Is it true? Can a Reme Halo and a sore throat go hand in hand?
So what’s up with your air purifier, something that’s supposed to make you healthier, making you sick?
The good news is — or bad, depending on how you look at it — that although there are a lot of claims about the Reme Halo and sore throats, it may not be the same reason other purifiers make people sick.
You see, there’s a good chance that any air purifier that either deliberately generates or produces ozone as a byproduct can make you sick.
But Reme’s website says the unit meets California’s ozone emission limits.
So why are people saying it gives them a sore throat?
We don’t know. But we can speculate.
What we do know is that air purifiers that emit ozone, whether the manufacturer admits it or not, cause sickness.
Sicknesses that could include:
- Asthma attacks
- Coughing
- Fluid on the lungs
- Headaches
- Sensation of a heavy chest
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
Yes, it’s crazy but true.
All kinds of people are introducing this dangerous gas to their homes without fully understanding the possible repercussions to themselves and their young children, who are much more susceptible to its dangers.
Ozone Producing Air Humidifiers – and the Reme Halo? – and a Sore Throat
Whatever the reason behind the Reme Halo and sore throats, we do know the reason why some purifiers actually cause sore throats.
Unfortunately, not all air purifiers emitting ozone are easily identifiable. Some are called ozone generators, which is obvious, but several other types exist.
For example, any air purifier that uses ionizers or electrostatic precipitators — to name a few — emit ozone.
This doesn’t mean they deliberately produce it, but thanks to how they function, they create ozone as a byproduct.
It really doesn’t matter how it enters your environment. The fact remains that ozone is a pollutant.
The American Lung Association states the following. “Ozone is harmful to breathe. Ozone aggressively attacks lung tissue by reacting chemically with it.”
And it’s not just air purifiers using ozone that can give you a sore throat.
The sicknesses, symptoms, side effects — whatever you want to call them — mentioned above are common with anything, including air purifiers, that introduces ozone to your environment.
But isn’t ozone naturally in the air?
Yes, far, far away in the earth’s stratosphere is a layer of ozone that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
But it’s about 10 to 20 miles away, and we’re not breathing it.
But closer to home, we have smog, a component of which is ozone.
And it can damage human cells, specifically the cells in our lungs, as we breathe it in.
It’s considered a pollutant.
Reme Halo and a Sore Throat: What Does Reme Say?
Well, as noted, the manufacturers of the Reme Halo say no to sore throats.
In fact, if you check their website, you’ll see that the Ream Halo “meets California’s ozone emissions limit. CARB certified.”
Okay, so what does CARB certified mean?
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
In order to achieve CARB certification, air cleaners undergo testing for electrical safety and ozone emissions.
But here’s where things get tricky. To receive certification, an air cleaner has to meet a concentration limit of 0.050 parts per million (50 ppb).
In plain English, an air cleaner can emit ozone and still receive certification. The qualification is that emissions cannot exceed a specified limit.
Since every person on this planet is unique, it stands to reason that some people are more sensitive than others.
And some people, even in very low quantities, could still be affected by ozone.
Or, in line with what this article is about, the small amount of ozone produced by the Reme Halo could lead to a sore throat.
Fortunately, if you don’t even want the slightest amount of ozone in your home, there are alternate choices.
Mechanical Air Purifiers Don’t Emit Those Ozone — or Cause Sore Throats
That may be a good choice if you’ve decided against the Reme Halo and a sore throat.
However, there are some exceptional alternatives.
Alternatives that don’t introduce pollutants into your home.
And that would be any number of mechanical air purifiers.
Mechanical air purifiers can be simple or complex; they can be very basic or have advanced, state-of-the-art features.
But they’ll work on a basic premise — a fan pushes air and air particles through a filter that traps pollutants.
Stick to air purifiers with HEPA-certified, MERV-rated, or activated carbon filters. Some purifiers will have multiple filters.
HEPA filters will remove airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in size 99.97% of the time.
This is guaranteed, assuming that you’re purchasing genuine HEPA filters.
Filters with the MERV value rating are also guaranteed to meet industry standards.
In either case, they are effective with airborne particles and pollutants.
Activated carbon filters best capture odors, chemical emissions, tobacco smoke, and various VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Purchasing a good mechanical air purifier means you never have to worry about ozone and sore throats — at least not from your air purifier.
FAQs on Reme Halo and a Sore Throat
Can ionized air make you sick?
It is said that the ionization process gives off ozone, which can lead to several health issues.
Is it okay to leave an air purifier on all night?
Yes. This is absolutely fine and actually recommended.
Do air purifiers dry out sinuses?
Under normal circumstances, no. Air purifiers don’t really remove any humidity from the air.
Reme Halo and a Sore Throat? It Could Happen
So there are two sides to the story.
People who are complaining that their Reme Halo led to a sore throat, and the manufacturers of Reme saying quite truthfully that their product meets California ozone emissions limits and is CARB certified.
Unfortunately, attaining certification does not mean that an appliance doesn’t emit any ozone.
It can still emit small fractions of ozone and be compliant.
The problem is that some people are more sensitive to certain things than others.
So it’s unsurprising that some who own the Reme Halo have a sore throat.
As recommended above, it’s probably safer to purchase a mechanical air purifier.