Removing mold or mildew from any type of room is a daunting task for both ordinary people and experienced professionals. Pathogenic microflora actively hosts, spreading quickly and eating into the pores of any surface. If favorable conditions are created for the initial appearance of mold and mildew (humidity, poor ventilation), then the scale of reproduction can be unpredictable. Soon, such a neighborhood will adversely affect the health of the inhabitants of the infected facility.

One of the methods of fighting mold and fungi is ozonation of the room, which is used by professionals in combination with other effective means. The service "removal of mold and fungi with ozone" will be discussed in our article.

You can't hesitate if health is expensive

The first foci, even minimal ones, cannot be ignored. The result of disinfection of contaminated surfaces and people's health depends on the reaction of the owner of the room where mold or fungus has settled.

To remove mold or mildew, there are many disinfectants available over the counter at specialty stores. But it is better not to deal with this problem yourself, but to order a mold and mildew removal service from professionals. Experts have in their arsenal all the tools at hand and scientific knowledge about the life of these microorganisms and their favorite places of settlement.

Mold appears not only in residential premises, where there are conditions for its formation:

• Foods that start to spoil if more is purchased than a person can eat. Vegetables and fruits, even from their own area, can become moldy due to improper harvesting or storage conditions.
• Dampness in places of personal hygiene (bathroom and toilet), in the kitchen, in the corner room, if the outer wall is poorly protected from external influences.
• Apartments on the first and last floor are also a place for mold and mildew to spread, if there is high humidity in the basement or in the attic and this problem is not eliminated.

Regardless of what caused the appearance of fungi, which quickly multiply and form large colonies, this is a dangerous neighborhood for humans. Mold forms on the surface, but fungal spores can spread around the room and easily enter the respiratory system. By accumulating in the lungs and invading lung tissue, mold spores can trigger allergies such as coughing and asthma.

Fighting mold and fungi with special preparations based on chemicals is not always effective. The problem returns because mold fungi not only attack the top layer of the object, but also penetrate into its deep pores. Chemicals are not able to penetrate so deeply into the structure of the material. Only the tip of the iceberg is destroyed without a foundation. The fungus divides again and comes to the surface, forcing to repeat the manipulations to remove traces of mold in the room.

This procedure can be done forever, spending a lot of money, time and health on fighting mold. Selling such a room is also quite problematic, so it is necessary to order an ozonation service to kill mold and mildew once and for all.

Why ozone is more effective in fighting mold than classic remedies

Ozone is a powerful natural oxidizing agent that changes the cellular structure of biological organisms. Fungi are a special form of life, endowed with cells.

1. When ozone comes into contact with these cells, a reaction occurs that destroys fungal cells and spores from the inside. As a result, cell division stops and microorganisms die, not having the opportunity for a new stage of development. Chemicals also destroy the mold, but only the part that has come to the surface without being able to reach its root.
2. Another positive aspect of removing mold and mildew with ozone is the speed of the result. The gas oxidizes the cells of mold and fungi, kills their spores in a matter of minutes, which cannot be noted with chemical reagents.
3. When generated by an ozonizer, ozone gas fills the entire volume of the treated room, penetrating even into those places where disinfecting tools with chemicals cannot be reached without first dismantling the interior items. If mold has formed at the joints of the tiles, under the skirting board, suspended ceiling or floor covering, ozone penetrates deep into any material and destroys the cellular structure of pathogenic microflora.
4. After ozonation of the room, you do not need to do a general cleaning in order to remove the unpleasant odor from chemicals. Ozone purifies the air not only against mold spores, but also eliminates specific odors, kills viruses and other bacteria.

To consolidate the result, the procedure for "removing mold with ozone" should be repeated 2-3 times after a certain time.

If mold and mildew have settled in your house, apartment, office, and household disinfection methods do not give a positive result, call us and get advice on a modern method of combating pathogenic microflora using ozone.

Mold is a fungus, the spores of which are carried by air, forming colonies in the most favorable conditions for its development. Places with high humidity,are most favorable for mold growth. Discover mold spores in the air, with the naked eye, is impossible and only when for the fungusfavorable conditions are created mycelium begins to multiply and mold appears on the walls.

Under natural conditions, mold plays an important role (promotes rotting of fallen leaves and other organic matter). Indoors mold growth unacceptable , otherwise, it will quickly become the cause of dangerous diseases - bronchial asthma, emphysema, allergy.

Mold is a strong allergen causing a number of different reactions, including: eye redness, hay fever (runny nose and sneezing), dermatitis(skin rash), dizziness.

As it grows unhindered, mold can turn into a toxic substance.You cannot prevent mold spores from entering the room from the outside, but they can be destroyed with complex air regeneration systems - air purifiers ActivTek .

Four kinds ionization precipitates spores out of thin air, and Active Pure technology destroys mold on surfaces. Pluggable ozone generation unit EcoTech , if necessary, will quickly eliminate the smell of mold or dampness.

