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Best Air Purifiers for Mold in 2023: Buying Guide

In damp, humid conditions, mold can thrive by spreading their spores through the air. Although mold growth is beneficial in the creation of antibiotics and decomposition of plant matter, this fungus has no place indoors. If left unchecked, mold can wreak havoc on your home and your health.

Although the first step in mold remediation is addressing the source of the problem, you also have to keep mold spores out of the air. The best way to get rid of spores is by using an air purifier.

Best Air Purifiers for Mold


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Did you Know

That air purifiers can help against almost all air-related issues. They are simple to use and are very effective against bacteria, viruses, VOCs, and mold.


Recommended Air Purifiers for Mold in 2023

6) Levoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier

With its room capacity of 322 square feet, the Levoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier can be used on the floor in most bedrooms or in-home offices. This 11.2-pound purifier features a wide outlet that spans the purifier’s the 14.5-inch-wide top for maximum air output.

For the LV-PUR131, Levoit offers warranty coverage for 2 years. Plus, you get technical support for the life of the purifier.

Levoit LV-PUR131
Levoit LV-PUR131

Behind the air purifier’s back panel, there are three filters. The one that’s closest to the inlet is a pre-filter, which traps hair, dust and pollen. The filter that’s furthest from the outlet is an activated carbon filter that eliminates the musty odor of mold. Sandwiched in between these two filters is a true HEPA filter.

The HEPA filter captures 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants, including mold spores. Like the Alen purifier at number five, this Levoit air purifier only requires a twice-yearly filter change.

From the touch panel, you can change the three-speed fan. Plus, you can set a timer to run the purifier for up to 12 hours. If you’re a light sleeper, the purifier’s quiet mode turns the fan to its lowest speed, so you’ll barely be able to hear it.

For times when you are too busy to stay on top of the settings, the integrated particle sensor monitors the air quality, and auto mode puts the fan speed in the purifier’s control.

LEVOIT Air Purifiers for Home Large Room,...
  • NEUTRALIZE SMOKE&ODORS: The rapid clean air delivery rate and High-Efficiency Activated...
  • IDEAL FOR ALLERGIES: The H13 True HEPA Filter is superior to H11, capturing at least...

5) GermGuardian 3-in-1 AC4825

Get whole-room air filtration with the GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Purifier. Made for medium-size rooms with an average ceiling height, this air purifier stands 21.5 inches tall and weighs a mere 7 pounds.

It’s equipped with a recessed carrying handle, making it highly portable. Plus, you can run it all day and night without driving up your electricity bill because it’s rated by Energy Star as drawing only 55 watts of electricity.

Germ Guardian AC4825E
Germ Guardian AC4825E

Both the inlet and outlet almost stretch along the entire height of the purification tower. To destroy the spores and odors that originate from mold growth, the air purifier contains a true HEPA filter with an activated carbon pre-filter. Every 6 to 8 months, you’ll notice a green indicator light flashing.

This indicator is there to remind you to change the filter, so the purifier can continue to run smoothly.

To enhance its mold-eradication abilities, there is a UV-C lamp you can turn on or off with one button push. Thanks to the titanium dioxide plate inside, the UV-C light can even knock out odor-producing VOCs. Whenever you want to change the fan to low, medium or high speed, simply turn the dial to your preferred setting.

GermGuardian HEPA Air Purifier for Home,...
  • ROOM COVERAGE: This GermGuardian air purifier circulates air 1x/hour in spaces up to 743...
  • ADVANCED FILTERING: With the true HEPA filter, this air purifier traps 99.97% of harmful...

4) AeraMax 300 Large Room Air Purifier

The AeraMax 300 Air Purifier has all the features necessary to make it a high-quality air purifier. This white, 12.5-pound measures 25.1 inches by 16 inches, allowing it to be used with an extra-large filter that captures almost every particle in a 300 to 600 square-foot room.

It’s also Energy Star rated, using as few as 6 watts of electricity on its lowest fan speed. This air purifier comes with a 3-year limited warranty and an Asthma & Allergy Friendly certification.

