Skip to main content
Find A Dealer

Do Air Purifiers Help with Smell?

 
Air purifiers are popular for enhancing indoor air quality and creating a fresher environment. But do air purifiers help with smell? This article delves into how air purifiers tackle common household smells, provides tips for selecting the right air purifier, and offers guidance on maintaining fresh indoor air.
a homeowner researches do air purifiers help with smell on tablet in chair


Common Household Smells

Household smells can vary from delightful to unpleasant. Identifying these smells is key to effectively eliminating odors with air purifiers. Here are some common household odors:

Cooking Odors

While the aroma of a delicious meal can be enjoyable, sometimes these smells linger long after cooking.

Pet Odors

Furry friends can leave behind persistent smells that may require extra attention to eliminate.

Tobacco Smoke 

Indoor smoking can leave a strong, stale smell that permeates furniture, carpets, and walls.

Mold and Mildew

Damp areas like bathrooms or basements can develop mold and mildew, causing musty odors. These smells linger because tiny particles become suspended in the air and settle on surfaces, making them difficult to remove completely. This is where air purifiers can be incredibly helpful. Learn more about the best air purifier for mold.
 

Do air purifiers remove smells? 

Do air purifiers remove smells? Yes, they can, especially if they utilize activated carbon filtration. Air purifiers help with smells and odors by filtering out airborne particles and gases that contribute to unpleasant scents. The primary mechanism by which air purifiers remove odors is through adsorption, which is a process where molecules stick to the surface of a filter, particularly the activated carbon filter.
 
Activated carbon is a material that has been specially processed to have a large surface area with many tiny pores. These pores trap volatile organic compounds (VOCs), gases, and odorous molecules.
 
When air passes through the activated carbon filter, the odorous molecules, such as those from cooking smells, pet odors, smoke, and chemicals, get adsorbed onto the carbon's surface. This prevents the molecules from circulating back into the room, significantly reducing unpleasant odors.
 
Activated carbon is especially effective at adsorbing gases, which are often responsible for smells. It works well for a variety of odors, including cooking smells (onions, garlic), pet odors, tobacco smoke, and even more complex smells like mildew or paint fumes.
 

Important Features When Buying An Air Purifier To Help With Smell

Type of Filtration System

The type of filter in an air purifier is crucial in determining its effectiveness against odors. Key filter types include:


Activated Carbon Filter 

This is the most important filter for removing odors. Activated carbon has a large surface area that can adsorb gases, chemicals, and odors from the air, including smoke, pet smells, cooking odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Bryant’s Carbon Air Purifier with UV comes with an activated carbon filter.


HEPA Filter (High-Efficiency Particulate Air)

While HEPA filters are excellent for capturing airborne particles like dust, pollen, and pet dander, they are not effective for odors. However, HEPA filters are often combined with activated carbon filters in air purifiers for comprehensive air cleaning.


Pre-Filter

Pre-filters help capture larger particles like dust and hair before they reach the main filters. This can extend the life of your other filters and improve the overall effectiveness of the air purifier.


UV-C Light or Ionizer

Some air purifiers include a UV-C light or ionizer to kill bacteria, viruses, or mold, which can also contribute to bad smells. However, ionizers can sometimes produce ozone, which might not be suitable for people with respiratory issues. Bryant’s Carbon Air Purifier with UV comes with a UV light.

Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) Rate

The ACH rate indicates how many times the air purifier can filter the air in a room in one hour. For dealing with odors, you'll want a higher ACH rate, as this ensures more frequent cleaning of the air. A good ACH rate for odor removal is typically 4-6 times per hour, which ensures the air in the room is being purified regularly.

Size and Coverage Area

Air purifiers are designed to handle specific room or home sizes, and choosing one that suits your space is essential. The manufacturer usually provides a recommended square footage for effective odor removal. Be sure to match the air purifier to the size of the space where you want to eliminate smells.
 

Bryant Carbon Air Purifier With UV For Smell

The Carbon Air Purifier with UV helps maintain a healthier home through air purification targeting the reduction of unwanted odors, volatile organic compounds, and common household gases from indoor air. It aids in the reduction of microorganism, e.g., mold, fungi, bacteria and viruses, growth on the evaporative coil1 , and release into recirculated indoor air.2 The Carbon Air Purifier with UV provides continuous treatment while your HVAC system is running so you can enjoy a healthier home
 
This whole-home treatment provides dual technology through a carbon core and UVC bulb. It reduces VOCs/odors that are circulated through your HVAC system and provides ongoing surface treatment on your system’s evaporator coil. It requires continual operation of your system such as continuous fan mode.
 
Additionally, it provides germicidal reduction for microorganism release into recirculated air and surface mount bacteria and viruses. Based on placement, it can also help with buildup of microorganism growth on your indoor cooling coil.
 
This unit works within your home’s ductwork to reduce ozone in recirculated air. It also helps address the reduction of common, unwanted, and potentially harmful household gases and odors.
graphic shows how bryant air purifiers help with smell

Maintenance and Features

It is easy to maintain, requiring replacement of the carbon core each year and UV bulb every two years. You have the option to add an additional UV light for even greater surface coverage on your cooling coil. A green status light lets you know that your carbon air purifier is working properly. 

Warranty

To the original owner, the Carbon Air Purifier with UV is covered by a 10-year parts limited warranty upon timely registration. The limited warranty period is five years if not registered within 90 days of installation except in jurisdictions where warranty benefits cannot be conditioned upon registration. See warranty certificate for complete details and restrictions.
 

Tips for Maintaining Fresh Indoor Air

While air purifiers can help with smell, proper ventilation is crucial for maintaining fresh indoor air. Periodically opening windows and doors allows fresh air to circulate and helps remove stale odors. Using exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens can effectively eliminate odors and prevent them from spreading throughout the house.
 
However, ventilation alone may not be sufficient to combat persistent indoor odors. Additional steps can further reduce indoor odors:
  • Regularly clean and vacuum your home to remove dust, dirt, and allergens that contribute to unpleasant smells.
  • Keep garbage and recycling bins tightly sealed to prevent odors from permeating the air.
  • Avoid smoking indoors, as it can leave a strong and lingering smell. 
  • Limit the use of chemical-based cleaning products and opt for natural alternatives.
  • Regularly change air filters in your HVAC system to remove particles and odors from the air. 
 

Contact Your Bryant Dealer For An Air Purifier To Help With Smell

Do air purifiers remove odors? Absolutely, and using air purifiers specifically designed to eliminate odors can significantly improve indoor air quality. So, will an air purifier help with odors? Yes, it will. Schedule an appointment with your local Bryant dealer to get the Carbon Air Purifier with UV installed in your home. 
 

Learn More About Air Purifiers

1 The efficacy of the Carbon Air Purifier with UV (UVCAPXXC2015) to remove Aspergillus niger (97%), Penicillium citrinum (>99.99%), Escherichia coli (>99%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (>99.9999%), Coronavirus 229E (95%) and MS-2 bacteriophage (>99.99%) from treated surfaces after 24 hours was demonstrated in an ASTM E3135-18 test conducted by a third-party laboratory under ambient temperature and humidity conditions.
2The efficacy of the Carbon Air Purifier with UV (UVCAPXXC2015) to remove a surrogate airborne pathogen, MS-2 bacteriophage, was demonstrated with a decay rate (k) of 0.162860 and Clean Air Deliver Rate (CADR) of 130.6 cfm in 60 minutes in a chamber test conducted by a third-party laboratory using a 1007 ft3 chamber with an airflow of 1,220 cfm, test temperature of 74-77°F and relative humidity of 45.1-46.6%.
 
Chat-Icon