fully known, however it is estimated that there are between 10,000 to 300,000 species. It can be found indoors and outdoors, and make its way into our houses due to its preference for carpet, ceiling tiles, insulation, paint, sheetrock, wood, and wallpaper. In addition, it thrives in warm, moist, and humid environments, and while mold spores may survive in harsh, dry settings, it restricts normal growth and reproduction.

What are the Characteristics of Mold?

To understand how to reduce mold spores in your home, lets take a look at its characteristics. This fungus spreads by producing spores that land outside and within your home. It is hard to eliminate the spores from your house. Still, fortunately, they are typically present in low quantities that do not cause harm to you unless you have extremely sensitive mold spore allergies.

However, your home or business may be in an area where mold spore concentrations are more significant than typical or where the type to which you are susceptible is particularly abundant. Outdoor concentrations rise in the autumn months, but infestations in dwellings are a more widespread issue. This is because the spores are released when mold grows in your house. According to the CDC, this implies there could be considerably higher concentrations of spores in the air, enough to irritate the respiratory systems of people who do not have allergies.

Under these conditions, you should take action to remove mold spores from the air and reduce their concentrations as much as possible. It is critical to clear up any mold in your house as it will continue to generate spores, develop, and spread if you don’t. In addition, it requires moisture to thrive, so once it has been cleaned up, eliminate any leaks, spills, or humidity sources so it does not reoccur.

How Does Mold Enter the Air?

Mold may be found everywhere. In the dark nooks of your basement, the wet spot beneath the kitchen sink and bathroom, and in the decomposing leaves and grass clippings in your yard. It requires only a tiny amount of moisture to begin to breed and flourish. When mold reproduces, its seed-like spores are just 2 to 40 microns in size, making them undetectable to the naked sight. When a surface with mold on it is disturbed, the spores are expelled into the air. Because the spores are so tiny and light, they can easily pass through the air undetected and be ingested. Air filters purify the air and eliminate impurities such as mold spores and help to reduce or prevent unpleasant reactions. On the other hand, they are powerless to prevent mold development on surfaces.

The Effect of Mold and Mold Spores

Molds of many varieties, including black, toxic, and allergenic, are constantly present in the air we breathe, particularly in indoor areas. Mold and its spores, on the other hand, are harmless at low levels and rarely indoor air quality. However, when mold and spore concentrations begin to grow, individuals with asthma, allergies, respiratory difficulties, or weakened immune systems may be affected. In addition, molds may flourish in damp dark spaces such as basements, and restrooms, and even beneath furniture or under chair cushions. These areas are ideal for mold growth in homes, businesses, and industrial buildings. When these areas are disturbed, spores are released into the air and, if breathed in, can find their way into the upper respiratory tract and into the lungs.

Despite its small size, mold may cause problems in our homes and health. According to the National Capital Poison Center, actively developing mold destroys the substance it lives on, compromising structural integrity. It is also linked to several adverse health impacts, such as respiratory issues, infections, and allergies. It’s typical to have respiratory issues and headaches after spending time in a moldy room, but it may do more. According to the Mayo Clinic, while mold allergies are the most prevalent condition caused by exposure, it can also cause sickness without causing an allergic reaction. Additionally, it can induce infections, as well as irritants and toxic responses. These infections may cause everything from skin infections, flu symptoms to pneumonia. Mold allergies can cause the following symptoms:

Sinus congestion
Nosebleed
Sneezing
Eye irritation
Coughing
Wheezing
Itchy throat

Do Air Filters Eliminate Mold and Mold Spores?

Mold-sensitive persons can benefit significantly from air filters that are high-efficiency. These filters clean the air by trapping most mold spores and other allergens such as bacteria, dander, dust, pollen, viruses and more. Filters help prevent these particles from re-circulating in the air. In addition, air filters limit mold growth by trapping the spores.

Best Filters for Clean Air

It’s critical to remember that filters only capture mold spores and the gases that it produces as it grows. Mold and its spores cannot be avoided; however, you may reduce their presence in your home or business with high-quality filters. Filters trap airborne mold particles, reducing the amount of unhealthy microbes from your home’s air. The spores vary in size, from 2 microns to 40 microns. The MERV rating of your filters, will identify the efficiency of the filter for the particle size. Filti air filters, are made from our patented nanofiber material, making them highly efficient at capturing unhealthy air particles.

Filti 6500 (MERV 11) Nanofiber Air Filter – Whole-home air filter can capture up to 65% of airborne particles at 0.3 microns using revolutionary nanofiber filtering technology. This ensures to protect your family from viruses, bacteria, allergies, sneeze nuclei, and more. So breathe in clean, healthy air and enjoy a more comfortable home environment.

Filti 7500 (MERV 13) Nanofiber Air Filter – Whole-home air filter can capture up to 75% of airborne particles at 0.3 microns using revolutionary nanofiber filtering technology. This ensures to protect your family from viruses, bacteria, allergies, sneeze nuclei, and more. So breathe in clean, healthy air and enjoy a more comfortable home environment.

Filti 9500 (MERV 16) Nanofiber Air Filter – whole-home air filter can capture up to 95% of airborne particles at 0.3 microns using revolutionary nanofiber filtering technology. This ensures to protect your family from viruses, bacteria, allergies, sneeze nuclei, and more. So breathe in clean, healthy air and enjoy a more comfortable home environment.

Other Cleaning Methods

In addition to using high efficiency rated air filters to capture airborne mold spores, the Environmental Protection Agency offers the following suggestions for mold removal for home, and businesses.

Replace carpet with tile or linoleum in areas that are prone to moisture.
Use natural disinfectants to clean bathrooms and showers regularly.
Use exhaust fans when bathing or cooking.
Use a dehumidifier when the humidity indoors exceeds 50%.
Thoroughly dry garments before putting them in drawers or closets.
Use paint that is designed to prevent the growth of mold.
Repair leaky plumbing immediately.
Repair gutters and downspouts that allow water to accumulate near your home’s foundation.

Keeping the Air in Your Home or Business Clean

The air we breathe has a big impact on our overall health. While there are many things we can do to help, one of the most simple things is to use the right air filter to eliminate unhealthy particulate matter from your home or business. At Filti, we are committed to manufacturing the highest quality air filters available, to help keep your home, office, or industrial building safe. We hope you found our article on mold and mold spores informative, and we look forward to providing you with the quality air filters you need. Stay safe!