I think that we have, perhaps, become more aware of the importance of clean air in recent years. Pollution is taken more seriously, as are germs, and we realize that just because our homes are separated from the outside world, the air isn’t necessarily cleaner.
So, with this awareness and those of us who struggle with respiration issues or allergies, you might be wondering if an air purifier is a good investment—particularly the Reme Halo, which seems to be a trending topic. Below, I have included helpful information to help you understand the Reme Halo appeal and make an informed decision.
The worthiness of the Reme Halo depends on the intentions and needs of the buyer. It can make a difference to air quality as it removes odors and irritating particles using ionization; however, it is not irrevocably proven to help with allergens, asthma, or virus prevention.
How Much Does the Reme Halo Cost?
The Reme Halo will likely cost you somewhere around $780 to purchase and install (a little over half of that is the unit). For warranty purposes, you are advised to have the appliance professionally installed.
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The appliance will have a maintenance cost for replacing the Halo’s cells, which is recommended that you do every 2 years.
You have the option of purchasing the LED version of the Reme Halo. This is more expensive initially, costing closer to $1200 with installation, but unlike the UV version, it does not require the light to be on constantly (lower running costs) and requires less maintenance as the cells only need replacing every 4-5 years.
How Does This Compare to the Competition?
The Reme Halo is one of the more expensive ionic air purifiers. There are several other ionic air purifiers that are cheaper, although these are self-contained units that don’t require installation, including:
- Airthereal APH260 Air Purifier (amazon link)
- Medify MA-40 Air Purifier (amazon link)
- Pro Breeze Air Purifier 5-in-1 (amazon link)
- Ivation Ozone Generator Air Purifier (amazon link)
These appliances are under $300. The Medify and Ivation options are designed for bigger spaces, but none are installed in your ducting like the Reme Halo. The positioning of the Reme Halo in the ducts is one of its advantages.
However, you might consider it more worthwhile to purchase an air-cleaning unit that can also condition and humidify the air, like some of the Dyson range.
Does the Reme Halo Actually Work?
According to a report published by the manufacturer and based on third-party studies, Reme Halos are 90-99% effective against certain viruses, bacteria, and mold spores; up to 85% effective against VOCs; moderately effective at removing certain odors; and effective at controlling pollen concentrations.
Does the Reme Halo Inactivate Viruses?
Viruses are responsible for an array of health challenges and eliminating them from your indoor area is the right step towards a healthier life.
The Reme Halo is installed in your HVAC system so that ionized hydrogen peroxide is distributed to every cubic foot of your house that’s covered by the HVAC system. The ionized hydrogen peroxide destroys viruses on surfaces as well as those in the air.
According to the manufacturer, this technology has been proven to eliminate up to 99% of a variety of viruses including the H1N1 flu virus (swine flu), the Norwalk virus, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus (otherwise referred to as the Covid-19 virus).
The Reme Halo (amazon link) kills up to 99.9% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is approved by the Chinese government for use in the fight against the virus.
It is also adopted by cruise ships to reduce the risk of the outbreak of the Norwalk virus on ships.
The technology is also effective in killing 99% of sneeze germs before they reach 3 feet.
Can Reme Halo Remove Pollen from the Air?
Preventing pollen from entering your home isn’t always an easy feat. Once these airborne particles are inside your house, they contaminate the air and cause allergic reactions in anyone who is sensitive to them and to anyone with respiratory illnesses like asthma.
Over 20 million Americans are allergic to pollen. This makes eliminating this allergen from your home an important step in improving the quality of air in your home.
Although pollen can form large clusters that are visible to the naked eyes, it is impossible to detect their individual grains. So, unless you experience an allergic reaction, you might not notice its presence in your home.
Due to the microscopic size of individual pollen grains, regular air purifiers or filters might not be able to capture them.
The Reme Halo charges the air with negative and positive ions that bond with contaminants like pollen. This causes pollen to stick together and their increase in size makes it easier for your filter system to catch and eliminate them from your home.
Are VOCs Eliminated by Reme Halo?
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals used in the manufacturing of a variety of household products.
Household items that contain VOCs often emit gases into your home. Common household items that contain VOCs include personal care items, cleaning products, new furniture, etc. They can also get into your home whenever you undertake a painting project.
The chemical composition of VOCs can cause reactions like nose, throat, and eye irritation. It can also lead to skin problems, headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Exposure to VOCs for a prolonged period can lead to serious health challenges like kidney issues, liver damage, and damage to the central nervous system.
Reme Halo prevents this from happening by removing VOCs from your air. The device releases hydrogen peroxide molecules that purify the air in your home and neutralize the gas released by VOCs.
However, the technology doesn’t completely get rid of volatile organic compounds. It has been reported to reduce VOCs by only 85%.
Does the Reme Halo Work Against Bacteria?
Bacteria are all over our environment and can enter your home through various routes. They are also microscopic organisms, so it isn’t easy to get rid of them with normal filtration methods.
Although some of these bacteria might not have any impact on your health, others can cause health challenges like salmonella, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.
The Reme Halo is approved by the US and international hospitals for reducing infectious diseases like staph infection, which is caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Here are some other bacteria that the Reme Halo can inactivate with its effectiveness against each one noted in brackets.
- E. Coli (99%)
- Strep (97%)
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (90%)
- Listeria Monocytogenes (99%)
- C. Diff (99%)
- Legionella (99%)
- Pseudomonas Sp. (99%)
- Tuberculosis (99%)
- Salmonella (99%)
As the ionized hydrogen peroxide released by Reme Halo comes in contact with bacteria, it bonds with the microbe and destroys it. The technology is effective in reducing most surface bacteria by 99.99% and airborne bacteria by 97%.