AeraMax 300 Large Room Air Purifier
AeraMax 300 Large Room Air Purifier

To kill mold spores and other harmful particles, the AeraMax 300 air purifier has a four-stage filtration system. This system includes a true HEPA filter with an antimicrobial coating for keeping mildew, fungal and bacterial growth at bay as well as an odor-eliminating carbon filter.

Plus, there is an ionizing feature that creates a field of ions around the inlet. The pull-out drawer on the side makes it easy to change the carbon filter once per 3 months and the HEPA filter every year.

With this air purifier, you have the choice of running it in manual or auto mode. In manual mode, you can change the fan power to one of four speeds from the touch-button panel. On auto mode, the purifier utilizes the particle sensor to lower the number of particles in the air by self-adjusting the fan.

This purifier is also equipped with a unique feature called Aera+ Mode. When you push the button that activates this mode, the air purifier increases its airflow rate by 50 percent, which works great when you need to quickly address a mold situation.

Fellowes AeraMax 300 Large Room Air Purifier...
  • 4-stage hospital-type filtration: effectively purifies air in large rooms 300 - 600 square...
  • AeraSmart sensor: monitors the air quality and automatically adjusts the fan speed to keep...

3) Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier

The Blue Pure 211+ by Blueair is one of the most straightforward, air purifiers on the market. It has an astounding 350 CADR for all three categories (smoke, dust, and pollen) while also cleaning as far as 540 square feet. Another huge bonus is that this is an Energy Star rated device, so you’ll spend less on energy costs over time.

Blueair Blue Pure 211+
Blueair Blue Pure 211+

This low-noise device uses an electrostatic-charging HEPASilent Filter (not to be mistaken with True HEPA) that traps up to 99.97% of particles, including VOCs and mold spores. Thanks to its 360° inlets on all four sides, there’s no wrong way or place to set up your Blue Pure 211+.

BLUEAIR Air Purifier Large Room, Air Cleaner...
  • SIMPLE ONE-BUTTON CONTROL: Easily adjust fan as-needed with one button to ensure optimal...
  • CLEAN AIR IN MINUTES: Blueair's HEPASilent technology, delivers clean air, faster, and...

2) Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier

The Coway AP-1512HH is indeed a mighty air purifier. It offers impressive CADR figures of 246, 233, and 240 for dust, smoke, and pollen, respectively. This is despite using a True HEPA Filter that traps up to 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in size. This 4-stage air purifier is designed to clean the air in rooms of up to 361 square feet.

Coway AP-1512HH
Coway AP-1512HH

This air purifier also comes with a Smart Sensor that automatically activates one of the three fan speeds depending on how polluted the air is. Combined with an Energy Star certification, you can rest assured that the AP-1512HH will hardly cost you a thing over time.

Coway Airmega AP-1512HH True HEPA Air...
  • [Coverage] Designed to clean spaces up to 361 sq. ft. in 12.5 minutes or up to 874 sq. ft....
  • [HyperCaptive Filtration System] Combination of a pre-filter, deodorization filter, and...

1) Medify Air MA-40-W V2.0 Air Purifier

The MA-40 is, hands down, the best air purifier made by Medify Air. This 26-inch-tall device has the ability to purify the air in rooms of up to 420 square feet. Best of all, it does so with impressive CADR ratings—380 in each category. Inside the MA-40 is a medical-grade H13 True HEPA Filter that has a lifespan of over 2,500 hours (~3.5 months of continuous usage).

Medify Air MA-40-W V2.0 Air Purifier
Medify Air MA-40-W V2.0 Air Purifier

It features a super-accurate Air Quality Sensor that scrolls through the three fan speeds and chooses the most appropriate one based on air-pollutant concentration levels. A handy ionizing feature further enhances particle adhesion to the H13 filter for optimal purification in less time.

Medify MA-40 Air Purifier with True HEPA H13...
  • MAXIMUM COVERAGE: Cleans large spaces up to 1,793 sq ft in one hour, 896 sq ft in 30...
  • QUALITY TESTED & BACKED: CARB, ETL, and Energy Star certified. Backed by a USA registered...