Mold on the walls formed in constantly damp, humid conditions - bathrooms, showers - this must not be allowed . Prevent the growth of mold on the walls it is possible to regularly clean the affected areas, but in most cases this is not feasible and professional help is required to carry out disinfection of the premises.

Hidden Mold

Mold not always visually visible. For example, mold often grows on the back or inside the wallpaper, mold "likes" to live on the wall under the clapboard, andon the ceiling, under the ceiling tiles. Mold on the wall forms around pipes and behind furniture; mold occurs under floorboards and under linoleum. Mold in ventilation It is also not uncommon, since all conditions for its reproduction are created in the air channels.Unfortunately, latent mold spread is not uncommon. Unnoticed mold multiplies quickly , affects large areas and only complaints

on the health status of household members tell you about the deterioration of the microclimate.

Remember- unpleasant moldy smell is the first sign that mold settled in your house even if it is not visible .

Methods for cleaning a room from mold

The Internet is replete with a variety of methods for killing mold at home. Let's see which ones.

1. Remove mold from affected areas;
2. Clean walls from plaster contaminated with mold;
3. Sand the affected area with sandpaper or disc;
4. Treat the cleaned area with a bactericidal solution or copper sulfate.

Instead of a bactericidal solution, "craftsmen" also offer treat mycelium with bleach, concentrated chlorine solution, vinegar, peroxidehydrogen and other folk remedies, like burning walls with a gas burner.

Why traditional methods of dealing with mold do not help

Mycelium or mold roots usually found deep within a wall or other surface on which the fungus has developed. Any of the germicidal solutions oranother toxic liquid has its own molecular volume, which is larger than the pores surfaces affected by mold... Respectively mycelium mold does not come into contact with the chemical compound of the solution and does not die, but only stops during the disintegration of the chemical formula of the bactericidal solution.

After the bactericidal solution loses its toxicity for the mycelium of the mold, it activates, comes to the surface, destroys the whitewash and elementsfinishing the room. It is necessary to destroy the mycelium of the mold hidden inside the pores of the surface - all kinds of solutions cannot solve this problem.

How to deal with mold correctly

For development effective method of fighting mold necessary:

1. Conduct thorough monitoring reasons contributing to the appearance of mold on the walls and air premises;
2. Measure the humidity of the air and (if necessary) determine the source contributing to its increase;
3. Define and eliminate the focus of the appearance and spread of mold on the premises;
4. Determine the cause of mold and eliminate ;
5. Remove mold from walls (or other surfaces) to the base;
6. Carry out bactericidal treatment cleaned surface;

You can carry out these works yourself or contact the professionals. mold killing Active Pure, You can .

Analysis of mold spots revealed one pattern - mold actively develops where there is a problem with high humidity and the first task is to divert unnecessary
moisture from the air of the problem room. Air dehumidification is performed by eliminating or minimizing humid processes in the room and / or increasing the frequency air exchange.

Simply ventilating problem areas will not help. , would need installation of supply and exhaust ventilation or install a recuperator that economically more profitable. Organization of constant air exchange will allow you to dry the air in the room, and create conditions less favorable for mold growth.

Before mechanical cleaning walls from mold it is necessary to kill the spores of the fungus in the air. Then clean the walls (all areas affected by mold) beforehandby destroying the mold itself. Destruction of visible mold produced by bactericidal or chemical solutions, but practical experience shows that it is betteruse the room ozonation service (ozonation) and guaranteed kill the mold on surfaces and in the air at the same time.

The company "Living Air" provides services in Moscow and the Moscow region for the destruction of mold in the air and on surfaces with enhanced technology + Active Pure technology ... Mold destruction is carried out without spraying chemicals and reagents. Effectiveness in killing mold in the airup to 99.999%, removal of mold growth from surface pores up to 99.999%. Order a set of works for the destruction of mold , using fast cleaning technology and mold killing Active Pure, You can .

Cleaning walls from mold includes: mechanical cleaning of the area affected by the fungus and bactericidal cleaning from mold base of the affected area.

To carry out work onmechanical cleaning of walls from mold is not necessary to contact specialists - you can carry out these works personally, but taking precautions: change clothesin special clothing (dispose of after work), wear protective goggles, use protective gloves and shoes, as direct contact with mold cancause burns and allergic reactions, wear a respirator. Mechanical cleaning of walls from mold is carried out to the base, completely eliminating visiblemanifestations of mold.

After cleaning the base, you must kill the fungus which is deep inside. This requires ozonize the room within 6-36 hours (time depends on the area of ​​the surfaces affected by mold and the depth of mycelium penetration).

Ozonation produced by a simple ozonizer or you can order service enhanced cleaning from mold - EcoTech ozonation technology + Active Pure technology ... This procedure guarantees cleaning of pores from fungus, mold and mycelium. After completing all the indicated work, you can safelystart repairs.

ATTENTION!!! remember, that obvious and hidden mold on the walls is a serious danger to your health! Avoid mold growth in residential and domestic areas!

