Is it safe to use an ozone generator while inside with pets?

[idontcarejust]

Hello. I hope this is the right place.

A few days ago I purchased a nice sectional off craigslist that belonged to a smoker (I bought it because it's very nice and expensive but was cheap for that reason).

I hired a professional cleaner who gave it an initial treatment that helped but there is still a smoke smell left. He has left me his Ozone generator for a week while he's on vacation. I believe this is the same model: https://www.activtek.net/CatalogProduct.aspx?ProductId=US50105B

I live in a ~900 square foot 1bedroom apartment and I have two cats. He told me that it was fine for me to run this generator while we're all inside. I double checked that online and I'm finding reports that these can be quite harmful.

First, would using it for a few hours each day for a week cause any problems? Or is the danger of these machines something that happens after prolonged exposure?

Do I need to run this while my cats and I are not inside? If so, how long do I need to stay outside after turning off the generator?

I had planned on keeping my cats outside on my porch while I ran the generator for a few hours each day but my cats are inside cats so they freak out when I tried to keep them outside. I'm interested in learning if the cleaner was correct and that minimal exposure over just one week is truly harmless.

 

[Dotini]

First, would using it for a few hours each day for a week cause any problems? Or is the danger of these machines something that happens after prolonged exposure?

Do I need to run this while my cats and I are not inside? If so, how long do I need to stay outside after turning off the generator?

I was in the unfortunate position of using such an industrial strength ozone generator to deodorize some smoke damaged artifacts a few years ago. I put the artifacts, furniture and such, in a room, sealed it with tape and ran the generator for a few days, and achieved some positive results. I would not run such a machine for any length of time in an occupied room. There are small, light duty ozone generators that are safe for continuous operation in occupied rooms, but these will have only a small effect on your problem of a smoker afflicted room. Repainting the walls and ceiling might be a good approach.

Respectfully,
Steve

 

[AlephZero]

Ozone isn't something to mess with. Guidance note EH38 from the UK Health and Safety Executive (from http://www.coronasupplies.co.uk/downloads/Ozone Health and Precautionary Measures.pdf) says:

The recommended exposure limit for ozone is 0.1ppm (0.2mg/m³) calculated as an 8-
hour time-weighted average concentration. There is also a short-term exposure limit for
ozone of 0.3ppm (0.6mg/m³) calculated as a 15-minute time-weighted average concentration.

THe link to your machine doesn't seem to say how much it produces, but it does say

The Ozone Blaster is intended only for use in unoccupied spaces and should never be allowed to blow directly into the face of a person or pet.

I would take that as meaning EXACTLY what it says.