6 Best Air Purifier for VOCs and Formaldehyde in 2023

There are many types of air purifiers in the market that may or may not help with indoor chemical fumes. Look into each one carefully and choose the one that fits your bill.

• Filtered air purifier - The safest and most recommended type of air purifier to tackle airborne chemicals. Most models come with a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and a deodorizing activated carbon filter (must-have) that remove particulates effectively without adding more harmful back to the air.
• Ionizer - Create an electrical field of negative ions that attract positive ions pollutants in the air. The contaminants will fall from the increased weight and adhere to the surface ground. An electrostatic precipitator works like an ionizer but comes with an additional collector plate to capture the contaminants. Both are not effective against smoke particles.
• UV/ PCO air purifier - Uses a safe wavelength of UV-C light and/ or titanium dioxide to kill microorganisms permanently. Like ionization, it is not effective against chemical fumes.
• Ozone generator - The worst option that no one should consider picking. Instead of removing VOCs and formaldehyde, it releases even more harmful ozone gases that will form newer chemicals to make matter worst.

What Are VOCs And Why Are They Dangerous?

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a group of organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. The chemicals are colorless, sometimes odorless, depending on the mixed products. VOCs can be found in a wide array of household products, such as paints, varnishes, caulks, adhesives, vinyl flooring, foam, and composite wood products. Home & personal care products include wax, perfume, air fresheners, cleaning/ disinfecting products, cosmetics, fuel oil, gasoline, carpet, upholstery, and furniture. Activities such as smoking, cooking, dry cleaning, photocopiers, remodeling, painting, hobbies, or burning wood will also off-gas VOCs. There are three groups of VOCs assigned by the boiling point of each chemical: Vry Volatile Organic Compounds (VVOCs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and Semi Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs). Common VOCs that can be found in our daily lives include formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene glycol, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, xylene, and 1,3-butadiene.

VOCs are dangerous that can pose huge health problems when inhaled. During inhalation, VOC molecules will travel into our lungs, spread through the bloodstream, and the body’s soft tissues. Every chemical in VOCs has a different level of toxicity with adverse health effects. Children and elderly are at a higher risk due to their weakened immune systems. VOCs also contribute to the formation of Tropospheric ozone and smog. Tropospheric ozone is a reaction between nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. During the winter season, VOCs are responsible for causing smog formation due to temperature inversion.

Can VOCs Make You Sick?

Breathing in VOCs can make you sick, particularly in people with asthma or Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) disease. Acute/short-term exposures to VOCs can cause breathing difficulty, headache, nausea, dizziness, loss of coordination, aggravating asthma, eyes, nose, and throat irritation. Chronic/long-term exposure to VOCs arises to health effects from cancer to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. As Volatile organic compounds can easily become gases or vapors, the health effects risk varies depending on the type of chemicals, exposures, and the volume in the air. Since VOCs may or may not be odorless, you should not use the smell as a health risk indicator.

What Level Of VOC Is Dangerous?

Less than 0.3 mg/m3 of TVOC concentration level is considered safe. TVOC concentration level between 0.3 to 0.5 mg/m3 is acceptable.TVOC level between 0.5 to 1 mg/m3 is considerably high and TVOC concentration level from 1 mg/m3 onwards is very dangerous and should cause concern. TVOC stands for total VOC or total volatile organic compounds. It is a common reporting term for grouping multiple organic chemical compounds present in the air or emissions. TVOC is measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3), milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb).

How To Remove VOCs And Formaldehyde From Indoor Air

As VOCs will start off-gassing in a product for an estimated 10-20 years, you will need to act quickly to reduce the exposure to the chemicals. Here are ways you can swiftly remove VOCs from indoor air.

• Install an air purifier with a carbon filter in every room.
• Increase room ventilation by opening windows and HVAC system.
• Place air-filtering, potted plants around the house.
• Use natural household cleaning products.
• Never smoke indoor.
• Never use an ozone generator.
• Replace the plastic product, ceiling board, wallpaper or paint with low VOC alternatives.
• Hire professionally cleaner to clean the house.

Can HEPA filter Remove VOCs or Formaldehyde?

