Activated Charcoal Filter
Activated charcoal refers to a material that is highly porus and is able to trap and filter impurities. These types of filter are commonly used to treat air, water, and other substances in homes and businesses. Activated charcoal filters are a simple and effective way to filter water, and they have many advantages over other types of filters.
Charcoal is a term which really just means carbon. Carbon is a very common substance -- it's what remains when wood is burnt, for exmaple. Activated charcoal has been treated (with oxygen) to open up thousands and thousands of tiny pores. This gives activated charcoal a large surface area and many holes to store particles.
Activated charcoal filters work by passing water (or air, or some other substance) through the charcoal. Organic impurities are attracted by the charcoal and trapped in the tiny holes. Other chemicals, like chlorine, are also stopped by the activated charcoal. However, many other kinds of substances, like minerals and other metals, can pass right through activated charcoal. This is important for water filtering applications, because these minerals are important for your health. You don't want a charcoal water filter that removes these minerals!
Since activated charcoal works by filling holes with impurities, they must be replaced periodically because the holes all get filled up. That means you have to replace your filter every so often. For home water filters, this is commonly 6-12 months, but it depends on the size and usage of your filter. Check your filter's recommendation to see how often to replace it.
Activated charcoal filters aren't just for filtering water. They're also great a removing odors from the air. These charcoal air filters are commonly used in your air conditioner air filter. They use a granular charcoal to pass air over the substrate. These types of air filters can remove odors from smoking, cooking, bathrooms, pets, and other types of odor. They're an inexpensive way to control odor in your home or business, and they can be quite effective.