If you own a business and often have problems with water damage and mold, and you’ve looked into air scrubbers for cleaning the air, you might also wonder: what does a HEPA air scrubber do for mold and water damage? We’ll clear that up in this guide.
As a business owner, your priority is not just the safety of your customers but also the establishment as a whole. Therefore, it pays to invest in an air scrubber not only for cleaning the air from dust and other pollution but also for handling mold problems and water damage.
But, are air scrubbers worth it? We say yes – which is why we wrote this article to help you out. We’ve listed the benefits of having an air scrubber for your business to counter mold and water problems, which, in turn, will maintain cleanliness and the well-being of your customers and employees.
When should you use an air scrubber?
Air scrubbers are best used against mold remediation, which mostly happens if your business is involved with the use of water, such as a laundry shop, a restaurant, and the like. So, what does a HEPA air scrubber do when it comes to mold problems?
Water leaks from poor piping can cause mold growth, which an air scrubber can help inhibit. The air filters present in an air scrubber can suppress the formation of mold in any area – just make sure these filters are properly maintained and/or replaced when needed.
With that said, what are the best air scrubbers for mold? First of all, we can recommend the BlueDri BD-AS-550-GY Negative Machine Airbourne Cleaner, which is suitable for construction sites and any business heavily-depending on sewage management, such as restaurants, fast food, factories, and the like.
This HEPA air scrubber can purify the air from sawdust, which makes it good for repair and renovation. With variable speed control, this daisy-chainable unit also has an LED light to let you know when it’s time to replace the filter.
Another unit we’d like to suggest is the COLZER Commercial Air Scrubber, which uses a HEPA filter. This daisy-chain-compatible unit can be stacked up to 5 units high. This air scrubber is suitable for rooms up to 2,000 square feet when stacked in 4 to 5 units (each with a CADR of 500 CFM).
You can also use it for renovation sites or when you’re still working on your business establishment since it has an ergonomic handle for easy carrying plus a 25-foot cable length. It’s only 42 pounds so it’s not too heavy to carry around the job site.
If you want a slightly higher CADR, the Abestorm Air Scrubber is for you, which is at 550 CFM each. Like most air scrubbers, this unit can be daisy-chained but only up to 3 units for one outlet. This air scrubber has the following filters:
- HEPA filter
- activated carbon filter
- MERV-10 filter
For those with businesses that thrive in highly-polluted and populated areas (and your business has something to do with sanitation), this is a recommended choice. This 3-stage filtration will get rid of dust, odor, smoke, mold, VOCs, and other harmful pollutants.
Another unit that’s great for highly-polluted areas and construction sites is the ALORAIR Air Scrubber, which has a 3-stage filter similar to the above-mentioned unit. It has up to 550 CFM of CADR and allows up to 3 units daisy-chained.
Do note that, unlike the other units we mentioned, this air scrubber has a slightly shorter cord at 23 feet in length. Nonetheless, it has a handle for easy transport as well. It also has a filter change light indicator for easy maintenance (more on that below).
Do air scrubbers need maintenance?
Definitely! Air scrubbers absorb dirt and other pollutants, which is why you’ll need to clean and/or replace the filters when necessary to avoid compromising your indoor air and ruining all the hard work of the air scrubber in the first place.
But, when it comes to maintenance, how do air scrubbers work? If you’re familiar with air purifiers, they work similarly – but on a larger scale with extras. Here’s a small checklist of what you need to maintain on your air scrubber:
- Set the air scrubber on a flat surface
- Check the air filters and replace them when needed
- Examine the GFCI if it’s working properly
- Look for holes in the ducting and repair them with duct tape
- Clean the duct connections as needed
- Ensure the fan blades are clean and working
- Properly position the air scrubber to avoid tipping over
- Don’t forget to dry the air scrubber before storing
What kills airborne mold spores?
Air scrubbers with a HEPA filter will kill airborne mold spores and prevent them from growing further on surfaces. Here’s a comparison of HEPA filters when it comes to removing mold:
| Type of HEPA | Best uses | Particle size | Efficiency rate |
| True HEPA (H12) | Restaurants, construction sites, renovation, most businesses | Up to 0.3 microns | 99.97% |
| H13 HEPA (medical-grade HEPA) | Hospitals, clinics, places with children | Up to 0.1 microns | 99.95% |
As you can see above, if you have any of these commercial establishments, here’s a guide on the optimal type of air scrubber HEPA filter that you should get. That’s because H13 HEPA can filter even smaller particles that are suitable for medical purposes.
FAQs
Can you wash a HEPA filter?
No – a HEPA filter is typically only replaced after every 6 to 12 months depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation. Only the pre-filter of an air scrubber is usually washed and returned back into the unit for use.
How do I know when I need to replace the HEPA filter?
Fortunately, most of the air scrubbers we mentioned above have filter indicators. Simply look at the light to know when it’s time to replace your HEPA filter, which can vary depending on the usage and levels of pollution.
How can a HEPA filter trap mold?
HEPA filters can filter up to 0.3 or 0.1 microns. A standard mold spore is somewhere between 2 and 4 microns in size, making a HEPA filter best for filtering an area with mold problems. However, make sure to always replace your filter regularly to avoid the mold staying and growing on the HEPA filter!
Conclusion
To wrap it up: what does a HEPA air scrubber do against mold and water damage? It can kill mold and keep the spores from growing by constantly running the unit. If you have mold problems in your commercial establishment, an air scrubber will be a worthy investment in terms of health and safety.
