Which Air Filter is Better: HEPA or Carbon?

When it comes to air purification, there are two main types of filters: HEPA and carbon. HEPA filters are better at removing larger physical particles such as pollen, dust mites, mold and other allergens, while carbon filters are better at removing odors, smoke and other gaseous particles. Fortunately, quite a few brands of air purifiers use both HEPA and charcoal filters, but they can be a little more expensive. You would think that the HEPA filter is all you need, but you also need an activated carbon filter. Carbon filters eliminate bad odors from the air (room).

The technology behind this system is very different from what is used with HEPA filters. In HEPA filters, the fiber is brought together to trap, intercept, and trap air particles moving through the filter. But in carbon filters, there is no entrapment. Smoke, gas and bad odor are eliminated by carbon, which reacts with the unwanted odor and simply absorbs it.

The outlet is clean, fresh air with a bad smell removed. But there is a small problem. Both carbon filters and HEPA systems offer incredible capabilities when it comes to removing hazardous contaminants in your home or office, but there are also some differences between them. Essentially, carbon-based filters are excellent at trapping fumes and odors. However, they are not as good with particles.

Therefore, when analyzing HEPA vs. Carbon filters, your decision may depend on the pollutants you are working with. You may even need both types of filters. When it comes to fume extractors and indoor air purifiers, carbon filters are often preferred because they can trap odors in the room. However, carbon-based filtration systems do not remove particulates and allergens very well.

Therefore, a mixed filtration system is usually the best in industrial applications. To learn more about your options for welding fume extractors and air purifiers for VOCs, talk to IP Systems USA. Now that you understand the different types of air filtration, the first step is to identify which contaminants you are trying to remove. Having an idea of what you want to remove, you can choose the most effective air filter to do it. For example, if you smoke cigarettes, a single HEPA filter will not be enough.

An activated carbon filter will be more effective at eliminating odors. If you are more interested in removing allergens such as dust, bacteria, pet dander and mold, it is recommended to buy a purifier with a HEPA filter because they are more effective at removing larger particles. But how much carbon should the filter have? If it says 10 or more pounds of activated charcoal, that's fine. In most cases, the HEPA filter enters the air filtration chamber first, followed by the carbon filter. In short, HEPA filters are capable of removing dust and other allergens such as mold while carbon filters are capable of filtering smoke, fumes and other chemicals. HEPA filters are particularly effective at removing odors as well as the smallest particles of dust and contaminants.

HEPA filter media is best for combating microscopic particles in the air including tobacco smoke particles, wildfire smoke particles, household dust, tree grass pollen & mold spores pet dander and more. If the device you're considering is described as a True HEPA air purifier it will most likely also offer carbon filtration. This 3-in-1 cartridge filter consists of a pre-filter a HEPA filter and a carbon filter in the same medium. HEPA filters remove 99.97% of air pollutants that are 0.3 microns in size making these filters highly effective at disinfecting air. HEPA filters can be more expensive although there are operating benefits that can offset those costs depending on your budget and your needs. What many people don't realize is that there are differences between HEPA and charcoal filters (also known as charcoal) in terms of air purification. To have an effective air purifier that can remove all kinds of bad odors and even some dangerous chemicals you need to have a large carbon filter that is capable of absorbing significant amounts of bad odor.

Therefore it is recommended to get a HEPA air purifier if you suffer from allergies or have problems with asthma or bronchitis. Before you spend your hard-earned money remember that simple technologies (such as fibers and carbon) already clean the air and are quite cheap. But do activated carbon filters remove carbon dioxide? No carbon filters are extremely limited when it comes to carbon dioxide removal. For example this study found that carbon filters captured different chemical gases anywhere between 5% and 60% in a single pass sometimes lower.

Robert Smisek
Robert Smisek

Total twitter nerd. Typical food trailblazer. Avid food practitioner. Unapologetic web junkie. Freelance twitter evangelist. Passionate food advocate.

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