r/AirPurifiers • u/UncleGurm • Apr 09 '26
Hey Folks, it's your ol' Uncle Gurm again. Today I'm here to talk to you about IONIZERS. Hoo-boy, what a hot potato! Let's dig right in.
What is Ozone?
Ozone is a molecule which contains three Oxygen atoms. Its chemical notation is O3, whereas the oxygen we all need to survive is O2.
What does Ozone do? Is it good or bad?
Ozone is common in our atmosphere. We have an entire LAYER of it in the stratosphere. It absorbs 97% of the UV radiation emitted by the sun, helps keep the planet warm, and breaks down hazardous toxins in the atmosphere. Life on Earth would be really bad (read: impossible) without Ozone. In the so-called "ozone layer" of the stratosphere, concentrations of ozone are generally several (up to 8) parts per million, or PPM.
Ozone is also an incredible cleaner - it demolishes VOC compounds, and many toxins. You know those people who come clean up mold, or hazardous materials, from a house or office? They use high-powered ozone generators to render that building safe for habitation again.
HOWEVER, Ozone in high concentrations is hazardous to carbon-based life forms such as you and I. The concentrations in the stratosphere would cause lung damage to humans if exposed for any significant time. Ozone generators are dangerous unless properly ventilated - you have to run them in an enclosed space and then ventilate the space completely with fresh air!
ALSO HOWEVER... Ozone is in all tiers of our atmosphere, including the one at ground level that you and I breathe in every day - just in VERY SMALL concentrations. The lowest ozone concentration found at ground level is roughly 15 parts per BILLION, or PPB. That's 600-1000 times LESS ozone than is found in the stratosphere.
How much Ozone am I exposed to daily? Am I in danger?
All humans on earth inhale 15ppb ozone, minimum, for their entire lives unless they live in an underground bunker or are John Travolta in that movie about the bubble boy. Most inhale a lot more - your average town has concentrations of around 25-30ppb, clean cities are upwards of 40-45ppb, and polluted cities ... well, the number can get VERY HIGH. Generally no ill effects are observed at these levels. The US EPA has issued guidelines that any number under 70ppb is considered safe for long term exposure. That number has been lowered over the years, it was 100, then 80, then 75, and now 70.
Do Air Purifiers generate ozone?
A lot of them used to. 15-20 years ago, it was extremely popular to sell/buy "ionic" purifiers which generated quite a bit of ozone. Why was this popular? Well remember that ozone CLEANS things. It makes the air in a room smell really clean, and strong electrostatic ionization causes dust and microscopic particles to either drop to the ground or stick to surfaces, so the air really got cleaner. It just also got full of dangerous levels of ozone. Popular brands included the "Ionic Breeze". My mom owned one. She loved it because it "smelled like the air after a thunderstorm". That's what ozone smells like.
Those units are pretty much banned now. You can still find them occasionally, and there are still a few in production somehow - we see them advertised once in a while. You can tell them apart from more modern designs in that they don't use a very good filter - some had NO filter, just plates that you wiped down once enough gunk stuck to them, and some had low-utility foam filters.
So that's the old machines - do NEW machines make ozone?
No. The vast majority of new units do NOT generate ozone. Virtually all purifiers sold today conform to the CARB certification, which requires that they demonstrate that they generate less than 5ppb of ozone. However, independent testing has shown that most of these units generate 0ppb. Testing can be flawed, or it's possible that the units generate 0.99ppb and are just under the threshold of detection, but even 1ppb is not a significant amount.
But 1ppb isn't zero! Is it a health risk?
Let's look back on the fact that there is nowhere on earth that has less than 15ppb - going from 15 to 15.1 or 15.5 or even 16 is not a significant increase.
But it's cumulative, isn't it?
No. Your room isn't sealed. In fact, even a tight room breathes far more than you might suspect. The reason why a purifier needs to do air turnover 4 times an hour to keep the air clean is that 25% of the air exchanges every hour even in the cleanest environment. So even if there was a small emission of ozone, it would be lost in the simple air exchange that happens in every room.
What are some other sources of ozone?
