Hoover SilentAir Air Purifiers - Ozone

What you really need to know about OZONE

What is ozone?
How is ozone created in nature? What purpose does it serve?
What about ozone in the outdoor air we breathe?
What about ozone in indoor air?
Is ozone created in homes and buildings?
Does the Hoover SilentAir Purifier produce ozone?
Can you smell the ozone produced by the electronic air cleaner?
Who sets safety standard and what are they?
What about air cleaners that don't produce any ozone?
Are there air cleaners that produce higher levels of ozone?

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Hoover SilentAir Purifier SA2000

What is ozone?:

Ozone (O³), a 3-atom form of oxygen, is a normal trace element in the earth's atmosphere. Ozone is a different chemical than common oxygen (O²) which supports life on our planet. Like many substances, ozone is beneficial to live and to man, but can also be harmful in excessive concentrations.

Ozone is created naturally by the action of the sun on oxygen; it is also created by man as a by-product of processes such as combustion, power generation and operation of common appliances such as sun lamps, copy machines, or electric hair dryers.

How is ozone created in nature? What purpose does it serve?

Ozone is naturally created in the atmosphere by the action of ultraviolet light from the sun on the oxygen in the air. A relatively small amount is also formed by high voltage discharges during thunderstorms. The maximum concentration occurs between 13 and 16 miles (20.8 and 25.6 km) above the earth's surface.

This ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is highly beneficial to man. This upper layer protects life on earth by absorbing short wave length radiation and preventing this radiation from reaching the surface of the earth. Any appreciable amount of ultraviolet radiation would quickly be fatal to man.

Scientists are concerned that the upper atmospheric ozone layer is being damaged by other man-made chemicals. Governmental regulations are being created to protect this layer of ozone by reducing the use of damaging chemicals such as refrigerants of the chlorofluorocarbon or "CFC" type.

What about ozone in the outdoor air we breathe?

Traces (small quantities) of ozone from this upper atmosphere are carried to the earth's surface by winds and down-drafts. With no intervention by man, ozone in the outdoor air we breathe would vary in concentrations between 0.03 and 0.05 parts per million(ppm).

In most cities, higher levels of ozone are created primarily due to automobile exhaust and resulting photochemical reactions. During "smog alerts" these levels can be irritating or even harmful to people.

Indoor ozone concentrations will almost always be much lower than outdoors; this is why people with respiratory illness are advised to remain indoors during smog alerts.

What about ozone in indoor air?

Ozone levels in homes and commercial buildings are almost always lower than levels outdoors. This is because ozone is highly reactive -- that means it breaks down quickly from O3 to simple O2 (oxygen) shortly after it is created. Surfaces such as walls, carpeting, drapes, and furniture increase the rate of breakdown of ozone.

In a typical home or building ozone levels of 0.000 to 0.030 ppm would be found, when the outdoor level is 0.000 to 0.150 ppm.

Is ozone created in homes and buildings?

Many appliances such as hair dryers, mixers, or electric fans actually produce very small concentrations of ozone when they are running. This occurs as a result of electrical discharge exciting oxygen (O2) into ozone (O3). Again, because ozone breaks down very quickly into oxygen and because such low levels are produced, even with several appliances in operation typical ozone concentrations found in homes and buildings will not be increased beyond a low, background level.

Does the Hoover SilentAir Purifier produce ozone?

Like the other appliances listed above, Hoover™ SilentAir® Purifier and any other high efficiency electronic air cleaner will produce trace levels of ozone when they are running. In extensive testing of electronic air cleaners performance both in test chambers and in actual homes, maximum ozone levels created are in the range of 0.005 to 0.020 ppm, well below indoor safety levels set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An electronic air cleaner can be expected to add about 0.005 ppm ozone to the steady state indoor level.

As the electronic air cleaner loads with dirt, the level of ozone produced further decreases from the level listed above.

Can you smell the ozone produced by the electronic air cleaner?

Odor perception for ozone varies quite a bit among people. Some people can smell levels as 0.020 ppm. Most people can smell a level of 0.030 ppm, well below the FDA standard. The smell of ozone is not an indicator that the level is above normal, or even near the recommended limit set by the FDA.

Who sets safety standard and what are they?

Safety levels for outdoor ozone levels are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and for indoor are set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For outdoor air, levels above 0.120 ppm are considered excessively stressing to people with a respiratory illness or who are sensitive to ozone. In general, levels below 0.080 ppm are considered acceptable for outdoors, but these levels are often exceeded in some urban areas.

The FDA sets 0.050 ppm within a 24-hour-day exposure time as the maximum indoor ozone concentration acceptable.

What about air cleaners that don't produce any ozone?

Some manufacturers claim that their air cleaners are superior because they do not produce any ozone. What they don't tell you is that these air cleaners are also much less effective at removing particles from the air, especially small particles which can be the most irritating and staining.

Are there air cleaners that produce higher levels of ozone?

Consumers are wise to be concerned about excess ozone levels. There are products that generate higher levels of ozone than electronic air cleaners, they are sold as ozone generators, ionizers. These products intentionally produce higher levels of ozone and should not be confused with Hoover™ SilentAir® Purifier or any other reputable brands of electronic air cleaners.

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