Live healthy and be happy!

Below we have tried to provide answers to the most frequently asked questions. These are exactly the questions our customers are asking every day.

People get sick, animals get sick, finally trees and plants get sick. But what does Sick Building Syndrome mean ...? Let's take a closer look at this.

This article will help to avoid confusion, confusion and hasty conclusions that all ozone is equally harmful ... After all, fine May honey can be harmful. As they say, know the measure and the flower from which it is collected ...

.

Hydrogen peroxide is synthesized by various organs in our body to solve many of the body's problems. Being in a forest or mountainous regions, we restore the required amount of atomic oxygen in our body, due to the receipt of hydrogen peroxide in a gaseous state (hydroperoxides) from the air. Thus, our body is fully functional.

Everyone would like to live long, happily and, if possible, without disease. In big cities, the last wish is from the realm of fantasy. Each of us suffers from one or another disease. But if we are forced at work or on the streets of the city to be under the pressure of toxic pollution, then the house should be in this sense a fortress in which we rest from all this ...

There was a case, moved into an apartment in a "Finnish" house for two families, entrances from opposite sides, post-war construction. Everything would be fine, only walls - backfill and a regular cellar is not laid. But people before me lived, got out as best they could; they dug a cellar between the foundations of the stoves and stored vegetables, pickles and preserves there. A foundation with ventilation windows, a subfloor 50 centimes from the ground, that is, natural ventilation under the floor was present.

When, after the main arrangement, my hands reached the cellar, my shock state did not let go for a week! Going underground I found the kingdom house mushroom! Wherever the beam of the lantern rested, a white blanket of mold was lying and, in my opinion, even moving. Under this layer were older layers of multi-colored mold. In some places, the thickets were so dense that it was difficult to guess the boundaries of the cellar. The individual threads were finger thick! It became clear that the cellar had not been used for a very long time. Some strange-looking insects were crawling, mosquitoes were flying and something else! The air was poisoned by mold, rotting (somewhere the rat died), high dampness (although the soil under the house is completely dry, even dusty!), My patience lasted only 5 minutes and I flew out of there, and even shouted from the room to close basement hatch - stinks!

The beginning of the struggle consisted in removing the thickets of the fungus - from one square meter I tore off a bucket of mold with a rammer! It angered me that I could not remove the bulk - I could not reach it, and I couldn’t peel the mushroom clean from wooden surfaces - roots remained in the cracks, and this was seedlings!

The posted photos of the mushroom house were not taken by me. I have not found anything on the Internet close to what I encountered! At that time, I had no time for photographs. And now I have nothing to photograph on this subject!

Having more or less cleared a place for potatoes, I did not look into the basement for a month. When the time came to lay the blanks, there was another shock - the mushroom sprouted new growth, systematically filling the space I had conquered!

During this month, I, a city dweller, learned from literature that my house should be burned 🙂 or systematically flooded and fumigated with all kinds of chemistry. True, they did not write anywhere how to continue living in the ashes or not to poison yourself and your family with chemistry!

Since in the past he was directly related to chemistry, he immediately categorically refused the services of her darling. But the score in hand-to-hand combat was not in my favor! The mushroom house is scary not for its eerie appearance, but for the fact that it quickly destroys the tree. And if in my case you don’t fight him, then you can soon be left without a floor, and the house has already been for many years!

I found a way out of the situation in the barn while unpacking the remaining boxes, which had not been opened since the time of the move. In one of them there was an experimental setup (fun in your free time), in which, among other things, a powerful source of hard ultraviolet radiation was used in the form of a DRL lamp without a bulb (well, where else could a similar source, moreover powerful, be obtained in Soviet times?). Tore out the cartridge and choke from it, lengthened the wires and hung this miracle in the basement.

After switching on, twenty minutes later, the unpleasant smell of ozone with an admixture of nitrogen oxides crawled out of the cracks in the hatch - I had to cover the hatch with rugs to reduce the odor penetration. I left the device on overnight. In the morning I turned it off, and after returning from work I immediately started to check the result. I immediately noticed - clean air and a draft, which was not there before! The whole mushroom turned brown, thinned and looked like a dirty cobweb. For the first time I saw the openings from the ventilation windows! The smell of putrefaction has been greatly reduced!

For another week I fried the basement with ultraviolet light at night, as a result, the mushroom disappeared completely, even from the neighbors! I specially checked with the help of a long pole with a fixed mirror all the places hidden for direct rays - the mushroom died! Together with the fungus, the number of insects also sharply decreased.

What damaging factors led to this result?

