Vent Filters to Remove Smoke Odors

Activated Carbon Filters

• Activated carbon filters are often called "charcoal filters." These vent filters are installed in either your air conditioning or furnace unit and not only help remove smoke odors, but also other unpleasant household smells such as pet or garbage odors. Activated carbon is created when charcoal is treated with a high-heat process, which creates millions of pores in the charcoal, where contaminants can be trapped. Despite their superior smoke odor removing capability, activated carbon filters are not as efficient in trapping dust particulates as standard pleated vent filters.

Carbon Pads

• For home or building odors where smoke odor and dust removal is a concern, another vent filter option is carbon pads. Carbon pads are installed with the normal pleated filter pad. This allows for smoke odor removal with the carbon, while also using the pleated filter to trap dust and other particulates that are often uncaptured with activated carbon filters. Although this is a superior particulate removing set up than the activated carbon filter, carbon pads are less effective in smoke odor removal than the activated carbon filters.

Outside Venting

• Although vent filters attached to a building's HVAC can significantly reduce the odor from smoke is through direct ventilation to the outside of the building. These ventilation systems are much like the exhaust fan systems found in bathrooms. A powerful fan pulls air from the immediate area and exhausts it directly outside, instead of recirculating it, as with an HVAC system. When placed directly over the source of smoke (such as a smoking area) this is a very effective way of minimizing smoke odors in the rest of the building.

UV Filtration

• A more recent entry into ventilation filtration to reduce smoke odors is the whole house UV filtration system. UV vent filters utilize an ultraviolet light source, often in combination with an ozone generator. The UV light is installed at the supply side or cold air return for the HVAC system. The light sterilizes the air removing not only smoke odors, but also killing bacteria, mold, viruses, pollen and more. However, to be fully effective, the fan must be run on the system all of the time, even when heating or air conditioning is not necessary.