No the ionizer produces negative ions and negative ions do not give off ozone, but in fact are beneficial in helping the filter clean the air. Negative ions bond with particulates on a molecular level which make them bigger in mass to get trapped by the HEPA filter, so it's a good thing to keep on for the cleanest air.
#2 How does this handle strong pet oder. i mean did i walk into a house or a catbox cat oder?
It doesn't handle orders very well especially for the price a much cheaper version will work the same on orders
#3 The manual mentions a black pre-filter that can be vacuumed, but that was not included with the device. How can I get one?
I would contact BreathSmart directly and ask. I have one air purifier that has the white filter and a smaller unit that has black, I vacuum both just so I know it works with no issues. I have two large bred cats, Ragdolls.
#4 Would the hepa filter help with lead dust from paint in an old house?
Yes, if the lead dust is airborne (scraping or sanding something with lead based paint), our purifiers would help remove suspended particles. It will not address standing lead, or lead paint concerns (no airborne particles).
#5 Anyone else have issue with foul odor from filter?
We are sorry to hear if you have some issue with the OdorCell filter. You would try to run the unit at maximum speed to burn out the filter.