Do Mold Spores Get Cleared by Reme Halo?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), It’s impossible to completely eliminate mold and mold spores from your indoor environment. The best way to prevent mold growth is to control the moisture levels in your house.
The Reme Halo has been reported to reduce airborne mold by about 97-98%. It is also approved by the US military for mold protection in field hospitals.
However, if the moisture level isn’t controlled, your home would still be at risk of mold growth. So, for optimal performance, you should first deal with the moisture or humidity issue.
Although Reme Halo can eliminate mold spores from your air, it cannot get rid of mold that’s already growing on surfaces. But the technology can prevent mold from spreading.
The presence of mold in a building causes poor indoor air quality and releases allergens that can affect the health of people in the building. Research by the World Health Organization shows that the presence of mold in an indoor environment intensifies the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
For more information, you can read Reme Halo: Does It Help Get Rid of Mold?
Odor Control: Is Reme Halo Effective?
Odors do not only influence the quality of air in a building; they also affect the comfort and overall well-being of people in the house.
A sure way of eliminating certain odors is to get rid of the source of the smell. However, that isn’t always possible.
Reme Halo offers a convenient solution to odor problems. The ionized hydrogen peroxide molecules released by the device sweep through your house and neutralize contaminants that might be responsible for the odor, leaving your house smelling fresh.
The mechanism of the Reme Halo imitates the natural process through which lightning activates hydrogen peroxide to clean the atmosphere. So, besides getting rid of odors in your house, it leaves your space smelling natural and fresh, although there is a downside to this: the smell is the result of ozone.
Here are some of the results of tests conducted on the Reme Halo by third-party independent labs.
Odor | Reduction percentage in 24 hours |
Cleaning chemicals | 55% |
Perfume odors | 63% |
Pet odors | 72% |
Smoke odors | 70% |
However, there are no reports on the effect Reme Halo has on regular odors.
Source of the Reported Effectiveness of Reme Halos
I would be remiss if I did not mention that the reported effectiveness of the Reme Halo units was found in a report published by the manufacturer.
The two main problems with this report are:
- The manufacturer is not an independent party. This does not mean that they doctored the results in their favor; it just introduces the possibility that the most positive spin was given to the report.
- The results are based on individual studies. When it comes to anything in science or biology, one set of results means “look into it further” as opposed to “this is the truth”.
There are also two points in favor of the report being reliable:
- The studies were not carried out by the manufacturer but were instead outsourced to third-party or independent laboratories.
- The way in which a Reme Halo works is theoretically effective against all it claims to be effective against.
This is not to say that the Reme Halo is not worth the money. It just means you should have a reasonable expectation when buying it. And don’t forget that many other air purifiers on the market today will have similar issues with supportive evidence.
Reme Halo Produces High Concentration of Ions
This is the distinguishing factor of the Reme Halo in its category: it is considered to be more effective in ionization than other ionizers. Because of how the appliance works, the more ions produced, the better the air purification, which suggests that this appliance will be better at purifying air.
There are, however, both pros and cons to the appliance, and the ionization of the air purifier can also release small amounts of ozone (unless you opt for the LED version).
The reputation of the Reme Halo prompts the question; is the ion concentration of the Reme Halo significantly more than that of its competitors?
The ionizers I mentioned earlier as alternatives are also considered to have high ion concentrations, but I was unable to find exact specs in order to make the comparison. It isn’t easy to accurately point out a better competitor when you cannot access the necessary information on the ion concentrations.
This means the best choice of air purifier depends on the buyer’s needs and what fits better with your space and budget.
Should You Buy a Reme Halo?
Certain circumstances, such as allergies and air pollution, would make the Reme Halo a worthwhile purchase, but ultimately, each reader must make the decision.
You Suffer From Bad Allergies
As a fellow allergy-sufferer, I know that you sometimes get to the point where you will try anything. Or you conclude that, even if it only helps a little, any potential benefit is worthwhile.
A study on air purifiers with allergic symptoms suggests that continuous use of an ionizing air purifier like the Reme Halo can be helpful in reducing the symptoms of allergies.
This is because particles in the air aggravate allergies. By removing a large percentage of the irritating particles from your air space, you can minimize allergic reactions to those triggers.
You Live in a High-Pollution Zone
If you live in a high-pollution zone, you may benefit from the Reme Halo, as high levels of pollution can impact your health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution has a negative impact on health with both long-term and short-term exposure. Air pollution can cause eye irritation and respiratory infections and can contribute to difficulties with skin disease and chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma.
There are very serious consequences of exposure to high levels of air pollution as it can lead to neurological and psychological impacts, heart disease, and cancers.
If you live in a high-pollution zone, you may find that the health benefits of installing an air purifier in your work or living space are a valuable investment. The Reme Halo would be a good option due to its greater ion concentration and purification capabilities.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5122104/
https://www.healthline.com/health/air-purifier-for-allergies
https://polairusa.com/air-quality-reme-halo-vs-reme-halo-led/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/best-air-purifiers-we-tried
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002986.pub2/pdf/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6028155/
https://air-purifier-ratings.org/air-purifier-types/ionic-air-purifier-reviews/
https://homeairguides.com/best-ionic-air-purifier-reviews-room-ionizer-for-your-home/
https://negativeionizers.net/best-ionic-air-purifier-negative-ion-air-cleaner-reviews/