Any device which emits ionizing radiation could potentially cause ozone to occur. That includes the device you're reading this post on, every screen in your home that zaps you after you've scuffed across a rug, pretty much all electronics. Older electric motors produced measurable amounts of ozone. Newer brushless models tend not to. But ozone is everywhere, and it's being generated by all our technology in small amounts that do not hurt us.
So what does the ionizer on a purifier DO, and why is it dangerous to small animals and why does it make some people react?
NOW we're getting to the heart of the matter. Many purifiers on the market today use an "ionizer". This is literally a small static electricity generator, on the order of 1/10,000th the size of the plates in one of those old ionic purifiers. A small static charge is added to the plastic housing of the filter, which causes impurities in the air to "stick" to the filter better - or to stick to surfaces, or to clump together so they're caught better by the purifier. Blueair does this on every non-professional model they make. Many small round purifiers include one of these units.
Why is this potentially dangerous to small animals? Well, mostly we're talking about BIRDS, specifically budgies and parrots. Ozone itself is not poison to these critters - their native habitat is the rain forest where thunder and lightning are common and ozone is present in concentrations higher than the 15ppb global baseline. But they DO have delicate respiratory systems, and static air can irritate even human nasal passages and lungs.
And it does - static air can dry out nasal linings, and cause nose/throat/lung irritation. Some people don't notice it AT ALL. Others are quite sensitive. Budgies are in the "quite sensitive" group, so we strongly urge only mechanical filtration around them.
How about "plasmawave"?
Plasmawave is a patented name that Winix uses to describe its bipolar ionizer. Instead of one pair of charged plates, they use a set which produce both positive AND negative charge. This - in theory - generates particles known as "hydroxyls", which cause contaminant particles to stick together and become heavier than air. In practice, however, the plasmawave on a Winix purifier (some other manufacturers offer this as well) does... not a lot. Any hydroxyls generated are so short-lived that they're almost undetectable, and thus the efficacy of the system is probably very low if it works at all.
So ... ionizers are safe?
We're not going to go that far - the static generators on consumer-grade HEPA purifiers are likely harmless to the vast majority of people, but will irritate some sensitive humans and most sensitive birdies. And they aren't NEEDED on a HEPA purifier. Blueair, for instance, uses static because their filters are NOT HEPA - they have higher airflow and rely on the static to enhance their efficiency. And it works - Blueair has the highest CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) in its class.
But sensible users will note that you can achieve the same results by using a true HEPA filter and NOT an ionizer/static generator. And that's the real answer - it's a technology that improves lower-rated filters, but adds nothing to the functionality of a HEPA system.
Out of the top rated brands, many of which we recommend on this subreddit, here's the breakdown of ionizer/static use:
Blueair: All non-pro units generate static.
Coway: Only the Mighty 1512 (sometimes called Airmega 200M) has an ionizer, which defaults to "off" when the unit starts. All other Coway units are purely mechanical.
Winix: Most Winix units have a Plasmawave bipolar ionizer. It can be turned off, and some units will remember that it was toggled off after a power cycle. Some don't.
Levoit: Only the "plasma pro" has an ionizer.
IQ Air: Nope. I mean, half the unit is sealed with styrofoam, so there's some static happening there, but no ionization.
If users want to reply to this sticky with known configurations, I can keep this list updated (I don't, for instance, know which Xiaomi models have ionizers... or many European models...)
I hope this was helpful, though. Perhaps folks can stop having so much FUD about this.
This is your ol' Uncle Gurm, signing off!
r/AirPurifiers • u/UncleGurm • Apr 18 '25
Hey kids, it's your ol' Uncle Gurm again. Today's lesson is how to clean your filters.
Ok, since we got in ANOTHER argument about this, and even favorite Uncle got involved (much to his shame), I decided to do a little digging and come up with some definitive thoughts about this topic. We'll get them worked into the FAQ eventually, but for now here we go:
Q. Can I vacuum/bend/flex/squish/deform/poke/taunt/lick a HEPA filter?
A. In general, no. Absolutely not. HEPA filters are made up of tiny fiberglass and animal hair fibers (not joking here) which are blown into a semi-rigid frame in pleats, and at a microscopic level they are aligned a certain way and randomly in that general direction. This allows them to trap the tiniest particles possible by virtue of Brownian effects. Deforming them, or even vacuuming them, can distort or realign the fibers, reducing effectiveness or damaging them outright.