Buying Guide

What Are Other Important Features to Have in an Air Purifier?

Without a doubt, the type of HEPA filter in an air purifier is crucial to the purifier’s performance. Despite its importance, there is more to a great mold-killing air purifier than its filter. Aspects like the purifier’s room capacity, warranty and asthma-and-allergy certification are also significant in terms of efficiency.

Coverage Area

It’s crucial that you pay attention to the air purifier’s room capacity. The coverage area of the purifier you use should closely match the square feet of the room where you intend to operate the appliance. If the coverage area is too small for the room’s size, the air purifier won’t be able to filter all the air in the room.

If the ceiling in the room is higher than the standard 8 feet, make sure you choose an air purifier with a larger coverage area than the room’s actual square footage because most manufacturers measure the purifier’s capacity based on a room with an 8-foot ceiling.

Air Purifiers for Mold

Warranty Period

A warranty gives you peace of mind. However, a warranty means much more than financial protection against mishaps and malfunctions. The length of the warranty period tells you how much confidence the manufacturer has in their product.

A manufacturer won’t slap a 10-year warranty on a product that they know will only last for about 5 years; if the warranty period is too long, they risk losing money on repairs and replacements. However, even low-quality air purifiers may have 1 year’s worth of warranty coverage because manufacturers know that consumers place a lot of value on a warranty, and they are more likely to buy a product with a warranty as opposed to a similar product without one.

During your air purifier search, look for a warranty period that’s longer than 1 year. There are some air purifiers with a 3-year, 5-year or even a lifetime warranty.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification

Mold is a serious allergy and asthma trigger. To help people who suffer from allergies and asthma, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America developed a certification program. This program tests products like air purifiers, vacuum cleaners and other consumer goods to make sure they meet the organization’s standards for reducing a person’s likelihood of being exposed to allergens.

If it passes their rigorous testing, the product is marked as asthma & allergy friendly. This certification is a huge deal for manufacturers because it’s an attractive feature that sells, and for good reason. You will be able to easily tell whether or not an air purifier is certified as asthma & allergy friendly because the box will have a unique seal from the AAFA, and the seller will state this feature in the product description.

Air Purifiers for Mold Guide

FAQ

How Do Air Purifiers Control Mold Growth?

Air purifiers are appliances designed to significantly decrease the number of harmful particles in the air. To accomplish this feat, the purifier draws in surrounding air with a powerful fan. As soon as dirty air enters the inlet, that air is circulated through the purifier.

Once the air travels through a particle-trapping filter, it’s released from the air purifier’s outlet and sent back into the room while the mold spores and other contaminants that were in the air remain within the pleats of the filter.

In some air purifiers, there are other technologies such as a UV-C light that destroys the trapped spores or an ionizer to help collect microscopic particles.

Air Purifier
Bissell Air220

What Type of Filter Is in an Air Purifier?

No matter the size or brand of the air purifier, there is at least one filter inside of it. However, a quality air purifier won’t have a standard filter. Instead, it will contain a true high efficiency particulate arrestance, or HEPA, filter.

With its ability to capture particles as small as 0.3 microns with a 99.97 percent efficiency rate, a true HEPA filter can easily snare mold spores, which range in size from 1 micron to 30 microns.

However, don’t be fooled by manufacturers that put a HEPA type filter in place of a true HEPA filter to save a few bucks. These substandard filters are not as efficient. In fact, their efficiency rate generally ranges from 85 percent to 90 percent, and they just can’t trap small particles like true HEPA filter can.

Mold Air Purifier
Blueair Blue Pure Air Purifier

How Can One Filter Get Rid of a Mold Problem?

Sure, one well-made true HEPA filter can keep mold spores out of the air, so the spores can’t act as a catalyst for new mold growth. However, it won’t take long for that filter to become filthy, and the air purifier will have to work extra hard to do its job when it only has one filter, leading to premature motor burnout or the need for an energy-sucking, high-wattage motor to compensate.

