HELP! How can I get ozone out of my house?
November 15, 2008 by Susie Collins
I received an emergency question in my email this morning from one of our flock. Who can help?
Does anyone know how to get ozone (from sanitizing/ionizing) out of your house? Will opening the windows do it permanently? (it didn’t yesterday) Is there a charcoal treatment? If so…what form does that come in? Anything else you can think of? ..I’m horribly ill.
Hoping to get responses quickly - I’m not tolerating the house, just got back yesterday, working at finding way to stay…. The new furnace filter (the big hope solution) creates ozone as well, but not to the degree that we created in sanitizing it from the furnace installer. Tell me anything you know, even if what you tell me is bad (ie: someone got ozone in their home and couldn’t remove it). I just need to know how hard to keep trying tolerating this.
Thank you my excellent friends…thank you.
C
Ozone O3 is highly unstable and will not last more than a few minutes in an open area before it converts to oxygen. You are probably smelling something else. Suggest opening everything up and airing out with fans.
Aloha Cheryl! Yes, perhaps, but ozone in the air can trigger reactions in other chemicals that are present in the room/house, producing byproducts that have not yet been properly studied. How quickly those byproducts dissipate through ventilation is not clear. Someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity could be reacting to a complex chemical soup triggered by ozone, for which ventilation may not be sufficient to dissipate for someone with MCS, esp if a sensitization has already occurred from exposure.
From the EPA ( http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html )
…for many of the chemicals with which ozone does readily react, the reaction can form a variety of harmful or irritating by-products (Weschler et al., 1992a, 1992b, 1996; Zhang and Lioy, 1994). For example, in a laboratory experiment that mixed ozone with chemicals from new carpet, ozone reduced many of these chemicals, including those which can produce new carpet odor. However, in the process, the reaction produced a variety of aldehydes, and the total concentration of organic chemicals in the air increased rather than decreased after the introduction of ozone (Weschler, et. al., 1992b). In addition to aldehydes, ozone may also increase indoor concentrations of formic acid (Zhang and Lioy, 1994), both of which can irritate the lungs if produced in sufficient amounts. Some of the potential by-products produced by ozone’s reactions with other chemicals are themselves very reactive and capable of producing irritating and corrosive by-products (Weschler and Shields, 1996, 1997a, 1997b). Given the complexity of the chemical reactions that occur, additional research is needed to more completely understand the complex interactions of indoor chemicals in the presence of ozone.
[...]
High concentrations of ozone in air, when people are not present, are sometimes used to help decontaminate an unoccupied space from certain chemical or biological contaminants or odors (e.g., fire restoration). However, little is known about the chemical by-products left behind by these processes (Dunston and Spivak, 1997). While high concentrations of ozone in air may sometimes be appropriate in these circumstances, conditions should be sufficiently controlled to insure that no person or pet becomes exposed. Ozone can adversely affect indoor plants, and damage materials such as rubber, electrical wire coatings, and fabrics and art work containing susceptible dyes and pigments (U.S. EPA, 1996a).
The word “sanitizing” is ringing alarm bells for me.
What was used to “sanitize? Often those are horrible chemicals and can stay in the ductwork.
If it is a new filter causing problems, ditch the filter and find a safer one.
I know all about ozonating your house and coming back to only find something has gone terribley wrong! I am not sure what level you ozonated your house - whether you were blasting it for mold, or just having it come out lightly in a general air filter- but what happens to ozone when it breaks down is a huge problem. Ozone is very unstable and it adheres itself to any other molecule in the air, causing an infinate number of chemical reactions- usually they are not good because ozone is not meant to be put in our home in any quanity.
