What to Look For in a Smoke Purifier
A smoke purifier can help with both airborne particles and odors. It’s important that it has a high CADR rating and carbon filter.
For example, the Levoit LV-H135 has a CADR rating of 360 and covers a large area. It also has a 3-stage filtration system and uses 45W or less of electricity.
HEPA Filtration
A HEPA filter works like a fine mesh that traps harmful allergens and irritants. These include smoke, dust mites, pet dander, and mold. The filters use three mechanisms to trap these particles. One is impact, where the particles crash into the fibers and are absorbed. Another is interception, where particles that move along the airstream stick to a fiber. At lower airflow speeds, some particles get trapped through diffusion.
The third mechanism, impaction, is the most powerful. This is when the smallest air particles embed themselves into the fibers of the filter. The most effective smoke purifiers feature HEPA filters that are rated with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of at least 8.0, which means they can remove up to 99% of smoke and other tiny pollutants from the air.
These filters can be found in commercial and home units that are designed to tackle smoke damage and odors caused by smoking, vaporizers, and cigars. In addition to a HEPA air cleaner, these units can be equipped with granular activated charcoal air filters that take care of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which are partially responsible for the smoky odor in cigarette and cigar smoke.
These units are ideal for restaurants, cigar smoke purifier bars, welding facilities, and other workplaces that have high levels of cigarette or cigar smoke. They also work well for residential spaces that need to be restored after smoke damage or renovations.
Carbon Filtration
Activated carbon filters, also known as charcoal filters, remove odors and volatile organic compounds (VOC) from smoke. These are molecular level pollutants that can cause a variety of respiratory problems for smokers and non-smokers alike.
The activated carbon in these filters is a special material that has been injected with heat and steam to open up more of its pores, giving it more surface area to attract and bind to gas pollutants. This is called ad-sorption, and it is what makes carbon so effective for filtering.
This process is what separates charcoal from standard cigarette tips, which are often referred to as cardboard roaches. The ad-sorption of the carbon in these filters gives you clean, mellow smoke that tastes great and is healthier for your lungs.
In addition to removing odors from tobacco smoke, carbon filters can also be used for cannabis smoke. This is because carbon binds to many of the harmful chemicals in cannabis smoke, including carcinogens and tar.
These same toxins can be absorbed by our lungs and remain lodged in the alveolar cells for years to come, which is why it’s important to use a high-quality filter like a charcoal one when smoke purifier smoking cannabis or tobacco. These filters can help you avoid lung disease, as well as a wide range of other respiratory illnesses.
Odor Removal
Using an air purifier that has both an activated carbon filter and real HEPA filter can help remove odors in addition to improving the overall air quality in your home. Air fresheners that use cyclodextrin, such as Febreeze, can also aid in eliminating smoke odors.
To remove stale cigarette odors from fabrics, sprinkle your carpeting with baking soda, leave it for an hour or two and then vacuum the area. Repeat this several times as needed until the odor is gone. For rugs, draperies and upholstery, you can launder items with a white vinegar rinse. This nontoxic liquid’s low pH “attacks” the malodorous molecules, reducing their strength.
For books, decorative items and clothing that can’t be washed, place them in a garbage bag with one cup of baking soda. Seal the bag and let it sit for a few hours to eliminate stale smoke smell. Hanging curtains and draperies in the sun for a few hours is another great way to neutralize smoky smells. However, intense sunlight can fade some dyes and delicate fabrics, so be careful when doing this.
Purchasing an ozone generator is one of the more expensive options for smoking odor removal, but it can work wonders in hotels, rental homes, apartment complexes and casinos. It releases ozone molecules that penetrate surfaces and break down smoke particles, leaving behind only clean air.
Energy Efficiency
Air purifiers consume energy to run and they use electricity to operate their fans. Choosing an energy efficient smoke air purifier can cut your power bills. Look for a model with low running costs and a high CADR rating.
The best air purifiers for smoke will have a genuine Hepa filter that filters down to 0.1 microns or below. It’s also a good idea to opt for a model with a carbon filter as well. Carbon filters contain porous activated charcoal with a vast surface area. It’s this that adsorbs odorous pollution including smoke odour (in gas form). Most specialist air purifiers like the Blueair Classic 205 Smokestop and the powerful Medify MA-112 contain around a kilo of genuine activated carbon. The amount of carbon in the filter is directly related to how much odour is adsorbed.
The other key factor in determining how effective an air purifier is at removing smoke and other chemicals, is its fan strength. Some models have weak fans that simply can’t draw all the smoky air into its filter fast enough. You can check this by looking for the advertised room size the machine is designed for. Always take this figure with a pinch of salt and ask the manufacturer how many actual air changes it can provide per hour in a given space.
