When there is a smoke smell that you want to get out of your vehicle, home, or another enclosed area, there are two primary options available to you: ozone generators or air purifiers.
Ozone is a highly reactive oxygen molecule. It works to purify the air because it contains three atoms of oxygen instead of two. This purer air can also have the third molecule detach, allowing it to interact with other substances. It can even alter the chemical composition of certain substances.
The best air purifiers filter the air in the enclosed environment to remove odor particles and other forms of debris. When using a HEPA filter, you can remove particles as small as 1 micron. Then the air purifier puts the filtered air back into the environment, continually cycling it to keep it clean.
Both options come with sizes that can treat an entire home or remove the odors from a vehicle. Here are the pros and cons of ozone and air purification to think about.
What Are the Pros of Using Ozone?
Ozone acts as an effective sanitizer for the environment. It removes difficult smoke smells that may be embedded in the walls, carpet, or upholstery in the home or car because of how it interacts with the enclosed environment.
In many instances, it takes just 24-48 hours of ozone therapy to eliminate difficult, pungent odors.
What Are the Cons of Using Ozone?
Ozone is a lung irritant. For those who have allergies, asthma, or COPD, being in an environment where an ozone generator is running can be dangerous to their health. To effectively use this option, it is necessary to stay out of the room, car, or home being treated and then allow it to completely vent before returning.
Ozone is an oxidative force as well. This can make its applications for use somewhat limited for some home or vehicle owners.
What Are the Pros of Air Purification?
Air purifiers are a cheaper option when compared to ozone generation. A desktop model that can purify the air in a room with HEPA-like filtration can often cost less than $40. In return, you’ll have a completely filtered room in 3 hours or less, depending upon its size.
Air purification doesn’t modify the atmospheric composition in a home or vehicle either. It uses a filtration process to screen out potentially harmful particles and this helps to get the lingering smoke odor out of the air.
What Are the Cons of Air Purification?
Air purifiers do an excellent job of removing current smoke odor particles. If the cigarette smoke smell has penetrated the walls or carpet, this option will not effectively remove the odor.
They do not treat large areas well either. If you need an air purifier for 1,000 square feet of space, the cost will be more than what you’d pay for an ozone generator that can treat a similar area.
Here’s the bottom line: Ozone is effective for stubborn smoke odors that can be several years old. It will remove pet odors and other lingering smells that could be bothersome. Air purification won’t irritate the lungs, but it won’t remove the older odors. It is more effective at removing current odors.
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