Air filters help to filter solid or gaseous particles from the air in order to improve air quality. Examples of two of the most common types of air filters are HEPA filters and activated carbon (or charcoal) filters. HEPA filters capture particulate pollution, and carbon filters capture gases. Learn more about the different type of air filters, their uses, and how to select the best here.
Wildfires create a serious amount of smoke and air pollution. Smoke that can cause short and long term health impacts. That’s why it’s important to know how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke is a form of air pollution. It contains dangerous VOC gases and small particles (PM2.5) … Read more
Can activated carbon filters remove formaldehyde and VOCs? Earlier tests from Smart Air found that carbon can reduce VOCs from cigarette smoke. But formaldehyde and VOCs in general are particular concern for many people. We put activated carbon filters to the test by ordering formaldehyde straight from the factory and … Read more
The term “HEPA filter” can be confusing. What does HEPA stand for? What is a HEPA filter made from, and what actually makes it a HEPA filter? What is a HEPA Filter? “HEPA” stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” (filter). It sounds complicated, but HEPA air filters are nothing fancy. They … Read more
Data shows face masks can protect you from COVID-19, but how about air purifiers? Can an air purifier with HEPA filters remove COVID-19 and other viruses? Can HEPA Filters Remove Viruses Such as COVID-19? To answer this question, we need to first answer if HEPA filters can capture particles as … Read more
New head-to-head test data from a citizen scientist finds that a simple, taped-together DIY purifier effectiveness is higher than a market-leading Swiss purifier. This data adds to an accumulation of data suggesting that the effective air purifiers need not be expensive. The Setup The underlying science of purifiers is simple: … Read more
Can you clean a HEPA filter? If so, how should you wash or clean a HEPA filter? These questions keep cropping up, as they’re just about the only remaining problem for HEPA filters. HEPA filters are almost perfect: they are backed by tons of scientific tests; they’re pretty cheap; they use … Read more
Most purifiers on the market come with a pre-filter. That would make one think that pre-filters must be a good thing, right? However, most purifier companies also love to selling people 6-stage filtration, or no – 7-stage filtration! But the science behind purifiers is surprisingly simple. Two types of … Read more
I thought about why air purifiers cost a lot because I was living in Beijing when the (first) “airpocalypse” struck. Here’s what it looked like: The High Price of Air Purifiers I went out to buy an air purifier, and found that the one I wanted cost $2,000! I worked … Read more
One of the biggest questions when I started doing the DIY was HEPA lifespan–how long do the HEPAs last? Rather than just give people a nice-sounding answer, I wanted to see what the data says, so Gus has been dutifully turning on his Original DIY every day in his 12.3m2 Beijing … Read more
News media like The New York Times and Today have been talking about using HEPA filters as a material to make DIY face masks. There are even YouTube videos showing how to DIY a mask out of a HEPA filter. But just how well can HEPA filters capture … Read more