A HEPA filter cannot remove VOCs, Formaldehyde, or any gaseous pollutants. It is designed to remove non-smoke particles like airborne dust, mold, pollen, pet dander, and germs that pass through the filter. A True HEPA filter can capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns; chemical gaseous is around 1000 times smaller than what a HEPA filter can capture. HEPA filter also does not use adsorption technology; therefore, VOCs or smoke particles will not stick to the filter. Instead, you will need an activated carbon or granulated carbon filter to capture VOCs and prevent off-gassing.

Can Activated Carbon Filters Remove VOCs and Formaldehyde?

An activated carbon filter can remove VOCs and other gaseous from the air through adsorption. Adsorption is not the same as absorption. Do not be confused by it. Pollutants are chemically bonded to the tiny carbon particles on the outer surface bed during adsorption. Because carbon filters consist of many carbons or charcoals, there will be plenty of hollow holes for the gaseous to stick to chemically. As for absorption, the gaseous pollutants are trapped inside the carbon filter structure, just like a sponge. With absorption, it is still possible for the VOCs and Formaldehyde gases to release back into the air as it is less secure.

Most carbon filters can remove smoke particle sizes between 0.5 to 50 micrometers. The longer the air purifier runs, the more chemical particles and odors are trapped by the carbon filter. The efficiency of the carbon filters depends on the filter's lifespan, humidity, and ambient temperature. Most activated carbon filters need to be replaced quarterly or yearly to prevent off-gassing. It is because the surface area of the activated carbon filter will be filled up until there is no space for the filter to capture the VOCs. High humidity can also decrease the filter lifespan as the water molecules will take up the space that is supposed to mean for chemical gases. Last but not least, high room temperature may cause the trapped VOCs and Formaldehyde to be released back out. We may have inhaled the chemical gases before the air purifier has a chance to recapture the pollutants.

How To Select An Air Purifier For VOCs And Formaldehyde

Picking the best air purifier for formaldehyde and VOCs can be a little bit tricky if you are a first-time purchaser. There are less known VOCs air purifiers in the market compared with a HEPA air purifier. To help you choose the already limited option out there, here are some of the features you should look into when purchasing an air purifier for chemicals.

• Room size coverage - A good VOCs air purifier will need a strong smoke CADR of at least 200 cfm to cover a large living room, master bedroom, basement, or garage. If you intend to neutralize VOCs and odor in a specific place, calculate the room size, including ceiling height. Pick an air purifier that can support that with at least 2 air changes per hour.
• Activated carbon filter - The most important filter for a chemical air purifier. Only go with a carbon filter designed for chemical adsorption to remove VOCs and smoke particles effectively. Research and compare what absorbent media is used in the carbon filter. Addictives like impregnation, zeolite pellet, alumina, potassium, coconut shells, or coal can increase the filter effectiveness against smoke particles. Never go with a carbon pre-filter that uses a thin carbon sheet, sponge type, or baking soda.
• HEPA filter - Having a reliable HEPA filter will complement well with an activated carbon filter. Even though a True HEPA filter cannot remove smoke particles, it will capture 99.97% of the airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. With a HEPA filter, inflow air filled with mold, pollen, dust mites, pet dander, bacteria, and viruses will be purified before it reaches the carbon filter.
• Other filtration technology - Pre-filter, PCO, Ionizer, and UV-light also play a role in improving indoor air quality. By neutralizing VOCs and odors carrying contaminants, it prevents the chemicals from spreading into the air. It also protects and reduces the workload of the activated carbon filter.
• VOC sensor - Some air purifiers come with a built-in VOC or odor sensor to monitor surrounding VOCs and gases. Paired with an Auto mode, the air purifier will automatically adjust the fan speed based on the volume of chemicals in the air. Alternatively, you can purchase a separate TVOC and Formaldehyde sensor to monitor and detect VOCs in the room.
• Noise level and power - A factor that can be critical for some people. Some air purifiers generate more noise than others due to their high airflow output. If you plan to use the air purifier throughout the night, go with a model with a noise output of less than 30 dB at low speed. The power consumption impact is not as great as the noise level. As sensitive people with leave the air purifier on 24x7, a non-energy efficiency will drive up the electricity bill slightly. So pick a model with an Auto mode that can better manage the air purifier energy usage.
• Never purchase an Ozone Generator - For no reason you should purchase one. Not only the ozone generator will not remove VOCs, the unstable ozone molecules generated can react badly with VOCs. It will cause damage to your lung tissue cells and worsen asthma symptoms.
• Warranty - Electronic devices will break down especially if you use them on a regular basis. The longer the warranty period, the better assurance you will get on the product's durability. The 1-year warranty is standard, and most air purifiers now come with a 2-5 years warranty. Brands like Alen air purifiers even offered a lifetime warranty for parts and labor. Look into the details on what the warranty covers, is there a 1-to-1 exchange, and where the service center is.

