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What is the Ozone Myth?

Ozone is NOT an Option

Ozone occurs naturally in the stratosphere, and protects us from harmful UV rays, but down here at ground level it is destructive and dangerous, and though there are allowable concentrations of ozone (levels considered “safe”), ozone generators can easily exceed those concentrations depending upon surrounding conditions, room sizes or other chemicals present.

In spite of the claims that companies who sell ozone generators will make, they’re not trained mold remediators and there’s no getting around the fact that ozone just isn’t effective in killing mold unless used in very excessive concentrations, and even then there are too many inconsistencies in ozone’s abilities; its use is, in regards to most situations, counterproductive.

Ten reasons why NOT to use Ozone:

1. NO certified, professional mold remediators regard Ozone as effective, and NONE of them use it!
   
2. The EPA regards ozone as ineffective for killing mold and mold spores at levels which do not exceed public health standards.
3. Ozone’s reaction with other present compounds can actually INCREASE the levels of harmful organic pollutants in the air.
4. Ozone does not actually remove harmful particles from the air, odor causing ones or otherwise: things like dust, pollen, mold spores, tobacco smoke, radon and carbon monoxide can NOT be eliminated!
5. Even low levels of ozone can affect people negatively. It can cause coughing, chest pains, throat irritation, and congestion; its effects could be much, much worse on people with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema. Ozone can scar the lungs and reduce lung function.
6. Ozone isn’t known to have any long lasting fungicidal properties.
7. Ozone must touch mold to kill it, and there’s no proof it can penetrate into the deep and tiny roots of mold.
8. Plastics, rubber, electrical wire coatings, fabrics and hundreds of other things can be destroyed by ozone. (You can see the effect on a rubber band that’s been left outside; turning stiff and dry, it becomes useless and easy to tear apart.)
9. There’s no way of telling for sure just what byproducts could be produced when ozone reacts with other chemicals that could be in the air or compounds present in the room. Some of them can be just as or more harmful than ozone itself.
10. Ozone is a dangerous pollutant, NOT a cleanser or purifier.

Ozone occurs in hot sunny weather, and sometimes you can smell it in the air after it rains. There’s bound to be some debate at whether the outdoor levels of ozone will heighten along with global warming, but it will definitely be more difficult to maintain “safe” levels of ozone from a generator depending upon atmospheric conditions in the area, and in any case, these calculations would take time.

Manufacturer instructions for ozone generators are not based upon the principles and standards set by the EPA, the IICRC, NAMP or any organization dedicated to the purifying of air or the killing of mold or mold spores. These organizations are the backbone of safe and productive practices in cleaning and restoring contaminated areas, and none of them endorse ozone as a mold killing agent.

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