Air Purification & Carbon Odor Removal

People suffering from asthma, allergies and other health issues often purchase air purification systems to improve air quality. While many purifiers excel at air-particulate removal, only carbon filters adequately remove odors and other gaseous substances from the air.

Types

• Air filters are sold as portable units and whole-house versions installed in a central HVAC system. Types include ozone generators, electrostatic precipitators, ionizers and mechanical air filters. Some mechanical purifiers utilize High Efficiency Particle Arrestance, or HEPA filters, often considered the gold standard in air filtration even though they only remove particles, not gaseous pollutants, from the air.

Function

• Mechanical purifiers fitted with activated carbon filters neutralize gaseous pollutants and odors such as tobacco smoke and chemical fumes. A fan draws air through the filter and vast numbers of highly absorbent microscopic chambers in the carbon trap the contaminants.

Considerations

• To help a type of air purification system work better, reduce the amount of outdoor air pollution in the home by sealing cracks around doors and windows and in duct work of central air systems.