AIRZO Q & A
Q. What makes AIRZO’s Air Purification technology so unique and different?
A. AIRZO has taken four of the most powerful, accepted, and well-documented air purification methods and united them with an exciting technology. The unique synergy created by this marriage of science and electronics results in a truly superlative air cleaning technology. Read the article below to learn more.
Q. How do AIRZO Air Purifiers work?
A. AIRZO air purifiers are state-of-the-art purification devices. It must be noted that they are not air filters, but air purifiers that utilize a multitude of air cleaning methods. The advanced and unique technology you get with an AIRZO Air Purifier combines the use of a strong purifying gas plasma with photo-catalystic oxidation to effectively reduce indoor air pollutants and odors in residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural settings.
Q. Can AIRZO Air Purifiers be run 24 hours a day?
A. AIRZO Air Purifiers are designed to be run continually, 24 hours a day, with no need to monitor them in any way. While in many instances the pollutants in your indoor space can be adequately addressed by running the unit part time, you don’t have to turn the unit off unless you want to.
Q. What kind of maintenance is involved with AIRZO Air Cleaners?
A. AIRZO Air Purifiers are virtually maintenance-free. There is nothing to maintain unless the device is located in a very dusty or smoky area. In these instances we recommend opening the unit up once in a while and wiping off the ultraviolet lamp with a soft cloth. Some accumulations on the bulb (i.e., chemicals from tobacco smoke) may require rubbing alcohol to remove. The UV lamp must be replaced once every 12 months.
Q. Are there filters that need to be replaced?
A. There are no expensive filters to be replaced on AIRZO Air Purifiers. In AIRZO units, all that ever needs replacement is a special ultraviolet lamp that should be replaced once per year.
Q. How expensive on electricity consumption are the units to operate?
A. The average operating cost for a AIRZO Air Purifier is about HKD 10 per month, is efficient and economical.
Q. Since AIRZO air cleaners do not rely on air filters, how do they clean the air?
A. AIRZO Plasma ion and PCO (TiO2) air purifiers clean the air inside the same way nature does outside, by emitting the world’s strongest air-cleansing agents – negative ions, ultraviolet light, hydroxyl radicals, and moderate, controlled amounts of photolic ozone (option) – in a unique, powerful gas plasma. This purifying plasma attacks biological contaminants at a molecular level, and oxidizes other particulate matter, in addition to attaching to contaminants and removing them from the air by making them too heavy to remain airborne (where you can inhale them). AIRZO uses advanced UV technology available nowhere else.
Q. How effective are AIRZO Air Purifiers on tobacco or cigarette smoke?
A. There are two components to tobacco smoke: 1) The smoke itself, which is actually an airborne particulate mass; and 2) the chemical fumes and odors. AIRZO’s negative ions and photoelectrons help remove the smoke particulate from the air, while the highly active oxygen atoms and purifying hydroxyls that make up the AIRZO Plasma actually neutralize the chemical fumes and destroy the odors. There should be a noticeable improvement if the right sized unit is employed.
Q. Will the unit remove smoke and other odors from clothing and upholstered furniture?
A. Yes, but depending upon how saturated the fabric is, it may take anywhere from 1 to 48 hours. Upholstered fabric can be cleansed of smoke odors fairly readily, but couches and chairs and also carpeting that are pet stained may not completely release odors if the stuffing of the article of furniture or the carpet pad and/or subfloor are stained. Also bear in mind that pet stains can be on floor molding, walls, and wood furniture.
Q. Do the units work to get rid of mold and mildew?
A. Yes. The ultraviolet light will kill mold spores that enter the unit, and the purifying plasma that is circulated by the unit is also fungicidal, meaning it will kill fungi like mold and mildew. Ideally, you want to expose the most seriously affected area to large amounts of plasma. Even a small basement could require a large unit. Serious mold and mildew situations may require an with ozone output like our Powerful unit. Our Powerful units are NOT designed for use in inhabited spaces, but are highly effective in eliminating mold if the source of the mold has been eliminated. Some mold remediation companies are using them now. Have your remediation specialist contact us for information.
