Ozone machines and Pets

[Cartrivision1]

Hello, the apartment I live in has had a bad mildew problem since I moved in 2 years ago. It is a 3-plex, with a small studio apt. in the basement. The owner had a mold removal company come out and look at the problem. They suggested cutting back the landscape to get more natural light, using dehumidifiers, and also removing the mold in the crawlspace underneath the house.

Well the landlord did all of the above, but does not want to shell out the $ to have the mold removed. He is trying to cheap out on this, claiming the mold removal company only can guarantee their work for

1-year. He says that there was a couple of water leaks in both the basement laundry room and the basement studio, and that he is also going to put down another layer of plastic over the dirt in the crawlspace.

He also wants to run an ozone generator for a few hours underneath the house. Would it be necessary to remove my pets from my apt. if the ozone machine is being run under the house, and how effective would running it for only 6 hours be towards the problem?

thanks CTV

[Pop]

Good grief, Joe, where have you been? That's an uncharacteristic answer from you, one of handful of knowledgeable posters here. Sorry, I'm not trying to be confrontational; honest.

An ozone generator sized for the volume of the space, even oversized pretty much, would not be a problem to pets or people. It would however present the same problems for people that it did for pets. It's very unlikely to be any problem, but if the guy doing it isn't a sensible person, the question might be: Is this an approved generator, is it properly sized, and is it going to be run per the requirements and usage stated in its paperwork? EVERY ozone generator sold in the US and UK (I'm assuming the OP is in the US) has to have approvals and has to include instructions on using it.

From the FWIW department, ozone generators are the exact item most motels and hotels use to keep their rooms fresh smelling. They do a good job of covering cirgarettes and "people" odors. You'l also find them in many of the better rest rooms in restaurants, offices and many other places. And some of those are run 24/7 but that's an exception. Ozone is that nice, fresh smell you notice after a lighting storm has passed.

of 931,000 hits at Google, here's a couple of links that talk up a good hype for ozone generators; don't believe it all, but it's mostly true. Sponsored LinksAir-Zone® Ozone Generator

Purify Air, Kill Mold, Whole House US Patented, Factory Direct pricing Ozmotics Ozone Generators Top-quality commercial & industrial high grade ozone generators. Ozone generator -purifier Praised for treating mold-mildew, bacteria, and odors. $129 & up

On the other side of the coin, here's a link against them; but you have to keep in mind that there are a lot of different kinds of generators.

Sorry; It's just that I was a compliance tester in a previous life and tested thousands of them for the hotel/motel industry.

: > Well the landlord did all of the above, but does not want to shell out : > the $ to have the mold removed. He is trying to cheap out on this, : > claiming the mold removal company only can guarantee their work for : > 1-year. He says that there was a couple of water leaks in both the : > basement laundry room and the basement studio, and that he is also : > going to put down another layer of plastic over the dirt in the : > crawlspace. : >

: > He also wants to run an ozone generator for a few hours underneath the : > house. Would it be necessary to remove my pets from my apt. if the : > ozone machine is being run under the house, and how effective would : > running it for only 6 hours be towards the problem? : >

: >

: > thanks : > CTV : : Your landlord may have no choice. Check with your local authorities. : They may insist that proper mold removal be done. To be fair about this : there is mold and there is MOLD. Most mold is harmless, but ugly and : slinky. But some is harmful. : : Ozone is nasty stuff. I would not want to be anywhere around where they : are going to pump enough in to attack a mold problem. I would not allow my : pets there either. Make sure everything is very well aired out after they : are done and before you and your pets return. : : : -- : Joseph Meehan : : Dia duit : :

[Goedjn]

If there's enough ozone to kill mold, then there's enough ozone to be bad for you.

[Mark]

the op said the ozone generator was going to be run UNDER THE HOUSE in the crawl space, not in the living area

Mark

[Joseph Meehan]

Your landlord may have no choice. Check with your local authorities. They may insist that proper mold removal be done. To be fair about this there is mold and there is MOLD. Most mold is harmless, but ugly and slinky. But some is harmful.

Ozone is nasty stuff. I would not want to be anywhere around where they are going to pump enough in to attack a mold problem. I would not allow my pets there either. Make sure everything is very well aired out after they are done and before you and your pets return.

[Mike Foss]

Yes, at low concentrations. At higher concentrations it's downright nasty, and has been known to kill pet birds within 30 minutes.

[treeline12345]

Even ozone as air cleaners can cause lung problems according to Consumer Reports when they last looked into this problem. A commercial ozone generator could easily be several orders of magnitude greater than the household units CR was evaluating - don't know without the specifications. Ozone dissipates but could enter the house since it's a gas. I would ask the local health authorities about quantities of ozone and crawl spaces and what not. Short answer, keep all living creatures away if using enough ozone the place to kill tough mold.

[Cartrivision1]

Hi, thanks for all of the replies. The ozone machine in question is only maybe a foot by a foot at most.....a fairly small machine which is likely the same size that motels use in getting rid of cigarette smoke. The machine will be running underneath the house in the crawlspace, not in a living area. I was just wondering if the harmful effects of it could possibly pass up through the floorboards and potentially harm my dogs. I doubt it but thought I would check first for piece of mind.

Yeah, my first choice would be for the landlord to let the proffesionals take care of the problem. I would have to vacate the place for 3 days but that is better than a mildewy apartment. He would just assume sell the place than have to make any major repairs or upkeep, which is stupid as if he sold the house I am sure that he would have to declare a mold/mildew problem?

CTV

[Joseph Meehan]

I think we are talking about two different kinds of ozone generators. Some generate very small amounts and are designed for the kind of use you refer to. They mostly just make the air smell like the after the thunderstorm smell. Frankly I don't like even those amounts. While they Ozone amounts may be legal, I don't like any additional to the background already there. That stuff does bad things to all living things.

However I suspect the OP was talking about a far different ozone generator. They may them with enough output to kill the mold and most any other living thing in the area. Using the type you were talking about would not really help with the OP's problem.

Note the following on your first referenced web page: "OZONE IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN KILLING MOLD by the use of unoccupied room High Ozone Shock Treatments. "

Note the word "unoccupied room" This is not what you would use in a motel room to make it smell clean.

[C & M]

Since crawl spaces are usually pretty drafty you should be able to be back into the house the next day. In any event, I would/ have opened up every window in the house for a couple of hours to evacuate the residual gas. If you have a hot air heating system, turn it on during the treatment in order to treat the ducts and afterward, during the airing out phase, to distribute clean air and assist in evacuating the ozone.

[Joseph Meehan]

Physical size does not determine the output.

I would push for this myself. Have you checked with local authorities about his responsibilities?

That would make sense. I would make sure I took the pets with me. Ozone does not last long after the source is removed. It is very reactive so I would guess 24 hours after the machine was turned off, it should be clear. Note: I would like a professional opinion that 24 hours would be enough.

[Pop]

"Ozone" is not a gas. It's a charge attachment to the gases that already exist.

[Joseph Meehan]

o·zone n. 1. A blue gaseous allotrope of oxygen, O3, formed naturally from diatomic oxygen by electric discharge or exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It is an unstable, powerfully bleaching, poisonous oxidizing agent with a pungent, irritating odor, used to deodorize air, purify water, treat industrial wastes and as a bleach.

[Stormin Mormon]

Interestingly, ozone is a gas. It's got a chemical formula of O3. The "3" should be slightly below the line.

[Joseph Meehan]

Just like regular every day oxygen is really O2

[Stormin Mormon]

And what's the oxygen stuff in the medical tanks? (Yes, I know the answer, and it's a very obvious answer).

What's the difference between medical oxygen and welding oxygen?