Unfortunately, there are many things in the air that can negatively affect us. These include allergens like dust, pollen, and pet dander. However, there are some things that are just annoying, like bad odors of a wet dog, smoke, or mildew and mold. There are a lot of things you can do to get rid of these smells, but sometimes, it just doesn’t seem to work. There are many people out there that say that ozone generators are very unsafe, but that’s only if you don’t know the dangers. Some people are working very hard to spread awareness on the topic, with many large organizations buying Facebook page likes to influence the public to stop using ozone generators one way or the other.
What is Ozone?
Whenever you hear ozone, you may think of the ozone layer surrounding the earth. This layer is very good and vital for our survival. The atmosphere blocks most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays that could do us a lot of harm. This is necessary for us to keep living without many problems from our great big star, but ozone can still be dangerous to us. The phrase “good up high, bad nearby” was coined by the Environmental Protection Agency when it comes to ozone. Ozone is a gas that is composed of abnormal oxygen molecules. A normal oxygen molecule is composed of two oxygen atoms. The oxygen molecules that make up ozone are composed of three oxygen atoms, however. This makes the gas highly reactive to organic things. Organic is another way of saying “living”, so that includes humans, pets, insects, and even plants. This also includes smaller microbes like mold, bacteria, and viruses. This property makes it a great choice for purifying the air around you. Since bacteria are the reason odors exist, ozone will kill this bacteria and eliminate odors. However, it will also eliminate things like bugs and other things if ran long enough. It takes about 3-6 hours to purify the air of a room, but you have to keep in mind the dangers of ozone as well. As said above, ozone is dangerous to humans.
What are the dangers of ozone?
Because ozone is highly reactive to living things, it does some weird stuff to our respiratory system. This system includes our lungs, our air passages, and sinuses. When ozone is breathed in, it causes our lungs to become unable to process it and slowly damages the interior lining. It tries to connect with the cells inside and leads your lungs to be inflamed, causing uncomfortable swelling and burning sensations. It also causes our throats and sinuses to become scratchy and uncomfortable as well. Those with lung diseases like asthma will also suffer more than normal people, considering it can cause reactions with these diseases. You should never be in the same room that you’re running an ozone generator in. While these effects may not be permanent, it can cause long-lasting damage that you won’t want to deal with. The good thing about ozone is that it doesn’t stay like that for long. Ozone breaks down into normal, breathable oxygen after about 1-2 hours. The third oxygen atom breaks off and the heavy gas will become safe to take in. You must wait this long, though. It will still harm you even if the ozone generator shuts off afterward. Keep yourself safe when using ozone generators.
How to Use an Ozone Generator in the Home
If you’ve considered all the safety precautions of the ozone generator, it’s a good idea to read the instruction manual as well. All ozone generators are different, so they may cover a different amount of area than others. Some have timers for both powering on and powering off, so it’s a good idea to set it up that way if you can. Otherwise, you may have to cover your mouth and nose to go in and turn it off when it’s finished. Make sure all living things are out of the room. This means people, pets, and plants. Nothing should be in the vicinity of the room or home that you’re running the ozone generator in. Cover or remove important items that may have a lot of value to you. Ozone isn’t friendly with too many metallic things or paper, so covering them is your best bet. There are other options to clean and remove odors from these items. Set the timer or activate the ozone generator. If your ozone generator doesn’t have a timer, you’ll need a separate timer for yourself. Running an ozone generator for longer than 6 hours can do harm to your home. Wait for 3-6 hours depending on the room size, or 25-30 hours for an entire house. If you’re doing your entire house, find another place to stay. Let the timer shut off the ozone generator. If it doesn’t have a timer, you will have to cover your mouth and nose with a towel or mask to go in and shut it off. Wait 1-2 hours for the ozone to settle and become normal oxygen again.
Conclusion
Ozone is dangerous, but it is one of the best things you can have for your home to remove odors. It will kill the bacteria causing the odors. It will also go as far as killing the insects that might be crawling around in unnecessary places. Ozone generators are some of the best purifiers out there when you’ve exhausted all other options. Be sure to keep your place clean to avoid this happening in the first place, though. Regardless of it being a great air purifier, however, remember that ozone is dangerous. It is dangerous for any sort of living thing to breathe in or consume, including humans, pets, and even plants. Never be in the same room whenever an ozone generator is running. If you want to do your entire house, you must find somewhere else to stay while it happens. Protect yourself and eliminate the bacteria!
