Ozone Generators?

[soFlaNative]

Helping a long time neighbor with recent health issues clear a vacant duplex before a sale. Working alongside his family they mentioned the musty (no mold) odor of a long closed dwelling along with the remnant smell of a cigarette smoking cat owner who resided until recently in the other half. HEPA filter with UV light and bowls of activated charcoal have helped somewhat but the underlying smell remains.
I recall posts regarding O3 previously on this forum, I think regarding vehicle odor. Could not find said posts.
Checking the net I've found product by Energen and Airthereal in the $70 range that produce 5-6000 mg/h. Reviews are favorable with people reporting excellent results. The properties are about 800 sq. ft each, couple 15x10 bedrooms and a living area / kitchen which the machines in question seem adequate to handle.
I don't mind doing this. The neighbor is a great fellow, a widower whose daughter is staying with him while he recovers from a series of mild strokes and the rest of the family is a few hours away plus I can use the machine in sheds, vehicles and my own domicile can certainly use the occasional refresh.
Only possible downside I found is the formation of nitric acid due to relative humidity of the air. I can't imagine any more than a negligible amount formed. That and basic common sense could make this work.


Anyone have real world experience with these types ozone producers?

 

[nachogrande]

SPRING CLEANING?

The odor is in/on ALL surfaces & fabrics like curtains, furniture, carpets, walls/floors/ceilings. SO a good washing from ceilings to floor with distilled white vinegar & water or TFP if you can paint it with kills then paint would go a long way. IDK how much $ he is willing to spend, or the return on investment, but he may consider floor tile. The biggest natural producer of Ozone is lightning, & we get plenty of that. We just went with tile throughout the house & it's amazing how much humidity/ odors/ mold spores get trapped in carpets. TODAY is a good day to open windows. (if you like pollen )

 

[chief38]

I'm presently working on my Lionel Layout and have multiple ZW Transformers running. Anyone who knows Lionel Electric Trains knows they produce Ozone, however the Smoke Pellets that go into the Loco's smells better! My Wife asked me just the other day what the strange smell in the house was - Lionel Smoke Pellets have a distinctive smell like no other - not even Ozone.

I have a few large windows and a exhaust fan in my Train Room so not a major concern. If she really complains I just light a Cigar!

 

[nachogrande]

I'm presently working on my Lionel Layout.

I have a few large windows and a exhaust fan in my Train Room so not a major concern.

Maybe a propeller on your engineer hat???

 

[Golddollar]

This may sound off topic but please bear with me. I have one of the SoClean sterilizer units that I put my CPAP mask in every day. It uses ozone for the sterilization process. I've been using it for a year now and it must be killing everything in my mask because I haven't been sick at all in that time.

 

[Big Cholla]

I have been in the apartment rental business for over 30 years. I found that 'most' odors left by less than fastidious renters can be eliminated in 24 hours by the simple use of industrial strength ammonia. The procedure is to place two or three cookie cooking sheets around the apartment on the floor. First, turn up the heat to get the room temp above 80 deg. Pour about 1/4" of ammonia in each pan and shut the apartment up tight without any further use of the heat. After 24 hours enter and throw away any ammonia left un-evaporated. If required do one more cycle of heat and ammonia. The ammonia vapors react with odor particles in the air (they are actual solid particles) and cause them to drop to the floor with total removal of the odor. Then vacuum the floor with a good vacuum cleaner. Problem solved.

This procedure was given to me by a good friend that has doctorate degree in Chemistry. Be careful while handling the ammonia to minimize your exposure to the fumes.

 

[16thVACav]

Working alongside his family they mentioned the musty (no mold) odor of a long closed dwelling along with the remnant smell of a cigarette smoking cat owner who resided until recently in the other half. HEPA filter with UV light and bowls of activated charcoal have helped somewhat but the underlying smell remains.

Another good reason not to allow your cat to smoke cigarettes!

 

[Drm50]

I have run into similar situations more than once in rental properties. It's possible some times to have carpets cleaned with enzime additives. I found this mostly a waste. Orders get through carpet into padding and you
are just masking. Usually results in tear out of carpet & pad. Everything else has to be washed down. If people had dogs and cats it can be wicked.

 

[soFlaNative]

Forgot to mention tile throughout, no fabrics and painted within the last year.
Not looking for cleaning tips or Lionel layouts just if anyone has used an 03 generator.
Thanks anyways for the responses.

 

[rwsmith]

I have mixed feelings about ozone....

Rather than run one continuously, when you are out of the house, blast it for while then air it out. Ozone is a strong oxidizer so you don't want to corrode stuff. But fill up the house and then airing it out wll do the job.

This is JUST my opinion.

 

[soFlaNative]

Rather than run one continuously, when you are out of the house, blast it for while then air it out. Ozone is a strong oxidizer so you don't want to corrode stuff. But fill up the house and then airing it out wll do the job.

This is JUST my opinion.

Thanks RW, I planned to use it like a bug bomb.
Let the timer run by itself for an hour or two, leave it overnight and then air the place out when I have a chance to return.

 

[MRB1]

After my house fire, the cleanup crews placed a couple of ozone generators in the house, and a couple days later most of the smoke smell was gone. I wish I had one.

 

[rwsmith]

Oh, I remember...

We had a lab that was experimenting with ozone disinfection of water. So there was constant smell of ozone. Stainless steel fittings tarnished after a few weeks of that.

 

[Ματθιας]

When I worked in the car business, we used them.

We cleaned everything first, then let the generator run for an hour or so, let the vehicle sit at least a couple of hours, then air out for another couple of hours. It was an all day thing.

I've never used it on anything bigger than a conversion van, though.

 

[Jeff423]

Basically ozone is like bleach for air. The previous owner of our house smoked cigars in the garage. We bought the house in January but didn’t smell the old cigar smell until it warmed up. An $80.00 ozone generator fixed that. I also use it after cooking salmon and other fish.
It can irritate your lungs and is hard on rubber and some metals if over used.


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[rwsmith]

This is NOT ozone......

....but the BEST product for reducing odors is called OZIUM. Like ozone, I wouldn't breathe it, but spray it and leave it for a while and air out.

The reason I know about it is because kids carry it in their cars to kill the odor of marijuana when they are about to get pulled over. All I can say is that it works. We've used it in the house some (three dogs and a cat along with cooking gone wrong).

 

[GB]

Several decades ago, in a previous life, I helped build motels for a living. Several of the owners of said motels used ozone machines in existing rooms to remove smoke and smells (after carpet and fabric cleaning). We also used them in new rooms, after completion, to help remove the "new" smell of paint and fabric. As I recall, they worked fairly well.

 

[rwsmith]

Oh, of course....

You can clean one room/area at a time if you can close it off.