Do Air Purifiers Remove Smoke?

Smoke comprises particles and gaseous pollutants and can arise from fire or drugs that need ignition to be administered. Examples of these drugs include marijuana, cigars, and cigarettes.

Do air purifiers remove smoke? This simple answer is: Yes they do. However, it’s a bit complicated because not all air purifiers can help you out if you need to eradicate smoke from your home or office.

Today, we answer this question in depth since you can have an air purifier that still struggles to eliminate smoke from the air. So, the main point of this article is to let you know what to look for when searching for the best air purifier for smoke.

Sources of Smoke in Homes

The most common source of indoor smoke is second-hand smoke from smoking cigars or cigarettes. The smoke from burning tobacco or cigarettes contains thousands of chemicals, and most of these chemicals are dangerous to human health.

Fire smoke from burning charcoal or firewood can also invade the house through ventilators, doors, and windows. Thus, the air becomes dirty and poses a risk to your health. High-risk people from smoke include the elderly, expectant mothers, infants, young children, and people with chronic health conditions.

Also, with the legalization of marijuana in most places, it is becoming a more common source of smoke indoors. To help with that, we have reviewed the best air purifiers for weed smoke in Canada.

Another common source of smoke is wildfire. If you live in an area that experiences wildfires, you must be looking for a long-term solution. And buying a good air purifier can go a long way to helping you solve this issue to a large extent.

Related: Best Air Purifier Canada

How to Identify the Best Air Purifier for Smoke

If you are facing this challenge, you must be looking for a solution to the problem. Probably, if you have an air purifier in your home, the main question is, do Air purifiers remove smoke?

Yes, an air purifier can remove smoke. However, most air purifiers are not designed to eradicate gaseous pollutants. So, what factors should you consider when shopping for the best air purifier for smoke? Let’s find out…

1. Look for an air purifier with an activated carbon filter

First of all, a good air purifier must have a HEPA filter or a True HEPA filter. HEPA stands for Highly Efficient Particulate Arrestor. HEPA filters capture and trap up to 99.97% of all airborne pollutants.

However, smoke particles are very fine and you need an extra type of air filter. And that is where the activated carbon filter comes in. Using an air purifier during the continuous smoking process is the most suitable way to trap the chemicals and odours of second-hand smoke before they spread.

Activated carbon has an exceptional ability to absorb gases and the smell that passes through it. So, you can be sure that your home will be free from smoke, gases, odours, fumes, and volatile organic compounds.

With the combination of HEPA and activated carbon filters, you can achieve satisfactory results.

For a carbon filter to absorb fumes effectively, the speed of air is crucial. The slower the dirty air travels through the carbon, the better the results. It can also mean that the longer the air stays on the carbon passing, the more the smell, fumes, and gases are absorbed.

It is, therefore, advisable to look for an air purifier that has a thick carbon layer for better results.

2. Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)

Clean Air Delivery Rate indicates how quickly an air purifier can clean the air in a particular room. Usually, CADR ratings are provided for the most common pollutants – smoke, dust, and pollen.

So, you should look for an air purifier with the highest smoke CADR rating possible. The higher the CADR rating, the more effective the filtration of smoke will be.

3. Air Changes per Hour (ACH)

How many times does the air purifier clean all the air in the room per hour? This figure is what we call ACH. An air purifier that cleans the air several times per hour is the best choice.

So, when comparing two or more models, go for the one with the highest ACH rating.

4. Recommended room coverage

The manufacturer will always indicate the maximum size of the room in which you can optimally use the air purifier. So, measure the size of your rooms before going out to buy an air purifier.

For example, it would be pointless to buy an air purifier that is ideal for a 200 square-foot room while your smallest room measure 400 sq. ft.

Conclusion

Do air purifiers remove smoke? Yes, they do. Air purifiers can help remove smoke particles, odours, and capture harmful chemical components. However, they are not 100 percent effective in clearing smoke but clean air significantly.

Also, not all air purifiers can remove smoke effectively. There are a few things to consider when buying an air purifier to combat smoke. The most important component that the air purifier should have is activated carbon.

Also, note that second-hand smoke settles on surfaces and eventually is not filtered. Therefore, air purifiers cannot clear all the smoke in a particular room. Ultimately, the best solution is to avoid smoking inside the house.