​​Noise pollution adversely affects the lives of millions of people. Multiple studies have shown the direct links between noise and health.

According to one study, around 50,000 people in just the European Union die prematurely each year from heart attacks caused by traffic noise. Another study showed that people living in streets with average noise levels above 65-70dB, the average risk of heart disease is 20% higher than for people living in quieter streets.

​Other problems that have been proven to be related to noise include stress related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.

Most air purifiers on the market use HEPA or Electrostatic filters, and these air purifiers typically create a noise of over 70dB at their most effective (highest) fan speed. Indeed, manufacturers tacitly recognise that this noise level is unbearably high in the home, so most have a ‘sleep’ / ‘quiet’ mode which makes them a little quieter but effectively cripples their effectiveness! 

​In other words, to use a traditional air purifier at its most effective fan speed, exposes people to a noise level similar to street traffic inside their home.

In fact, according to the World Health Organisation’s Night Noise Guidelines, above 40db (rainfall, a refrigerator or an air conditioner at 100 feet, a quiet suburb) of noise can have adverse health effects and noise at this level may well affect most people’s sleep.

​​You may have come across ‘silent’ air purifiers, these are air purifiers without a fan.

There are basically two types of ‘silent’ air purifier:

​This means that hydroxyls can reach every nook and cranny of a room within seconds, acting on all of the air and all exposed surfaces.

​​Mould spores are a potent allergen that can trigger severe asthma and rhinitis symptoms and cause a broad range of respiratory conditions. It occurs both indoors and outdoors and the density of mould spores is normally much higher than that of Pollen.

​Mould spores, sometimes also called fungal spores, are light and are therefore readily carried through the air of your home or office. This is because their diameter is between one and 100 microns, depending on species, with most being between 2 and 10 microns. Moulds come in a variety of colours: white, grey, orange, green, pink and black.

Your first step in keeping the mould count under control is to ensure that you tackle any damp areas. Another important step is to neutralise mould spores in the air and on surfaces, to prevent the mould from spreading.

​In a small number of people, symptoms of mould allergy may be brought on or worsened by eating certain foods such as cheeses processed with fungi. Occasionally, mushrooms, dried fruits, and foods containing yeast, soy sauce, or vinegar will produce allergy symptoms.

Common symptoms:

• trigger severe asthma attacks
• sore eyes, nose and throat irritation
• coughing
• wheezing
• impaired lung functioning

​Mould spores can also cause Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) which is an allergy to the spores of Aspergillus fumigatus. Around 5% of adults with asthma develop ABPA at some time during their lives.

Mould loves damp conditions, so you will tend to find it in places such as:

• kitchens
• bathrooms, especially on tiles and shower curtains
• in rooms with lots of houseplants, because mould can live on the soil
• cellars and basements where ventilation is limited
• any unheated room
• old houses

Keep your home or office well-ventilated and dry, and discourage the dispersal of mould spores:

• when you are cooking, close the kitchen door and open a window
• dry clothes outside wherever possible
• don't have a carpet in your bathroom
• dust and vacuum regularly
• check the shower head very regularly and keep it clean
• replace any shower curtain regularly
• remove any old furniture that smells of mildew
• never sleep in a room with visible mould
• real christmas trees have mould growing on their needles and release spores in the warmth so use an artificial tree instead
• don't leave decaying food and fruit around
• food kept in plastic bags is more prone to develop mould so always remove from the bag to store
• always clean work surfaces of any food debris
• avoid handling old clothes and old books; especially if you can actually smell the mildew
• wash the bottom of your kitchen rubbish bin regularly
• check inside and under the freezer and fridge, especially in the rubber door seals where black mould can collect
• be aware that building works, and household cleaning, can stir up mould spores, so keep away at these times if you are allergic
• consider using a powerful dehumidifier or air-conditioning unit to remove moisture from the air and dry out the building fabric

Repairs & Maintenance:

• deal with any cracks, leaks, or rising damp
• check out any possible leakage, for example from a washing machine, which might be contributing to the damp
• deal with clogged guttering which could otherwise lead to water overflow running down outside walls and penetrating indoors

​A mixture of bleach and water, a mixture of white spirit and surgical spirit, or a specialised anti-fungal spray can be used to get rid of mould patches. Mould tends to reoccur, so you may well have to repeat your cleaning operations.

​While numerous manufacturers of ‘air cleaners’ / ‘air filters’ claim to be able to clear mould spores from the air, they can only reduce, not eliminate, the problem, because:

• they can only clean the air that passes through them, and stratification, eddies and more means that some air in the room never passes through the filter
• they don’t clean surfaces at all and it only takes a small disturbance to put settled mould spores back into the air