All About The Carbon Air Filter

A carbon air filter is an affordable, highly effective way to keep the air in your home clean. Most air purifiers use activated carbon to filter impurities from the air. Carbon air filters are also available for furnaces and air handlers. The carbon inside the air filter is actually a charcoal product that's been specially treated to open up its surface pores and make it more absorbent. Contaminants pulled from the air are then trapped into the air filter and neutralized.

There's a long list of impurities and contaminants that a carbon air filter can remove from the air, including:

* Dust

* Pollen

* Certain types of gases

* Chemicals

* Allergens

Pet dander

* Pollutants

A carbon air filter can also help in a home where odors are an issue. In homes where there are smokers, pets, or poor cooks, prone to occasional mishaps, a carbon air filter can neutralize those odors and help keep a home smelling clean.

What are the Benefits of Using a Carbon Air Filter?

Does someone in your home struggle with allergies, asthma, or a similar condition? If so, a carbon air filter can help by removing dust, pollen, and other allergens from the air.

Carbon Air filters can also absorb airborne chemicals, like the ones found in household cleaners. This is great for those who have chemical sensitivities.

Even those who don't suffer from any specific condition will benefit from a carbon air filter because clean air can help you to feel healthier and more energetic.

Also, those with dogs or cats know what it's like when pet smells are pretty strong and company comes over. It can be pretty embarrassing when there are strong odors in the air. Fortunately, a carbon air filter can help remove those embarrassing odors. Your visitors might not even realize you have a dog or a cat in your home.

Choosing a Carbon Air Filter

The type of air filter you choose will depend on your specific needs. Some filters are particulary suggested for those dealing with an odor problem. Others are suggested for households where one or more family members suffer from allergies. There are also air filters designed to purify the air throughout a home. There are also portable, "spot filters," which are smaller air filters designed to filter the air in just a single room.

When choosing a carbon air filter, check its MERV ratings. Filters are graded on a scale of 1 to 16. The higher the rating, the more efficient a filter is at removing certain particles and pollutants from the air. The filters found in most homes have a MERV rating of between 1 and 4. But, those who want something more powerful should choose a filter with a MERV rating of 8 or higher. Due to the impregnated carbon in a filter, the carbon air filter will have a MERV rating no higher than 8.

No matter which type of carbon air filter you choose, you need to know when it has to be replaced. Eventually, the filter will have trapped so many contaminants that it won't be able to hold anymore and will lose its effectiveness. Typically, a carbon air filter will need to be replaced every one to three months. However, some air filters can last longer.