On Your Side: Air Cleaners Can Emit Dangerous Ozone
Consumer Reports Recommends Friedrich C-90, Whirlpool 45030
Posted: 7:13 pm CDT April 25,2005Updated: 7:41 pm CDT April 25,2005
Indoor air quality is clearly a concern as Americans spend roughly $400 million a year on air cleaners. A good part of those dollars goes to ionizing air cleaners, but Katy Sai's on your side with a Consumer Reports alert about some that emit too much ozone.
MADISON, Wis. -- For Sharper Image, its Ionic Breeze Quadra Air Cleaner has been a huge success. It's sold millions. Now Brookstone has come out with its own ionizing air cleaner.But Consumer Reports' tests on the Ionic Breeze Quadra, the Brookstone Pure Ion and three other ionizing air cleaners finds they do a poor job of eliminating dust, smoke and pollen.And other tests find they emit ozone, some at potentially harmful levels.Consumer Reports' medical advisor, Dr. Marvin Lipman, says ozone is particularly a problem if you have asthma or respiratory allergies."Ozone is an irritant that can aggravate asthma, and it can also decrease lung function," Lipman said. "As the ozone level rises, people can get chest pain, wheezing and shortness of breath."Consumer Reports measured how much ozone the devices emit in a sealed room -- it duplicates the industry test. The voluntary standard calls for a probe 2 inches away and ozone emissions of no more than 50 parts per billion.In the sealed room test, these five ionizing air cleaners emitted more than that level.Consumer Reports also tested the air cleaners in an open, well-ventilated lab. At 2 inches away, two of the air cleaners still produced levels of ozone well in excess of 50 parts per billion. Although the ozone levels dropped significantly when measured at 3 feet away, Consumer Reports does not recommend these ionizing air cleaners."Basically, they're not doing their primary job, which is to remove particulates from the air," said Jim Nanni of Consumer Reports. "If they can't do that, but in addition they're creating ozone, which can be an irritant, particularly to those with compromised respiratory systems, why buy them?"Non-recommended devices are:
MADISON, Wis. -- For Sharper Image, its Ionic Breeze Quadra Air Cleaner has been a huge success. It's sold millions. Now Brookstone has come out with its own ionizing air cleaner.But Consumer Reports' tests on the Ionic Breeze Quadra, the Brookstone Pure Ion and three other ionizing air cleaners finds they do a poor job of eliminating dust, smoke and pollen.And other tests find they emit ozone, some at potentially harmful levels.Consumer Reports' medical advisor, Dr. Marvin Lipman, says ozone is particularly a problem if you have asthma or respiratory allergies."Ozone is an irritant that can aggravate asthma, and it can also decrease lung function," Lipman said. "As the ozone level rises, people can get chest pain, wheezing and shortness of breath."Consumer Reports measured how much ozone the devices emit in a sealed room -- it duplicates the industry test. The voluntary standard calls for a probe 2 inches away and ozone emissions of no more than 50 parts per billion.In the sealed room test, these five ionizing air cleaners emitted more than that level.Consumer Reports also tested the air cleaners in an open, well-ventilated lab. At 2 inches away, two of the air cleaners still produced levels of ozone well in excess of 50 parts per billion. Although the ozone levels dropped significantly when measured at 3 feet away, Consumer Reports does not recommend these ionizing air cleaners."Basically, they're not doing their primary job, which is to remove particulates from the air," said Jim Nanni of Consumer Reports. "If they can't do that, but in addition they're creating ozone, which can be an irritant, particularly to those with compromised respiratory systems, why buy them?"Non-recommended devices are:
Pure Ion from Brookstone Professional Series Ionic Breeze Quadra from Sharper Image Ionic Pro Ionizair XJ 2000 Ionic Air Purifier from Surround AirThe publisher of Consumer Reports is sending its findings to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is now reviewing data on air cleaners. A report is expected later this year.
Recommended Air Cleaners
Consumer Reports recommends two other cleaners that did a very good job of cleaning dust, smoke and pollen and produced little ozone even close to the machine.Friedrich C-90 -- $450 Whirlpool 45030 -- $250Consumer Reports also has information on ways to improve the air quality in your home at ConsumerReports.org under the "home and garden" tab.
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