Episode 36: Selecting the Best Air Purifier & the Science of Sunlight with Alex Kessler

Send us a text with your questions, thoughts, and/or a love note regarding the podcast episode to help us know what to create more of!In this episode of Awakening Spaces, Ashley and Alex cover what the 99.97 percent filter rating actually means and why it tells you almost nothing about your room air quality, how to build a Corsi Rosenthal box for 150 dollars that outperforms most commercial air purifiers, what CADR is and why it is the only metric worth looking at, which climates are genuinely the best and worst for mold sensitive people, why Phoenix and Tucson are not the mold recovery paradise most people think, and why the research on sun exposure and cancer is far more complicated and interesting than the sunscreen industry wants you to know.They also talk about microbiome diversity, sprinklers as an overlooked moisture source in dry climates, trusting your body over any practitioner, and what it means to be mutable when everything you have tried stops working.THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:DIY heat recovery ventilator from corrugated plasticAir purifier brand comparison test (over one million views)Air purifier brand comparison testBest and worst climates for mold sensitivity with coded ASHRAE mapsASHRAE 60 degree Fahrenheit dew point threshold for mold growthClean Air Kits: cleanaiркits.com, MERV 13 Filtrete with PC fansCONNECT WITH ASHLEYInstagram | Tiktok | Youtube | WebsiteAshley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way.Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again!Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here.CONNECT WITH GUESTInstagram | Youtube | WebsiteAlex Kessler is a translational scientist turned indoor air quality researcher, educator, and environmental consultant who brings the same rigor he applied to cancer genomics research to the world of healthy homes. After developing CIRS from toxic mold exposure and having to navigate his own recovery largely without adequate guidance, he built his YouTube channel Healthy Home Guide into a resource with over two million views, sharing practical and budget-friendly protocols for improving indoor air quality that work even for renters and those without ducted HVAC systems.His work has been recognized by John Banta, CIH, who featured it in his book Mold Controlled, and by Dr. Allison Bailes III of Energy Vanguard, who shared his ERV installation guide with his professional audience. Alex serves as an environmental consultant at Flourish Clinic, a leading CIRS clinic, and consults independently as well. He lives in Colorado with his wife Rachel and their dog Rikki.Find him at healthyhomeguide.com and on YouTube at Healthy Home Guide.SHOW YOUR SUPPORTIf you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