• The first is harsh ultraviolet radiation. As is known from physics, ultraviolet light is dangerous to organic life in large quantities. What gets under direct radiation quickly loses the meaning of life!
• Secondly, it is ozone, poisonous in large quantities, a very aggressive triatomic oxygen, which is formed from the attack of oxygen molecules by ultraviolet light. Ozone actively tears all organic matter to shreds, especially if it is in a gaseous state (the smell of rot is organic). Ozone is heavier than air and that living thing that is saved from direct ultraviolet rays is poisoned by ozone (crawling insects). Also a big plus of ozone - it does not live long. Due to the instability of the ozone molecule and always a huge number of objects ready to be oxidized by atomic oxygen, its concentration quickly disappears!
• Thirdly, these are nitrogen oxides, which are formed thanks to ozone and, again, ultraviolet light. Nitrogen oxides have practically no effect on plant organic matter - the concentration is too low. But there is "organic matter" in basements and cellars, for which nitrogen oxides are not the last reason to leave their homes. Read about this "organic" below.

I was prompted to write this article by infa from one of the forums, where the question was asked about the fight against mold and house fungus. I was amazed that the answer was the same that I read in Soviet literature, when few people knew about the Internet! Googling a specific question, I was convinced that all infa on the Internet is a complete reprint of Soviet articles without any comprehension, analysis, taking into account modern realities, practically without warning about precautions when using chemistry. On a rare occasion, it has been reported that a given chemical attack has a short-term effect and must be repeated periodically (for the chemical industry to flourish!).

In the wake of demand, our chemistry (and some garages :)) has launched the production of special formulations to combat mold and house fungus, making money on the lack of education of our people. Along with the struggle for the ecological purity of the environment, we are offered to fill our homes with chemistry, in which we and our children spend most of our lives!

The mistake in combating mold with chemical methods lies in the fact that we forget that mold is the first plant substance that quickly populated our planet at a time when it was impossible to live on it by our standards! Also, the mold will be the last to die before the dying Sun burns our planet! For mold after billions of years of hardening during survival in extreme conditions, our chemistry is like grain to an elephant! So why waste money poisoning yourself and your children?

The choice is yours, everyone will have their own reasons for using this or that method in the fight against this evil.

What does this simple device consist of?

Everything you need to assemble this device is sold at electrical stores. We need a 125 (or 250) watt DRL lamp, a 125 (or 250) watt choke (for each lamp power, there is its own choke with the same power, if the lamp and choke powers do not match, the lamp will either not light up or fail). A ceramic holder for an E40 lamp is also required. The cable is sufficient for 1.5 squares, the length should be determined at the place of installation.

I draw your attention to the fact that everything (except for the cable) of the above is considered industrial goods, therefore, not every electrical store can have them! If you are unlucky with the shops, then with the help of "liquid currency" all of the above can be purchased from a familiar electrician.

For a guide, I will give the prices in the store nearest to me:

• DRL lamp 250 watts - 330 rubles.
• Choke 250 watts - 890 rubles.
• Cartridge E40 - 70 rubles.

Accordingly, a 125 watt lamp and choke are cheaper!

When purchasing a lamp BOO inspect the internal burner through the transparent area of ​​the glass of the flask in the area of ​​the base, it must not be black or smoked - this is a sign of a burnt out lamp!

There is a type of DRL lamps - which work without a choke, they are not suitable for our purposes!

We assemble the circuit, hang the cartridge in the right place and check whether the device works. If the lamp burns steadily after 7-10 minutes after switching on, then everything is fine with us. We unplug it from the outlet and proceed to the preparation of the lamp itself.

To do this, we unscrew the lamp, let it cool, wrap it in a rag and carefully break the flask (preferably at this moment be wearing safety glasses!), being careful not to damage the internal structure! We remove the broken glass, carefully remove the remaining glass in the area of ​​the base with pliers, so that in the future, when screwing the lamp into the socket, you do not cut yourself. The lamp can now be screwed into the socket. You will have to twist holding on to the glass pin glued into the base, from which the wire reinforcement comes out holding the burner and supplying voltage to it, so without fanaticism - do not turn the burner down and do not short the wire reinforcement together!

I repeat — screw the lamp into the socket and unscrew it only when the device is completely de-energized! The wire reinforcement in the lamp is bare conductors and in case of a connection error, for example, a switch, there may be a phase on them, so remove the voltage from the device completely!

Now it remains to wipe the quartz tube of the burner splashed with fingers with alcohol or acetone from the fat traces and you can turn on the device.

What cannot be done with this device?

• It cannot be transferred while it is on ( high probability of electric shock)!
• You cannot admire how the burner lights up and works ( the radiation power is approximately equal to the power of manual arc welding - a quick burn of unprotected eyes occurs)!
• Cannot be used for tanning ( skin peels off the next day)!
• Do not stay in a room for a long time where this unit is turned on ( the possibility of poisoning with ozone and nitrogen oxides)!
• It cannot be turned on if the room contains fuels and lubricants, oiled rags, cans of paint, gas cylinders, vegetables rotting in large quantities, there is flammable dust (flour, sugar powder, sawdust, coal, peat, etc.) ( possible flash from oxidation by ozone)!
• Cannot be placed close to wooden objects and structures ( the heating temperature of the burner is very high)!
• Do not leave your favorite animals and plants indoors ( the consequences are sad)!