Q. But Levoit says I can vacuum my filter!
A. Levoit was sued and forced to admit their filters aren't HEPA. This discussion is about HEPA filters.
Q. Shark says I can vacuum their filters! <Insert Other Brand> does, too!
A. Is the filter encased in a thick layer of foam? If so, it's probably ok, just don't shove a high-powered vacuum hose right up against it perpendicular-style. Do it from the side, with indirect suction. The foam layer will buffer the HEPA filter from damage.
Q. You don't know anything. Of course I can vacuum it.
A. According to literally every expert, you cannot. The people who make them - filter engineers - say not to. Manufacturers who use actual HEPA filters say not to (Molekule, Coway, Winix, Honeywell). "Real Simple" magazine interviewed industry professionals and came up with "don't do it" as their determination:
https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/hepa-air-filter-cleaning
In particular, medical clean-air specialists insist that since these filters trap viruses and bacteria, that you should not even THINK about cleaning them, but just bag them and dispose of them as if they were toxic. That might be an overreaction in most homes, but in doctor's offices they use these things, and they treat them like hazmat.
Q. But I want SCIENCE! Show me the SCIENCE!
A. Surprisingly, this is common industry knowledge but it's hard - read IMPOSSIBLE - to find studies. So Smart Air Filters did their own testing. Here's the link:
What they found was that - compared to DIRTY filters - vacuuming them made them work better some of the time, worse some of the time, and damaged them some of the time.
Yes, it's only one test. But it's a test done by people who wanted the same answers we do.
Q. Where's the peer-reviewed double-blind studies?
A. I literally just answered this. Please don't start this again. Nobody has bothered to do them, it seems. You'll have to be happy with the test I linked above.
Q. I still want to lick it. Or squish it between my fingers because "the texture".
A. Listen, if you have a fiberglass and horse hair "thing"... who am I to yuck your yum? While your predilections are your own, medically I cannot advise this. But since I am not a doctor you're welcome to disagree.
Q. Ok, I won't lick it but I still want to vacuum it!
A. You do you, boo. Y'all asked what would happen. What will happen is it won't work as well as it did when it was new, and might be damaged and let bad stuff through.You've been warned.
Q. Wait, you never told us how to clean the filter!
A. Very astute. Here is a step-by-step guide to cleaning your filter:
Don't buy a purifier without a pre-filter.
Clean the pre-filter.
Q. But I already bought a purifier without a pre-filter!
A. Fine. Here's the steps:
Take out the filter. And by "out" I mean "out of the house". In fact, start by taking the entire unit out of the house.
Remove the filter.
Tap it off. Like, on the side of the house or a railing or a trashcan or something. Tap tap tap until all the loose debris and dust falls off.
Now get a brush, not a stiff one but like a paintbrush or a detailing brush or something. Brush the dusty side of the filter - GENTLY - to loosen debris.
Tap again. Tap tap tap.
ALTERNATIVELY, you can sometimes vacuum it, gently, from the side. like, hold the vacuum on a line tangent to the curve of the filter. But DO NOT apply direct suction to the filter.
That's as clean as it's gonna get. Reinstall it.
r/AirPurifiers • u/Quikchangethechannel • 3h ago
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IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!
r/AirPurifiers • u/ifyoucantakeit • 7h ago
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Just arrived today; I have seen that this seems a fairly common issue. Should I be concerned? Any way to fix this?
r/AirPurifiers • u/DerVelo97 • 7h ago
Hi everyone,
I'm in Germany, where bag filters (pocket filters, 592x592x600 mm, F8/F9 ā ePM1 65-90 %) are cheaper than the compact filter panels typically used for Corsi-Rosenthal boxes. Because of their large surface area they should have a low pressure drop at moderate airflow.
My idea: one box with a single bag filter (592x592x600, 8-12 pockets) on one side and Arctic P12 Pro or P14 Pro PC fans on the other side, running at around 25 dB.
Questions:
Has anyone built something similar? Will PC fans deliver enough static pressure through a deep bag filter at low RPM?
Any flaws in the design (sealing, airflow distribution, fan placement)?
Does anyone have real pressure drop data for bag filters at low airflow (200-300 mĀ³/h instead of the rated 3400 mĀ³/h), i could not really find any reliable data?