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Air Purifiers For VOCs/ Formaldehyde

There are many benefits of getting a VOCs/ Formaldehyde oriented air purifier. However, before you invest in one, here are some drawbacks that you should also be made aware of.

Pros

• Remove gaseous pollutants - An air purifier can help remove toxic fumes from building materials, like cracked walls, tiles, pipes, carpets, paints, and insulation boards. This includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon, Asbestos, Formaldehyde, Nitrogen dioxide, lead, and other smoke particles that are dangerous to our health.
• Cleaner air - Besides gaseous contaminants, an air purifier will also remove dust, allergens, and other microscopic particles deem harmful to inhale. It circulates clean, fresh air and helps maintain indoor air quality at a healthy level.
• Improve your health significantly - Not just physically but mentally as well. As concluded by scientific studies, an air purifier helps can free the air from mood-affecting irritants, so you feel more relaxed, happy, and productive every day. Give it a shot.
• Improved sleep quality - Rather than having you sleep through the toxic fumes exhaled from building materials, an air purifier can protect you during your sleep, so you are at less risk of inhaling them. No more waking up middle of the night due to night cough, post-nasal drip, itchiness, or inflammation.
• Easy to use - Most air purifiers for VOCs and Formaldehyde will work straight out of the box without requiring any complicated setup, wall-hacking, etc. A quick setup that literally takes minutes to get started.

Cons

• Expensive - Air purifiers for VOCs and Formaldehyde are much more costly than regular HEPA air purifiers. They require a better activated carbon filter to deal with the endless round of smoke and chemical fumes. You will also have to fork out a higher filter replacement cost for the carbon filter.
• Limited capacity - While an air purifier can contain most VOCs, Formaldehyde from spreading, some will escape and travel into our lungs. Hence, you will still need to deal with the sources of the pollution for a long-term solution.

Is VOCs/ Formaldehyde Air Purifier Safe?

Air purifiers that use an activated carbon filter to remove chemicals like VOCs, Formaldehyde are safe for home use. It is certified safe by CARN to be ozone-free and will not release additional toxic byproducts.

How Much Energy Does an Air Purifier For VOCs/ Formaldehyde?

A VOCs air purifier with a carbon filter uses a low 30-45 watts of electricity that will not burden your utility bill. The monthly electrical cost will be between $5-6, depending on the fan speed and operational hours. For comparison, an air conditioner will easily hit 3500 watts of electricity.

How To Use An Air Purifier For VOCs And Formaldehyde Effectively?

An air purifier is an effective device for removing harsh chemicals and improving indoor air quality. For those that already have one, here are a few proven steps on using a V.O.C.s/ Formaldehyde air purifier to get the best out of it.

• Run continuously without shutting it off - An operational air purifier will ensure indoor air quality remains V.O.C.s/ Formaldehyde free, even when you are not at home.
• Change all filters - The activated carbon filter is the key for chemical fumes neutralization and needs replacing every 6-12 months. If you notice the indoor air quality deteriorates quickly or the filter indicator light is up, change them A.S.A.P.
• Close to the pollution sources - An excellent place to start is the basement, as that is usually where the chemicals are exhaled. As a rule of thumb, leave a few feet of space for the air ventilation to work and avoid placing it under direct sunlight, as it can damage the air purifier.
• Close all windows/ doors - Even though it might be better to air out the chemical fumes, an air purifier will only work in an enclosed area. It stops airborne pollutants from creeping inside, and clean air will continue circulating in a room.

How Long Do Air Purifiers For Chemicals Last?

Depending on how well the chemical air purifiers are maintained, it will typically last 5-10 years. Most HEPA and carbon air filters will last 6-12 months before the need for change.

Is It OK To Leave A Chemical Air Purifier On All Night?

Yes, it is safe to leave a chemical air purifier on all night to deal with VOCs and Formaldehyde. It will continuously remove toxic fumes, making the air safe and breathable. Turning off the device will allow the chemical fumes to build up and greatly deteriorate indoor air quality. If you are planning on running the air purifier 24/ 7, make sure the HEPA and activated carbon filter are in tip-top condition.