Provide the possibility of turning the device on and off from the outside, so as not to pick up "bunnies" and not breathe in ozone once again!
After turning off the device for about an hour or two, do not enter the room, let it ventilate!
If you did not protect yourself and grabbed the "bunnies" ( the appearance of cramps in the eyes, during sleep, the eyes fester, it hurts to open them, it hurts to look at a bright light) - drip your eyes (2% albucide solution, cypherloxacin - acos, 2% lidocaine solution, sodium sulfacyl, basic riciniol, or carefully inject tetracycline eye ointment under the eyelids; folk remedies can be - a bag of sleeping tea, crushed raw potatoes ...) and be sure to see a doctor.

The second enemy is mice!

Another possibility of using this homemade product!

After defeating the mushroom house, I hurried to put the lamp in the barn, but in vain!
Autumn was coming to an end and one day before the frost my basement was attacked by rats and vole mice. This night will be remembered by my family for a long time! There was a continuous squeak in the basement, some sort of disassembly took place, glass jars rattled, you could hear how they were eating my potatoes in the basement! Along the entire perimeter of the floor of the apartment, this gray bastard was furiously gnawing new holes, trying to break into our living space! The dog scrubbed the floor and ran around the apartment roaring and barking, children screeching! Swearing, screaming, screeching, barking - urban people faced wildlife :)!

In the morning to work, children to kindergarten and school, 4 am - Corvalol is completely drunk, and we have a war going on, we are under siege! Neither the banging of a stick on the floor, nor the switched on light in the basement gave any result! We were simply ignored, we were superfluous at their celebration of life! I remembered about the lamp, flew after it into the barn, hung it in the basement under the malicious glances of the rodents, closed the hatch, turned it on, I'm waiting! You can hear how the "spectators" are going to look at the "gift" closer to the lamp. After 15 minutes, a weak and alarming squeak gradually turned into a panic! Again the dog rages, children squealing, but already without the mat and yelling! Some kind of races started in the basement, which quickly turned into a stampede! There was silence! I didn’t turn off the lamp all night.

Conclusions.

The experimenter's rules are to draw conclusions! The main conclusion: this device also works against rodents! How? Not entirely clear! The experiment was carried out in a dirty way, without preliminary preparation, without working out every possible factor :). Yes, and there is no desire to conduct such detailed experiments on mice - not my topic! All conclusions are based on guesses!

• Ultraviolet- unlikely! In such a short time, pain in the eyes does not immediately arise ( from a person! Checked on myself, although everything can be)!
• Ozone- Maybe ( I have not tested it myself, I completely trust the theory)!
• Nitrogen oxides- It is also an option!

Although, if we take into account that these rodents lead mainly a twilight lifestyle, then the sensitivity of the eyes to ultraviolet, which is unusual for them, should be different from the human eye.

Ozone and nitrogen oxides are quite smelly even for a person accustomed to artificial technical and chemical odors. Our sense of smell is weakened by our way of life, we do not hear many smells at all! In animals, the opposite is true, the possibility of survival depends on the sharpness of their sense of smell! And it is quite possible that a pungent smell, even for humans, can cause unbearable pain to animals or lead to spasm of the lungs!

Now the lamp is firmly registered in the basement, I often turn it on when I hear new guests!

Observation.

One morning in the yard I found a dead rat on the path. Judging by the trail, she dragged herself away from home with the last of her strength. But I was struck by the condition of her eyes: they were white, like boiled fish! It turns out that even when she was dying, she tried to get away from a dangerous place for her! This observation confirmed my guess that poisoning rodents with poison in such houses is to your own detriment!

I will try to explain.

In case of poisoning or illness, any animal understands that for some time it will not be able to stand up for itself, which means that it needs to find a secluded place where it can lie down without fear of being eaten! What could be safer for a house mouse or rat in the basement of a house, with numerous dug and gnawed passages?

But we poison rodents precisely in order to destroy them! And so the poisoned rat dies under the house or in the passages inside the walls, in the floor and begins to decompose, poisoning the air and making our life unbearable for 2-3 months! Where to find her? To sort through the whole house on the boards in search of a corpse?

The lamp works the other way around: all its damaging factors let rodents know that this place is very dangerous for them. The smelly mixture of gases easily passes along their passages, expelling everyone outside. The rodents don't come back for the second time! Of course, then new rodents will come to the "free territory", but it's easier for me to plug the plug into the outlet than to look for a new victim of the poison!

One more observation.

When he moved in, he found that several floorboards had been turned into dust by some insect. The carpenter who came to the rescue determined that it was a grinder beetle. The damaged floorboards were replaced, and when he left he was “glad” that I might have to completely change the entire tree in the house! You just can't get the beetle out! And I have not made of wood only two stoves and a slate on the roof !? However, after using the lamp, I myself replaced only one floorboard, which I had not noticed before and I do not see any more traces of the grinder! Whether it's the lamp - I'm not sure! But anything can happen!