Q. Will my family get fewer colds and flu if I have a AIRZO Air Cleaner in my home?
A. While there have not been official studies to confirm this yet, independent lab tests have confirmed a remarkable reduction in airborne bacteria, as well as surface bacteria, when a AIRZO Air Purifier is used. Since 90% of colds and flu are caught indoors, and the majority of those are caught at home, it makes sense to conclude that an overall reduction in contagions in the air and on things you and your family touch should certainly have a positive effect on cold and flu reduction, winter and summer. When your immune system doesn’t have to fight off pollutants you inhale, it can do what it’s designed to do – protect you from illness.
Q. Will an AIRZO Air Purifier cure allergies and asthma?
A. AIRZO Air Purifiers will not cure allergies or asthma or other breathing problems. They are not medical devices and are not designed specifically for the treatment or prevention of any health problem or ailment. However, it has been shown that most asthma and allergy sufferers do benefit greatly from the pollutant reduction these units provide. Mold, pollen, dust, animal dander, dust mites, chemical gases, and other common allergens are all effectively reduced in an AIRZO environment.
Q. Do these units produce nitric oxide?
A. Since AIRZO units use UV light to produce plasma, and not the corona discharge method, no nitric oxides or contingent substances are produced.
Q. Are some people over-sensitive to ozone?
A. About 2% of the population do exhibit hypersensitivity to ozone, to varying degrees. Even the extremely low levels of ozone present in our purifying plasma may produce symptoms of over-ozonization in these individuals. Although this phenomenon is relatively rare.
Q. How will an AIRZO Air Purifier work with other filtration or air cleaning devices I already use?
A. Adding an AIRZO unit to an existing air cleaner or filter is a great idea. The different units will only compliment each other, reducing the contaminant load on each unit and making each more effective than if used alone. Some air cleaning devices have undesirable byproducts that can also be addressed with an AIRZO unit.
Q. Is there any research supporting the effectiveness of AIRZO Air Purifiers?
A. In addition to volumes of research supporting the use of ultraviolet light, ozone and other active oxygen atoms, hydroxyl radicals, negative ions, and plasmas in air and surface purification and sanitizing, AIRZO has conducted independent testing to support the effectiveness of its units.
Q. How can I tell if the AIRZO Air Purifier is really working?
A. This depends on your individual circumstances. Concerning the elimination of unpleasant odors, improvement could be noticeable within minutes – or results could take several hours. People with allergies and hay fever should see a marked improvement in a very short period of time. People with animals in their homes should also be able to notice a dramatic reduction in pet odors within hours. Many health benefits, however, are less overt and can only be noticed and evaluated over longer periods of time. Sometimes, though, people do not report a difference in their air when using one of our purifiers. In these instances, what happens is that people become so accustomed to an odor or quality of air that they don’t even realize that their home or office has an odor – they’ve simply gotten used to it. With these people, there is often no “shock” of immediate improvement that they can ascertain. And, as the unit begins to work, they also adjust to the steady improvement in air quality. Usually, though, once they get used to clean, pure air, they do notice a difference if they stop using the AIRZO unit. All the old odors usually return pretty quickly, and are extremely noticeable. That’s why we often have customers who have a unit in their homes for a few weeks, return it because they didn’t notice a difference, and then call us back a few days later because the old pollutants have returned – and they notice that!
Q. How do negative ions and ozone work?
A. Negative ions are negatively-charged electrical particles that are magnetically attracted to allergens and other airborne contaminates, which are positively-charged. The newly-formed larger particles are then able to fall harmlessly to the ground, and out of the air we breathe.
Ozone oxidizes (burns) pollutants, destroying them altogether. The ozone molecule (O3) is highly reactive, so whenever it encounters a floating particulate, one of the oxygen atoms breaks away to oxidize the pollutant. This leaves behind O2 (pure oxygen), refreshing the air even more. Ozone has the 2nd highest oxidation potential out of all the elements.
Q. What happens to the ionized particle once it falls to the ground?
A. It becomes too heavy to remain airborne and falls to a nearby surface. The most important thing is that these microscopic pollutants are out of the air you breathe, which renders them harmless. If they’re not in the air, they cannot find their way into your lungs where they do their damage. Remember, these are microscopic particles we are talking about, not specks of dirt, so your floors, furniture, and other surfaces will not suddenly become “dirty” once these pollutants begin falling out the air. It is possible, though, for these particulates to be collected as a result of your routine cleaning, like vacuuming and dusting. It is also possible for these particles to become “kicked up” again into the air. Fortunately, AIRZO air purifiers produce a continual supply of negative ions and low levels of ozone (optional), which means “kicked up” particulates will find themselves grounded again very quickly.
