Activated carbon filters aren’t only used for air purifiers. Activated carbon has been long used as a filter in many areas: air, water, and even as a detox for your organism.
But what is a carbon filter, and is it the best filter for an air purifier?
Key Takeaways
- Carbon is so effective as a filter because of its porous material.
- Carbon is so natural and pure that it can be ingested and can be used to detox your body.
- When Carbon is injected with hot air or gas, it becomes activated.
- Activated carbon filters are often utilized in combination with other filters to make it more effective.
Why Is Carbon Effective As A Filter?
The reason why carbon is so effective as a filter is because it is a porous material.
When water or air passes through a slice of carbon, particles remain trapped in their pores. Consequently, they are therefore removed from the water or air.
It is so effective that it can be used as a detox for your organism: when you ingest some carbon, toxins and impurities are trapped in the pores and are removed from your blood flow.
The fact that we can ingest carbon lets us also understand how this is a 100% natural material. 1
What Is Carbon And What Does “Activated Carbon” Mean?
Carbon is the result of the combustion or decay of natural material (for example, wood).
When we speak of activated carbon, however, we are speaking of some carbon that has undergone a process that makes it even more effective as a filter.
In particular, activated carbon is injected with hot air, carbon dioxide, and steam.
This process is very effective in increasing the surface area of carbon: pores become bigger and are able to trap more molecules. 2
Are Carbon Filters The Best Filters For Air Purifiers?
Carbon filters are effective as air purifiers if what you want to remove from the air is smells or gases.
On the contrary, it is not effective in removing harmful particles such as bacteria or pollutants. Why is that so?
Every air particle has a size, and activated carbon filters are capable of trapping only relatively big air particles, such as – as we’ve mentioned – smells or gases.
If you need an air purifier because you live next to a restaurant’s kitchen or for your kitchen, then an activated carbon air purifier will be very effective.
If this is the use you need to make of your air purifier, carbon filters are your best option even because they are the cheapest you can find.
However, if you need a deeper purification, you’ll need a bigger budget.
A HEPA filter is recommended if you need to remove pollutants or other pathogens. And UV filters are recommended if your first preoccupation is bacteria or viruses. 3
Read: Air Quality Index
Multi-Layer Filters
Activated carbon filters are often utilized in combination with other filters. This makes the overall air filtration process even more effective.
Activated carbon filters are often utilized with HEPA filters, for example.
Conclusion
Activated carbon filters are simple and affordable. However, they are only effective in particular cases.
An important advantage of activated carbon filters is that they can be washed: this is another opportunity of saving money!
FAQ’s
Is Carbon filter better or HEPA?
A combination of both is better because both these filters serve different purposes. HEPA is effective in removing bigger particles like mold, pollen, dust mites, etc. In contrast, carbon filters are effective in removing odor and gaseous material from the air.
Which is the best filter for air purifiers?
True-HEPA filters are the best for air purifiers as it helps in capturing big particles present in the air.
What is the life span of Carbon filters?
Carbon filters lasts for 3-5 years.
Kylie has been studying air purifiers for the last 20 years and is an expert in the field. She tests and reviews different air purifiers, letting people know they are worth buying. Kylie writes blogs about the latest air purifiers, their features, health benefits, and more. When she’s not writing or spending time with her granddaughter, Kylie can be found testing new air purifiers to see how they perform.
ARTICLE SOURCES
The National Planning Cycles is committed to producing high-quality content that follows industry standards. We do this by using primary sources, such as white papers and government data alongside original reporting from reputable publishers that were appropriate for the accuracy of information while still being unbiased. We have an editorial policy that includes verifiable facts with due credit given where applicable.
- https://www.filtrete.com/3M/en_US/filtrete/home-tips/full-story/~/how-it-works-carbon-filter/?storyid=96a8db3c-5c93-4c8a-b12c-26e632af88ff#:~:text=Carbon%20filters%20trap%20odors%20through,than%20being%20soaked%20into%20it.[↩]
- https://sodimate-inc.com/activated-carbon-types-applications-advantages/[↩]
- https://filterbuy.com/resources/carbon-air-filters-vs-traditional-air-filters/[↩]