Business is possible!

For the most enterprising I give an idea for a small business - the destruction of a mushroom house in basements, cellars, garages.

Most of these places are electrified by the owners, and the technical knowledge and technical curiosity of the population has recently been tending to zero. As a percentage of the entire population, there are now fewer and fewer people who, having seen in practice the device described in the article, will be able to determine what it was before and what can be done with it! Thanks to the modern school exam, (which teaches guess answers from several possible options) and for the most part “ nominal"Higher education graduating" conditionally educated specialists"Now it becomes possible to profitably use" ancient secret technical knowledge«!

At the end of the article, I can safely say: CHECKED - WORKS!

Most people associate ozone, first of all, with a feeling of freshness after a thunderstorm, global warming due to a leaky ozone layer, and less often with ozone therapy procedures received during spa treatment. More recently, some people mention ozone in connection with ozonizers, newfangled household appliances. Whether this miracle of technology is really a must-have in every home is a question that requires an unbiased study.

Ozone and its effect on humans

Ozone has been known to mankind for a long time. The first mentions of it date back to the third quarter of the 18th century, but it was only in the middle of the 19th century that the Swiss chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein managed to obtain this amazing substance artificially.

He gave his "brainchild" with a specific smell the name "ozone" (from the ancient Greek "ózō", that is, "smell"). From a chemical point of view, ozone is a modification of oxygen (O2), consisting of its triatomic molecules (O3).

Did you know? Back in 1907, ozonization of water was first implemented in France on an industrial scale. A small factory purified the water of the Vazubi River, and sent it to Nice.

Under normal conditions, the substance is a blue gas with extreme oxidizing properties and a pungent characteristic odor. It oxidizes not only all metals (gold, iridium and platinum are an exception), but also many non-metals.

It is active against almost all microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, as well as most organic compounds. Due to these properties it is successfully used for air and water disinfection. In small concentrations, ozone has a beneficial healing effect on the human body.

The therapeutic (physiotherapeutic) properties of ozone formed the basis of a whole direction in alternative medicine, which has been rapidly developing in the last decade, and has received the name "ozone therapy".

According to adherents of ozone treatment, this gas has unsurpassed antiseptic properties, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, promotes detoxification and activation of metabolic processes in the human body, and even is an effective immunomodulator.

In medical institutions, for the purpose of carrying out physiotherapeutic procedures, ozone is produced by special devices - ozonizers. In recent years, household ozonizers have also become available for home use.

Important! The effectiveness of ozone therapy methods to this day has no clinical evidence. On the contrary, there is evidence of the negative effects that occur when ozone comes into contact with human blood. Academic medicine in most developed countries does not recognize these methods, and they are allowed to be used only after the patient is officially warned about the possible risks.

It should be noted, however, that high concentrations of ozone can be fatal to humans. Inhaling such a gas is like breathing fire. Respiratory burns can be fatal. Truly it is said: the medicine is in the spoon, in the mug is poison.

What is it, and the principle of operation of the ozonizer

So, ozonizers are devices that produce gaseous ozone in concentrations for household, medical or industrial purposes.

There are several ways to obtain ozone. We will dwell only on the one that underlies the principle of operation of household ozonizers. It uses the ability of oxygen to form triatomic ozone molecules under the influence of electrical discharges (similar to lightning strikes).

Schematically, the ozonizer consists of the following parts:

• high voltage source;
• generator of electrical discharges;
• fan for air injection and ozone emission;
• control devices.

On some models, an additional humidifier may be present, it increases the effectiveness of the ozone effect. Depending on the design features used in the generator, two different types of electrical discharges "quiet discharge" and "barrier discharge" can occur in the ozonizer, however, the general scheme of operation of the device does not change from this.

The ozonizer works as follows:

1. On the control device, the operating time of the device before shutdown is set (usually no more than 30 minutes) and the start button is pressed.
2. From a high voltage source, a voltage (about 30 kilovolts) is applied to the generator of electrical discharges, at the same time the fan is turned on.
3. Ozone formed in the generator of electrical discharges is discharged into the room.
4. The device switches off automatically after the time set on the control device.

What is the use of the device

The use of the ozonizer is due to the properties of ozone to have an antiseptic, disinfecting, disinfecting effect on the human environment, and in micro doses also have a beneficial effect directly on the human body.
The ozonizer is applicable for preventive air purification in residential premises and work areas, its work helps to remove persistent unpleasant odors, for example, tobacco smoke, kitchen deposits, and bathroom odors.

The device is effective in the treatment of drinking water and food. And for the water saturated with oxygen after ozonation, indoor plants, pets, and aquarium fish will be grateful to you.

Using the device at home, you can disinfect shoes, clothes, furniture and walls of the room, which is especially important when there is a patient in the house.

Special techniques will allow you to clean various devices, for example, air conditioners, split systems, kitchen and other household appliances, without calling a master. For the sake of fairness, we note that the attitude towards household ozonizers in the world is ambiguous.

