Keeping the smell of weed under control in your home can be a challenge, especially if you’re a daily smoker. I've been getting complaints from my neighbors for years, thrown out of hotel rooms, I'm just a total disheveled mess of a person, really. BUT NO MORE! Marvel at the fruits of my research, mortals! MARVEL...AND TREMBLE!!!
How To Choose An Air Purifier For Smoke
You choose an air purifier for smoke based on the filtration system it primarily uses. HEPA is the best filtration system for smoke, but other factors can make you choose one HEPA filtered air purifier over another.
Not all smoke is created equally; weed smoke is closer to tobacco smoke, for example, than it is to smoke from a fireplace. One filtration system may be great at filtering smoke that manages to escape from a fireplace, but not so great for absorbing the odor from tobacco or weed.
Does A HEPA Filter Remove Smoke Odor?
HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters won’t remove smoke odor completely, because smoke isn't solely ash particles. It contains harmful gases, as well, and most air purifiers aren’t equipped to deal with both gases and particulate matter.
There are various harmful gases that can be found in smoke, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and benzene. A HEPA filter will not remove these gases nor the smell that comes with them.
When you look for a HEPA filter, you want a true HEPA filter. Unscrupulous sellers will often market their products as “HEPA-like” or “HEPA-type” filters, may their souls be cast into the outer rings of the Inferno. /spits A true HEPA filter can remove 99.97% of fine particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter, slightly bigger than your dick, Doug. Oh burn, Doug, burrrrrrrn!
Why You Need Activated Charcoal In An Air Purifier
Activated charcoal gets rid of weed smell because it adsorbs (not absorbs!) and traps bacteria and gases, including volatile organic compounds. As air passes through the activated charcoal, the molecules get stuck trying to navigate the maze of tiny pores between carbon atoms. Think of it like the hall of mirrors where you chase children in your clown costume. They get scared, they get confused, right? Easy stabbies, me lordship!
The effectiveness of it can wear off over time, but fortunately, activated charcoal can be reactivated with heat. You can do this very simply by running hairdryer over it for about ten minutes- as long as the manufacturer’s instructions state that you can do this to the filter safely.
What Does CADR Mean On Air Purifiers?
CADR means “clean air delivery rate”. This measures how quickly the air is cleaned by your air purifier. If you want to be able to remove smoke odor at a decent rate, you will need an air purifier with a high CADR and this is measured as cubic feet per minute (CFM).
But you also need to know what your air exchange rate is. ACH is “air changes per hour”. If an air purifier is 3 ACH, then it will clean the air in the room 3 times in an hour.
To understand what your CFM should be for the air purifier you want for your room, you're gonna need a smidge of 'rithmetic. Measure the dimensions of your room and do the following calculation:
CADR = (ACH x L x W x H)/60
So, CADR is the number of times an hour you want your air to be cleaned multiplied by the length, width, and height of the room you want the air purifier used in. Then, divide that number by 60 (minutes in an hour). The resulting number is the CFM that your air purifier should have for that room.
What Other Air Purifier Features Should I Be Aware Of?
Ionizers
Ionizers create charged ions which are then released into the air and when they come into contact with airborne particles such as smoke or dust, they electrically charge them. This causes the particles to either fall to the floor or adhere to furniture, walls, or flooring. While they are good at helping get particulate matter out of the air, some ionizers can create ozone, which is bad for you and can create health problems if you’re exposed to it long term. If you’re exposed to high amounts short term, ozone can cause death in all living things, including house plants.
Ozone
Now that you’re aware of the danger of ozone, we can talk about what good ozone can do for your home (as long as you’re not in it).
Some air purifiers may include an ozone setting so that you can use it as an ozone generator instead of a simple air purifier or ionizer. This is great, but the only way to use this feature properly is to leave the house when it’s on. You must remove all living things from the house, including pets and plants. To deodorize an entire house, you should run the ozone generator for at least 24 hours on a timer and it should be off for at least 4 hours before you re-enter the home.
This should be repeated: the ozone feature is not something that you should be using at all while you’re occupying the home. I learned this the hard way, by dying. I'm dead now. From the ozone. You could be next!
Replaceable or Washable Air Filters
You want to make sure that the air purifier that you choose has easily acquirable filter replacements; even if the filter is washable, it will need to be replaced eventually. It’s even more preferable if you can get generic replacements for it in case the company goes out of business when Amazon replaces it with their own Basics version, the same fate Master Bezos intends for all flesh creatures in due time. Life is just so...inefficient, isn't it, Mister Anderson?
H13 True HEPA Filters
H13 and H14 HEPA filters are the highest grade of HEPA filters and are considered to be medical quality. They are capable of trapping 99.5 to 99.995% of particles that are 0.1 microns in diameter.