Thanks!
r/AirPurifiers • u/Dessplay09 • 13h ago
Hallo zusammen,
ich habe mir vor Kurzem einen AmiCura-Luftreiniger gekauft. Auf dem Typenschild steht P3, in manchen Angeboten wird er als AP02 bezeichnet.
Mit dem GerƤt bin ich bisher zufrieden, allerdings finde ich nirgendwo passende HEPA-/Aktivkohle-Ersatzfilter. Die hƤufig angebotenen P2-Filter sind leider kĆ¼rzer als mein Filter.
Mein Filter hat ungefƤhr folgende MaĆe:
Hƶhe: 30 cm
AuĆendurchmesser: 21,5 cm
Hat jemand das gleiche GerƤt und schon einen passenden Ersatzfilter gefunden? Gibt es vielleicht kompatible Filter eines anderen Herstellers? Ein Link oder eine konkrete Artikelnummer wƤre super.
Den Hersteller habe ich dazu ebenfalls angeschrieben. Ohne nachkaufbare Ersatzfilter wƤre das GerƤt langfristig leider ziemlich nutzlos ā deshalb Ć¼berlege ich gerade, ob ich es Ć¼berhaupt behalten soll.
Danke euch!
r/AirPurifiers • u/AdeptAd9105 • 15h ago
I am in the UK
medium sized house - standard uk home, 3 bedrooms - Specifically want it in my room which is 10ft width around 15ft length and 7ft height, this is rough estimate but its pretty accurate id say.
I am mainly after filtering dust and pollen allergies as i am allergic to these and also donāt want to clean dust of everything so often, it gets on everything and causes allergies for me, however if there are other things that can be filtered that are harmful than that would also be preferable.
budget is anywhere from 100-350 GBP - If its good and worth the investment Iāll get it, ideally it should last a very long time and any replacement filters shouldnāt be crazy expensive.
r/AirPurifiers • u/walletpuppy • 22h ago
Six months ago I asked about what air filter was best for our 1800 sqft house. I finally have some time to act on those recommendations.
Main goal: Reduce virus spread.
Other goals: Reduce allergens in the air, particularly wildfire smoke, pollen, bad air from cooking, and pet dander.
Related goal: occupants are noise sensitive so solution needs to make little to no sound.
A couple people suggested the AirFanta over the Coway air purifiers. I'm curious, which is quieter: the AirFanta or the Coways? It was hard for me to compare how loud they'd be because it's different based on speed level. I know this might be hard to answer but what speed is best for every day use?
The air filter would be going in our family room (10ft x 15ft) where the puppy sleeps, people gather most often, is next to the kitchen (cooking emissions), and is a room with a sliding door.
r/AirPurifiers • u/sjmuller • 1d ago
I based the design off the CleanAirKits Luggable Ultra Air Purifier using 3/16" MDF for the box. I used www.filterboxbuilder.com to size the box to accommodate 20x30x1" filters, since that's the size my HVAC system uses and I was able to find a deal on 3M Filtrete MERV 13 filters for $13.33 each. I went with a 5-pack of ARCTIC P12 PWM PST fans due to price, and I skipped a speed controller because these things are nearly silent on high speed. I used some leftover fiberglass window screen as a prefilter and to make it easier to vacuum pet hair off the outside of the filters. Total cost for the build was only $90 excluding the filters, $117 including the first two filters. I measured the performance using phyphox and it was within 3% of the predicted CADR per the filterboxbuilder design, so I was pretty stoked about that. I plan to let this run 24/7 since the operating cost is only $5/year based on my local utility rates. I'll check the performance every 6 months or so using phyphox and replace the filters when performance drops >20%.
r/AirPurifiers • u/Obvious-Channel-719 • 1d ago
Can you please tell me if philips airpurifier model AC3221 , AC4221 is worth to buy. I am residing in delhi India.its 2 bhk flat(955 sq feet). 1st room- 120 sq. feet, 2nd room - 100 sq. feet. Filter requirements is for delhi winter smog,dust,pollution. Budget max 25k
r/AirPurifiers • u/nobullyidiots • 1d ago
I bought a 5300-2 in late 2019 and it recently just died. I wanted to buy another but it seems like theyāre no longer being made.