Air cleaning

As we remember from the famous novel by Ilf and Petrov "The Twelve Chairs": the old felt boots standing in the corner do not ozonize the air. Fortunately, today a special device can be purchased for this purpose.

Indeed, ozonation of the air in the apartment is not difficult, but the result of the procedure is pleasantly surprising. In addition, there are many situations in which ozonation of a room is one of the few, and sometimes the only way to improve the situation.

For example, everyone knows the smell of mold that fills damp, poorly ventilated rooms, closets, closets. A dangerous fungus occupies more and more vast spaces, and a musty smell permeates things, shoes, clothes.

Another possible problem: the smell of burning from a fire, tobacco smoke, or simply burnt meat in the kitchen, which has stuck into the wallpaper that is still fresh after a recent renovation.
Finally, you simply cannot properly ventilate the premises due to the fact that autumn leaves are massively burned outside, or the wind has brought emissions from a nearby industrial area, or your windows overlook a busy highway exuding car exhaust.

In all these cases, simple ozonation will help. After a certain number of treatments, extraneous odors will disappear, the air will be filled with freshness and purity. The rules for air purification using household ozonizers are described in detail in the instructions for each specific device, but they are all based on the same principles.

• The first and foremost of these is that the rules must always be followed.
• The second - during the ozonation procedure, neither people nor pets can be in the room.
• Third, it is always better to carry out several short procedures than one long one.

The activity of ozone in relation to chemical, organic and biological pollutants increases as its concentration in the air increases during the operation of the ozonizer. Consider how long the device must operate to achieve the required ozone concentration.
The continuous operation time of the device is calculated based on three main factors:

• technical characteristics of the device (productivity μg / hour):
• the volume of the processed room (cubic meter);
• the purposes of processing ("targets" of the impact).

The procedure for calculating a sufficient exposure time is simple and should be described in detail in the instructions for use.

So, according to the manufacturers, with the correct ratio of the area (volume) of the treated room to the productivity of the ozonizer, ten minutes of continuous exposure will be enough to completely get rid of viruses, bacteria, most allergens, dust mites in the air, as well as create unbearable conditions for many insects - flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, ants, etc.

For the complete decomposition of the established odors, it may be necessary to operate the device for a longer period.

Water purification

Most of us are familiar with the pungent smell of chlorine that is emitted by drinking water flowing from a tap in an apartment building.
Of course, it does not watery eyes, as, for example, in a swimming pool, or, say, in common latrines. However, even in the foreseeable past, our mothers by all means “defended” the water taken from the tap before starting to cook food.

And although in recent decades, technologies have been developing at an alarming rate, and the attitude of mankind to environmental safety is changing dramatically, in part of the territory of the former USSR, it is chlorine that remains the only means of disinfection of drinking water flowing through worn out communications of many utilities.

In developed countries, however, ozone has long supplanted the position of chlorine in the field of water disinfection: ozonation is recognized as a much more effective, faster and safer means than chlorination.

Did you know? In the EU and the USA, 95% of the total volume of bottled drinking water sold is produced using ozone.

When in contact with water, O3 is one and a half times stronger than chlorine, it affects almost all known microorganisms, as a result, viruses, bacteria, fungal spores and other nasty things in the water are almost completely destroyed.

In addition, this gas actively oxidizes many minerals contained in the water, and, as a result of the corresponding reaction, saturates it with oxygen. Such water has no foreign odors, and tastes like spring water.

The use of additional purified ozonized water not only improves the quality of the cooked food, but also significantly increases the shelf life of the cooked food. Ozonizer manufacturers claim that such water is truly life-giving moisture for indoor plants and pets.

And yet, water purification using the ozonation method should not be treated as a panacea. Simply put: if, as a result of the chlorination of water, harmful chlorides are formed in it, then as a result of oxidation with ozone, harmful oxides remain in the water. Both those and others will not disappear from the water, if it is not additionally processed.

Important! Ozonation of water does not replace its filtration. Only if these two procedures are carried out consistently, the water can be considered suitable for consumption.

Many models of household air ozonizers have a device for ozonizing water and cleaning products in the form of a special nozzle immersed in a liquid. However, speaking objectively, this is only an additional option.

For full-fledged water purification with ozone, universal ozonizers are suitable, capable of producing up to 60 grams of ozone per hour and creating a concentration of up to 10 grams of ozone per cubic meter of water.

Devices that allow a single kitchen to quickly obtain sufficient volumes of purified and ozonized water are still quite expensive and require professional installation, adjustment and periodic maintenance.

Cleaning products

If your ozonizer is equipped with a device for water purification (as a rule, these are special atomizers of ozone-containing air connected to the main device with an ozone-resistant hose), then it may well be used for processing a variety of products.

It is believed that surface treatment with ozone can significantly reduce the content of hazardous poisons (pesticides, herbicides), chemicals and dietary supplements (all kinds of carcinogens, growth hormones, etc.) in the product, as well as a wide variety of pollutants present in products grown according to intensive technologies.