When I ozonated my house and had a bad reaction we tried eveything to make it better - we opened windows, we slept in a temporary hut we made in the yard for days, then stayed at neighbors houses for weeks. I tried washing my clothes and airing out furniture only to find that the sunlight made my belongings even more volitale , as did the heat in the dryer with my clothes. After 2 months of getting vertigo every time i walked in my house and exhausting options to cleanse the air - we sold the house and left all our belongings behind. I know this is not the solution anyone wants to hear- and it depends on how bad your reaction… but the problem is the chemicals that are made ’stick’ in fabrics and woods, etc and don’t really air out in any normal time frame. This happened to me 4 years ago - and someone had saved just a few of my photo albums and vinatage dresses for me over the years- and they were recently brought over to my house 2 months ago. They didn’t give me the strong vertigo, but i could STILL smell the chemicals on the garments and albums and it made my chest feel like it was caving in, very difficult to breathe. Everyone who touched the stuff got sick, like they had a “cold” - which happened when it was first ozonated too.
Ozone and the chemicals is creates are ones that tend to make breathing difficult - when it creates nitric oxide it can also inhibit absorption of vitimans such as folic acid, and can deform a growing fetus. I ran the ozonater while I was pregnant and the baby died that week.
I am not sure there is a sure fire way to clean it up, since it can be doing so many things - first thing to check is if your home owners insurance/renters insurance covers hazardous materials/waste… which may be the best way to replace your belongings if you dont get to feeling better- i didn’t have that so i had to walk away with nothing, but learned to really enjoy a more zen carefree life.
In the meantime OPEN THE WINDOWS, anything else may cause further interactions with the chemicals- so dont use anything strong to try to rid yourself of it. Also call a mold specialist or chemist who are very familiar with these machines, and see if they have learned a solution over the years.
Another option - get your air tested and find out exactly what it made, so that possibly you can use another substance to nuetralize it.
Sooooooooo sorry you have to go through this! We need government regulations on products so bad!!!
SHit!
I just wrote the longest comment of my life- and it disappeared- susie are you monitering them?
PS- i forgot to say that my neighbors bought my house and then tore it down, and built a new house on the land.
Also if C wants to email me or even call me, they can get my info from Susie
Oooo, Leslie, luckily I do monitor! Glad we didn’t lose that comment.
Your story is heartbreaking for so many reasons. I feel like giving you a big hug. You were so smart to just cut your losses and leave. My god, what you’ve gone through. Thanks so much for your sharing your story, I’m sure it will help others.
I’ll send C your contact info.
Oh C. I feel for you. I have no personal experience with ozone but have seen that http://www.nirvanasafehaven.com has a tab that suggests methods to deal with ozone. Another friend with MCS was debilitated by the sanitizing of her home with ozone and the results are far-reaching. I am also so very sorry to hear of your suffering, it is an all too-familiar story. I hope contact with someone within the community leads you out of the trauma. All the best! Malama pono(take good care). Mokihana
Thanks for that link, Mokihana! I had no idea that so many people have been damaged by ozone. I added Nirvana to the Resource page.
Thank you everybody for your support and ideas. Together, we have so much to share! I hope C got these messages. I haven’t heard back yet.
Hi, this post was about me, a good friend sent it in for me (wonderful friend!). I was truly AMAZED at how many people reached out to help me - sharing their stories/any help they could think of - you are all so experienced and/or resourceful!!!!. I feel so supported. Thank you so much. I have relocated temporarily from the ozone and am staying in a safe place. Thank the Lord I have an alternate safe place to go (only 1, but that’s all I needed-smile). It’s amazing to me how even after having MCS 2 years now…I still just never know all I can do to myself, it is such a learn-as-you-go illness! Thank you EVERYONE!!! Bless your hearts!!!!!! I am touched and sent out 1 million hugs. When we struggle together, we are never alone - and what a delightful thought. You are awesome people - huge hearts! Have as great a Wednesday as you can!
- C
Aloha Carla! So nice to hear from you with update. It’s our pleasure to help. I’m so happy to hear you’ve found a safe place. I’ve had MCS for years and years and I had no idea how harmful ozone is, so you are not alone. I can not believe that the EPA has warnings issued about ozone but the product itself is still allowed to be on the market and used in homes. Sinful.
I hope things work out for you. I know Leslie would be happy to talk or email with you if you need more advice and support from someone who’s been through it, I’ve sent you her contact info. When we all work together and support each other, we’re so much stronger!
Be brave, be well.