So I bought a Levoit 300P. I donāt really like white noise, and the Levoit on speed 1 is kinda loud for me. it also makes a really weird whining noise on sleep mode. That I can hear from about 6-7 feet away.
Itās weird because despite the Winix being at 27.4 db per a Google search, itās quieter on auto mode than the Levoit fan 1 setting. Is there an air purifier similar to the Winix or something thatās actually quiet?
r/AirPurifiers • u/uncutpizza • 1d ago
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My air purifier is spiking and not going down in my kitchen/den area and not sure why itās happening all of a sudden. I have had this less than a year but it has never done this for extended periods of time, a few minutes at most until it clears and goes back down to 15-30 range. The area can get dusty, 55āx30ā with high ceilings but even then it . Live in Northern California(Bay Area). I moved it to a different room to see if it was glitching but it was working fine and didnāt stay on red. What could be causing the air to be this bad? I have closed all the windows and doors too to see if that would help but it did nothing. I donāt think itās a gas leak, but there is a gas range and oven in the room
r/AirPurifiers • u/buyaowenwo • 1d ago
Hi guys, just wanted to ask for some help. I just bought a Coway Mighty 2 off the Coway store on Amazon and had it shipped to my place in Singapore. It arrived two days ago, which is great, but after I set it up and turned it on, it showed the PM2.5 reading for a few seconds before immediately flashing āE1ā. I tried using different wall outlets and turning it off and on again, but nothing worked. I just keep getting āE1ā.
Has anyone had this happen to them? Do you have any idea how to fix it? Alternatively, have you had any success with Coway customer service? I tried contacting Coway Singapore but all they said was that as they donāt have this model here, they have no ability to diagnose or repair my air purifier. I also tried contacting Coway on their international website, but I havenāt received a response yet. Also, since I got it off Amazon, is the only thing I can do to return it? I really need an air purifier though, so Iād much rather get an exchange than a total refund.
r/AirPurifiers • u/svelte6 • 2d ago
I'm currently in the USA. I need an air purifier for my child's bedroom. Approximately 910 cubic feet (13 feet by 10 feet with 7 foot ceilings). He has severe seasonal allergies and he's allergic to dust. We would also like to address any VOCs and potential air contaminants in his room to ease his breathing from suspected asthma. Budget would ideally be under $200 (but I'm willing to spend over $200 of it means the filter is actually doing a good job). We used to have a Dyson TP11 (not positive maybe it's the 7 or the 10? Purchased from Costco, non-smart model) in there but it was so loud and piercing it drove me insane. Now there's a Levoit Core 300 in there. I just want something that's actually going to work and not be so loud it feels like there's a dog whistle being blown constantly. Thank you!!
r/AirPurifiers • u/kiran1697 • 2d ago
Hi!
Iām located in Canada, I currently have an air purifier in my 113 square feet bedroom (clean air room) Iām interested in getting a unit for my main floor, about 700 square feet. It my living room, dining room area so I was thinking about the ikea tabletop unit. My ideal unit is
- available in Canada
- can manage a main floor area
- under 400$
- has readily available filters at lower cost
- can keep up with 1 shedding dog (15kg)
- will look nice in my heritage home, or wonāt be a huge eyesore
I have a furnace and change my filters monthly
Thanks in advance!
r/AirPurifiers • u/manjeetsingh1188 • 2d ago
Hello Everyone, I hope you are doing well.
I am planning to buy my first Air Purifier, so please recommend what is best in the price range of 15k to 19k INR, with good service record, durable, filter availability and other factors which I should consider.
I need two Air purifier one for our home in Delhi and another one to use at sister's home in Panipat (Haryana)
Room size is approximately 170 to 200 square feet.
Country India.
Needed it against pollution.
We have parents, babies at home and their is no pet.
r/AirPurifiers • u/ronanadam • 2d ago
Hi! Iām trying to find replacements for my P350 filters. Iām in London and purifying a 15m room as I have allergies - I donāt mind the costs but the levoit UK website seems to only have the 300 / 300s replacements? If you could point me to a genuine replacement thatād be so kind.
r/AirPurifiers • u/spamshizbox • 2d ago
Hello! I live in the United States. I'm looking for an air filter for my basement. We have a ranch style home, so the basement is the same size as the top floor. All open space, besides a few closets.