To combat these issues, manufacturers often include a pre-filter. A pre-filter sits on top of the HEPA filter to catch large particles that can reduce a HEPA filter’s efficiency, such as dust and hair. Since a pre-filter is able to trap particles as small as 5 to 10 microns, it will grab some mold spores too. In turn, the HEPA filter lasts longer, and the purifier works better.

The best air purifier manufacturers don’t stop with a two-stage filtration system. They also add an activated carbon filter into the mix, which sits in between the HEPA filter and pre-filter. A carbon filter takes care of the one problem that even the most efficient true HEPA filter cannot – bad odors.

As mold breaks down organic matter and grows in moist areas, it gives off volatile organic compounds. Often, it’s the mold-related VOCs that cause that telltale musty smell.

Luckily, carbon filters are able to eliminate this odor when the VOCs adhere to the filter and dissolve. This process is known as adsorption.

Can Mold Spores Escape From the Purifier?

Whether or not mold spores can escape from the purifier depends on how well the air purifier’s filtration system is sealed.

When the seal around the filter is tight, air can’t escape before it goes through the filtration process, and dirty air is unable to make its way into the purifier to contaminant the newly cleaned air.

Manufacturers who build a sealed air purifier are proud of this feature, so the box or product description will clearly state that the purifier is sealed.

Air Purifier for Mold Forming
Coway Airmega 300

Why Do Some Air Purifiers Have a UV Lamp?

UV-C light is an excellent tool for killing bacteria, viruses and mold by rendering these toxins ineffective at the cellular level.

In an air purifier, the UV-C lamp is usually directed at the HEPA filter, so it can destroy the germs trapped in the filter. For a substance like a mold spore, the light must be in direct contact with the spore for over 20 minutes to break down the spore’s DNA.

When the spore is stuck in the filter, it can’t float out of the light’s direct path. Some air purifiers also contain a titanium dioxide plate that works in conjunction with the UV-C light to oxidize VOCs in a process called photocatalytic oxidation. While a UV-C lamp is a great helper, the HEPA filter is still the number one technology used for mold and germ eradication.

What Is an Ionizer?

Some air purifiers contain an ionizer. By channeling the power of high voltage to electrically charge multiple metal needles, an ionizer creates negative ions. These ions are released into the air and attach to airborne pollutants, which makes the particles too heavy to remain in the air, so you won’t inhale them.

Often, the appliance has an electrostatic plate or rod to collect these contaminants. While unnecessary for mold reduction, an ionizer is a nice bonus feature to have in an air purifier.

Is Mold and Fungus the Same?

Although people often interchange the words mold and fungus, these substances aren’t one and the same. Like mushrooms and yeast, mold is simply a type of fungus. This microscopic organism can be found indoors and outdoors.

To help people understand the threat that a specific mold can cause, some countries use a three-level classification scale. While not all molds on this scale pose a health risk, even innocuous molds can damage certain components of a home, such as sheetrock, carpet and window frames.

Air Purifier

How Does Mold Spread?

In the ecosystem, mold has a specific job – to break down dead matter like leaves and cut grass. While mold helps in the decomposition process, it also gets its nutrients via absorption. In turn, the nutrients that come from organic matter can seep into the soil to keep the soil viable for future plant growth.

In order for mold to reproduce, it creates spores, which cannot be seen by the human eye, and they are extremely lightweight, allowing them to float freely through the air. If spores land on in a place that offers the perfect temperature, moisture level and food source that mold needs to thrive, the spores can germinate in as little as 24 hours.

If the conditions continue to support mold growth, the mold will colonize and spread anywhere from 1 to 12 days, so it doesn’t take long for these microscopic spores to cause a huge problem.

How Does Mold Infiltrate a House?

Despite our best efforts, mold is a substance that humans can never completely destroy. With its role in the ecosystem and pharmaceutical industry, mold has its value. However, this doesn’t mean you should let mold grow unchecked in your home. Mold spores often find their way into homes through unsealed areas like doors, windows and even HVAC systems.

Sometimes, you can unknowingly carry it inside yourself if spores land on your shoes or clothes. Spores can even hitch a ride on your pets. If the indoor temperature and relative humidity are high enough, mold can thrive on almost any substance, particularly wood, insulation, paper, consumable goods and fabric.