Q. Can ozone be dangerous?
A. Yes, but only when occurring in extremely high concentrations – much higher than what an AIRZO air purifier is capable of producing. Ozone (optional) is much like just about any other element in that it has its range of effects. It is harmless or useful at moderate concentrations, but harmful at extremely high levels. For example, chlorine, an extremely powerful sanitizing agent, can be extremely dangerous if misused. However, we have learned to use it appropriately and thus can enjoy things like safe water in our swimming pools and even from our tap! AIRZO Air Purification Units will not produce ozone at a level higher than what is considered healthy in outdoor settings – generally not more than 0.04 ppm when the unit is used in the appropriate size space, Ozone levels produced as part of the AIRZO Purifying Plasma do not surpass the
Federal Government safety guideline of 0.05 – 0.06 ppm. In fact, our units only need a modest amount of ozone to fuel our unique purifying process.
Q. What’s a purifying hydroxyl or hydroxyl radical?
A. Hydroxyl radicals, which occur naturally in our atmosphere, are formed when an oxygen singlet (O1) plucks a Hydrogen atom (H) from natural humidity (H2O) to form the radical OH. This hydroxyl radical is 33% more effective at oxidizing pollutants in the air than ozone, and 2.5 times more germicidal and fungicidal than chlorine, making them the most effective method of destroying mold, bacteria, viruses, and germs that you can buy. AIRZO’s proprietary process produces large volumes of these powerful air cleaning agents with only a very small amount of ozone – far less than what is required by other ozonating air cleaners.
Q. What features should I look for when purchasing an air purifier? How can I tell if one is better than another?
A. When you purchase an air purifier, the most important things to consider are what the machine can remove from the air and how it removes it. Look at the particulate size the machine is capable of removing, square-footage coverage, cost per square foot purified, cost of replacement parts and how often they need to be replaced, electricity cost, noise generated, warranty, physical size. We’re confident that we offer you the most technologically-advanced, affordable air cleaning unit on the market today and the longest warranty in the industry. Our units consistently out-perform other air cleaners in all categories.
Q. Is an AIRZO air purifier better than a HEPA air filter?
A. A HEPA air filter can only remove particles as small as 0.3 microns from the air, while AIRZO units can remove particles as small as 0.001 microns from the air. AIRZO air purifiers can also clean much larger areas than HEPA air filters that are even close to the same cost. HEPA air cleaners rely on an air filter, therefore only cleans the air that passes through them. AIRZO air purifiers electronically emit nature’s most powerful air-cleansing agents to seek out pollutants. AIRZO air cleaners are also much more cost- effective than HEPA air filters. To begin with, HEPA air filters must be replaced regularly, costing as much as a few hundred dollars each time. AIRZO Air Purifiers do not use parts requiring frequent replacement – just a low cost bulb to replace once a year. HEPA air filters are also far more costly to run in terms of electricity costs. Finally, HEPA air purifiers often run on a small motor, which sounds a bit like a lawnmower when turned on. AIRZO Units barely make any noise at all.
Q. What different kinds of air cleaners does AIRZO offer?
A. We have a broad range models for home, office, vehicle, commercial, and personal use.
Q. How do I figure out what model is best for me?
A. While a number of factors do influence the air purifier model that is best for you, with a little thought, it’s easy to determine the right one. For details please consult with our local dealers near you on selecting an AIRZO Air Purifier for your home or office.
Q. What kind of warranty do these air purifiers carry?
A. They come with a one (1) year limited warranty.
Q. How do AIRZO air purifiers compare to other ozone generators / negative ion generators?
A. AIRZO air purifiers do not use glass plates like other negative ion and ozone generators. As a result, they do not require maintenance, and do not produce oxides of nitrogen like air cleaners that do use glass plates. Oxides of nitrogen can result in a “metallic” or “bleach-like” odor that many find unpleasant. These oxides can also serve as a minor lung irritant if occurring in high enough concentrations.