Pink salt isn’t just for your dinner table anymore — this popular culinary addition has now found its way onto your bedside table, too. But do salt lamps really work to purify the air in your home? Or do these novel decorations offer nothing more than aesthetic appeal? While salt lamps have enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, their air purification claims may be nothing more than well-marketed hype. Let’s take a look at the claims and determine if there is any truth to the salt lamp health craze.
Salt Lamps Claim to Ionize Air
The benefits of air ionization are well documented, ranging from reduction of chronic depression symptoms to improvements in seasonal affective disorder. However, it is unlikely that salt lamps are capable of providing significant air-ionizing benefits. Proponents of salt lamp air purification claim that negative ions released from the lamp’s pink salt work to remove harmful pollution and dust particles from the air.
While negative ions are indeed capable of eradicating dust mites and binding to other particles, this process requires an extremely high-powered ion generator. Because a salt lamp is essentially a light bulb inside a hollow chunk of salt, its ion-generating capabilities are minimal, experts believe.
Negative Ions Make for a Dusty Home
Even if salt lamps are somehow capable of generating negative ions, this phenomenon can negatively impact air quality, experts believe. While negative ions are indeed capable of reducing harmful particles in ambient air, they do so by binding to such particles, causing them to stick to various surfaces throughout your home. The benefit, proponents claim, is that these bound particles make dust cleanup and removal much more efficient. However, many experts believe that the accumulation of these particles can trigger allergy symptoms in more sensitive individuals.
Science Says Salt Lamps Are Bunk
Beyond the ionizing claims, proponents also assert that salt lamps are capable of attracting water vapor toward their salty surfaces. The idea is that pollutants in the ambient air are attracted to water, and as this vapor adheres to the lamp’s surface, pollutants dissociate and dissipate, thereby improving air quality. However, there is little scientific evidence to suggest that water vapor does indeed attract airborne pollutants or that the scant heat produced by a salt lamp is capable of dissociating them.
Your Air Quality Professionals in Fort Collins
When it comes to maintaining high-quality air inside your home, one of the most effective things you can do is work with a knowledgeable HVAC company. At Lion Home Service, we know your home is an investment, and you deserve to enjoy that investment in good health. Whether you need heating and cooling service, duct cleaning, and repair, septic service, roof installation, and repair or certified electricians, we provide the service you need. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contact Lion Home Service today for more information.