Air Purifiers
Medify Air MA-40-W V2.0 Air Purifier

What Are the Health Risks of Mold Exposure?

Although you are exposed to mold every time you step outside, indoor mold exposure usually happens when you breathe in airborne spores. Sometimes, you can get direct exposure from touching an object that is covered in mold.

It’s difficult to predict how mold may affect an individual because every person’s immune system is different, and there are over 1,000 varieties of mold that can grow inside of a home.

However, some of the most common symptoms of mold exposure include sinus congestion, a sore throat, shortness of breath, eye irritation and headaches. Dizziness, confusion, memory loss and other neurotoxic symptoms can also occur when someone is exposed to mold.

Some people are more susceptible to the effects of mold than others, such as those who’ve been exposed to mold on a long-term basis, the elderly, infants, asthmatics, allergy sufferers and people who are immunocompromised.

What Are Ways to Stop Mold From Growing?

Prevention is key to controlling mold growth inside of your house. If you eliminate the conditions that mold needs to survive, it can’t grow.

This starts by keeping your thermostat set to the right temperature. Mold loves warm temperatures that range from 77 degrees Fahrenheit to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, so the lower you set the thermostat, the less likely mold will grow. In addition, you have to address sources of moisture in your home, which includes the relative humidity. Mold growth can occur at humidity levels from 70 percent to 90 percent.

Ideally, the humidity in your home should stay in the 40 percent to 60 percent range to inhibit mold growth. Plus, you need to look for any leaks and standing water, such as on the roof or within the plumbing system. You also need to make sure your bathrooms are properly ventilated and your windows and doors are tightly sealed with weather stripping and caulk.

Pure Enrichment PureZone
Pure Enrichment PureZone

Are air purifiers worth it? Read it here.

If you do spot mold in your house, don’t panic. Often, you can get rid of it with a little elbow grease. Diluted bleach is an excellent tool, or you can use baking soda to take care of mold on porous surfaces. While these chemicals work great for small mold remediation jobs, eliminating large patches of mold growth takes more work.

For instance, if you discover mold growing on your drywall or carpeting, you’ll need to cut out the moldy section and replace it. Keep in mind, none of these methods will remove mold spores.

Sometimes, the process of mold elimination can stir up mold spores, causing them to become airborne. That’s where an air purifier with a true HEPA filter comes into play. If you run the purifier 24 hours per day as a proactive measure, you can start mold growth before it starts.

Air Purifiers


Air Recommended Air Purifiers

Our Pick Perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH is one of the best-performing, most durable, and most economical purifiers we’ve tested.

Most Popular The Levoit Core 300 air purifier has some strong suits, but in our opinion it falls short of carving out a meaningful niche for itself. Its ideal use would be in a small bedroom occupied by someone who is sensitive to noise.

Also Great With high end air cleaning performance and a whisper quiet fan, the Winix 5500-2 is the perfect combination of power and finesse. It cleared airborne particulates out of our smokey testing room faster than any other model.

Best of the Best If you have a large space you want to remove irritants from, We recommend the Airmega 400S. All of Coway air purifiers do an excellent job of attacking indoor pollutants, and we highly recommend any of them. The 400S is designed to accommodate large room sizes.

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Sources:
Mold Allergy. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Kuhn DM, Ghannoum MA. Indoor mold, toxigenic fungi, and stachybotrys chartarum : infectious disease perspective. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003;16(1):144-172. doi:10.1128/CMR.16.1.144-172.2003
Basic Facts About Mold and Dampness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould. World Health Organization.
Mold Cleanup in Your Home. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
OSHA NIOSH Infosheet: Protecting Works Who Use Cleaning Chemicals.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
Mold Course Chapter Two. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Last Update: 2024-03-18 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About the author

Hi I’m Alex, founder of HouseholdMe.com and I’d like to say thank you for dropping by. Like most of you, the first thing I look at before buying something online is reviews or buying guides. By reading what other people say will help me gauge whether or not a product is good or not.  I am trying to help people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.

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