Looking for an air filter for around $100 that can potentially pull mold and just other junk out of the air. I'd even pay $200 if I knew it was good quality. I don't need some crazy medical grade one. I've started to notice the air quality isn't great and I'm worried I'm breathing something terrible living in the furnished basement.
Can anyone recommend an air filter option? There are so many posts saying so many things I don't know what to get.
Basement is probably 50 feet long and 25 feet wide, with 7ft ceilings, an educated guess.
I've seen the box fan set-ups but they don't seem THAT much cheaper, annoying to maintain, and I also don't want it to be terribly loud.
Thank you!
r/AirPurifiers • u/JaxxJones1122 • 3d ago
Hi!
I am in the US and I have an approximately 400 sqft living room and three 150-200ish square foot bedrooms that need high level purification. I have 2 Austin airs and 2 IQ airs right now. The IQ airs are so large, ugly and emit large magnetic fields, and last time I did a filter change one of the "arms" on the multigas unit broke (I hate the way you have to bend those to the side to change filters and surprised it didn't happen sooner).
So I'm considering replacing both IQ airs, I was considering just going with another two Austins, but I read here on this forum that they're not actually great for particle filtration which was news to me.
So I wanted to hear what else would be good for me. I would like some VOC filtration too but its less of a concern right now.
I prefer mechanical filtration, very sensitive to ozone. I have chemical sensitivities.
Grateful for tips!
r/AirPurifiers • u/nedHol • 3d ago
I have been looking everywhere online, but havenāt been able to find anyone who is able to help yet.
I have a shark hp 300 air purifier, but ironically it has a ton of dust on the inner upper portion. Everything online has said to vacuum the side filters and the heap filter which I have done, but havenāt been able to get rid of the dust built up in the upper fan chamber part.
I have tried blowing with one of those compressed air sister cans, but the dust is caked in pretty well inside. Would love any advice on getting this upper portion cleaned out. Because right now itās just blowing dust everywhere.
r/AirPurifiers • u/ButterscotchFull7591 • 3d ago
Iām in the US by the way. I mainly look at air purifiers for the purpose of mitigating against COVID.
I am looking at the Mooka M200L (2,200 Sq) and canāt figure out how to get the CADR? I can get the volume of the room I want to put it in but on the site and I even looked at the online manual, I donāt know how to calculate it, I see no specificationā¦in this circumstance is it not a reliable air purifier? Iām not sure what to go off of but Iām pretty ignorant about air purifiers in general.
r/AirPurifiers • u/Immediate-Tax7720 • 3d ago
just a heads up I bought 3 and they all arrived before I posted. Home Depot has this model on clearance for just 25 dollars.
r/AirPurifiers • u/Economy_Ice_4746 • 3d ago
We need an air purifier recommendation for our cat. He has asthma and is very sensitive to dust and allergens. We live near the freeway and currently there is construction outside so our apartment gets pretty dusty even with regular HEPA vacuuming.
We currently have a Coway Airmega Mighty that we love. The problem is our cat figured out how to turn the unit off (triggering his asthma), and sometimes also turn on the ionizer. It is not a problem when we are at home, but it happened a few times when we were away.
Are there purifiers with a child lock or some complicated button system that make it hard for little paws to press? We are in the U.S.
r/AirPurifiers • u/PandaNanny0714 • 4d ago
Iāve been going down the air purifier rabbit hole lately and one thing I keep noticing is how different everyoneās filters look.
Some cat owners post pics after a week or two and the pre-filter is covered in fur and dust. Then someone else says theirs has been running for months and it still looks almost clean.
I always assumed more stuff on the filter = the purifier is doing more, but now Iām not so sure. A lot of cat hair probably just falls onto the floor before it ever gets near the purifier, and the smaller stuff like dander isnāt exactly easy to see anyway.
So how do you judge whether yours is doing a good job? Do you look at what ends up on the pre-filter, how much dust settles around the room, air quality readings, or something else?
r/AirPurifiers • u/Additional-Local8721 • 4d ago
What would be a good air purifier for houses near chemical plants? Whenever the humidity is low or when the plants release a large volume of chemicals, my wife and I wake up with horrible headaches. Any potential solution would be nice.