We will not question the wonderful ability of ozone to quickly cope with all this, but ozone cannot penetrate into the same potato, so you should be aware that this is just a surface treatment.

However, even this superficial exposure can be sufficient to prolong the shelf life of food in the refrigerator or prevent mold. Any product can be treated with ozone - from bulk cereals to meat and fish.
At the same time, destroying harmful microflora, ozone does not affect intact food cells in any way. To process vegetables, fruits, herbs, they should be pre-rinsed in running water, then placed in a spacious container and filled with clean water.

Lower the ozone spray into the water with the products and turn on the ozonizer for 10-15 minutes. A similar procedure should be done with meat, fish, etc. It is advisable to process each type of food in a separate container.

As a result of treatment, a layer of foam may form on the surface of the water - the remains of destroyed chemical and biological pollution. Remove the foam and rinse the food with clean water.

Did you know? For some time now, ozonation has been successfully used in agriculture (plant growing, poultry farming, beekeeping), as well as in the fish and dairy industries. For example, the correct use of the ozonizer allows, practically without increasing costs, to increase the amount of honey obtained by almost 25%, while the number of active bees in the family increases by 90%.

If you intend to prepare food for long-term storage, it is better not to wet them. Dry ozonation can be carried out by placing the food with a spray in a plastic bag or a spacious dry container.

How to choose a device: basic rules

When choosing an ozonizer for home use, it is advisable to give preference to models from well-known manufacturers.

Of course, the product must be certified. To be able to check all the certificates, to get all the answers to any of your questions, it is better to visit a specialized store.

The main parameter by which you should choose the model of the ozonizer is its performance. It must be indicated in the instructions for use. The required performance directly depends on the area of ​​the room to be processed.

Important! Never, under any circumstances, use the device in rooms where people or animals are.

And the last thing. If, in addition to air purification, it is supposed to ozonize water and process products, you should choose a model with additional options - sprays.

Is there any harm

The use of the ozonizer can cause harm, mainly in case of gross violations of the rules for using the device. All instructions, rules, warnings from the manufacturer are aimed at preventing the ozone concentration from increasing to a dangerous level.

Please be aware that the appliance uses very high voltages to generate sparks that can cause burns or a fire if the appliance is operated with the cover open.

For the same reason, it is not allowed to use the ozonizer in rooms with high humidity (more than 80%) or in the presence of vapors of gasoline, alcohol, gas and other explosive substances.

Ozone poisoning

Most often, poisoning occurs in industries associated with the synthesis of this gas, or in enterprises that use ozone in the production cycle. As a rule, most of these cases are associated with a human factor (violations of technological processes or safety precautions).
More recently, cases of poisoning have been reported as a result of improper use of household ozonizers. Of course, budget models of ozonizers do not produce enough gas to cause serious poisoning.

But the maximum permissible concentration for a person may well be exceeded, especially with prolonged work in a confined space. Therefore, you should never leave the device turned on for longer than prescribed by the instructions.

Important! According to the World Health Organization, O3 is one of the most dangerous hazardous substances. The safe for humans content (MPC) in the air averages 0.1 mg / m³, which is comparable to the MPC of chemical warfare agents.

First signs and symptoms

A person poisoned by ozone begins to choke: it is difficult for him to inhale, and the air received is not enough. He begins to gasp for air, like a fish washed ashore.

In addition, there may be a burning sensation in the chest, cough, pain in the eyes, bursting headache. At ozone concentrations in the atmospheric air of 10% and above, a real threat to life occurs.

First aid

To stabilize the condition, it is necessary:

• eliminate the source of ozone, provide fresh air;
• place the victim in a semi-sitting position;
• in case of respiratory arrest, make artificial ventilation of the lungs.

After stabilization of the condition, seeking medical help is mandatory.

Features of the use of ozonizers on an industrial scale

Modern industrial ozonizers are capable of producing O3 in quantities sufficient for the treatment of water in swimming pools, air purification in the workshops of large automobile factories, livestock farms, granaries, etc.

Manufacturers are constantly improving the design of ozonizers, applying new patented technologies, increasing the ozone performance and reducing their energy consumption. Such devices are inextricably linked with automatic control and safety systems.

In most cases of water purification and disinfection on an industrial scale, ozonation is used in combination with pre-purification, filtration and reverse osmosis processes. So, ozone, contrary to popular belief and obsessive advertising of fashionable household appliances, is a very dangerous poison that kills all living things and decomposes almost all non-living things.

Having learned to use this substance as a purifier of water, air, products and, according to unconfirmed reports, directly living organisms, mankind has certainly made a huge step forward.

Modern home air ozonizers are designed in such a way that the likelihood of serious poisoning from their use is minimized. But the question of whether it is necessary to turn your home into a completely sterile room, and whether such an environment is normal and useful, everyone decides for himself.