Good videos, with context.
Build a Do-It-Yourself Air Purifier for About $40

Build a Do-It-Yourself Air Purifier for About $40

Michigan Medicine
5 HN recommenders · discussed 2012–2022
Open YouTube ↗

About this video

A University of Michigan Medicine demonstration of building a cheap DIY air purifier from a box fan and a HEPA or high-MERV filter using hardware-store parts. It explains why this helps against dust, smoke and viruses and ties it to local air quality readings.

Why it appears in the archive

HN people link it during wildfire smoke and air quality threads as a practical, cheap fix, though a few doubt how rigorously its effectiveness was shown.

AI-generated summary and labels from the source dataset; verify important details against the video. Source & credits.

From the Hacker News discussion

polyfractal · 2012-01 · strong rec

If you are worried about particulate, you can build one of these: [VIDEO] I built one for my room because my previous tenants had cats, which I'm allergic to. Even after steamcleaning our apartment I was chronically congested. Built one of those purifiers and a few days later most of my symptoms are gone. It's been about a month now and the filter is noticeably soiled.

Read original comment ↗
dublinben · 2020-01 · rec

Here's a video from the University of Michigan showing just how effective these cheap DIY air filters can be: [VIDEO]

Read original comment ↗
shard · 2020-09 · rec

If this is because of high PM2.5 concentration (due to wildfires or otherwise), I suggest building a DIY air filter, such as the one in the video here: [VIDEO] When the Air Quality Index shot up to ~150 in my area (you want to keep it below 100, preferably below 50), I went to Home Depot and bought box fans and furnace filters and built my own. You can check the air quality in your area on this site: [LINK]

Read original comment ↗
Qub3d · 2020-09 · rec

The University of Michigan made an instructional video showing how you can easily make an air purifier out of a box fan and a HEPA-rated furnace filter for $25: [VIDEO] It won't be as good as a purpose-built machine, but it will be far better than nothing at all. TheWirecutter found it reduced particulate matter in a room by 87%, if you do it right. They also make clear important caveats about this method -- in short, this works in a pinch, but probably should not be used in place of a purpose-built filter if you want one for year-round use. [LINK]

Read original comment ↗
thomas · 2020-12 · rec

Yeah, same thought. Something like the Coway air filter ( [LINK] ) regularly sells for under $200, and it is going to be much quieter than this option. It also has been tested fairly extensively from what I've seen, it's EnergyStar approved, etc, and it has a built in sensor. It doesn't look too bad either. But I understand the point, especially in times when you can't find a purifier. Also, good video on all this: [VIDEO]

Read original comment ↗
vymague · 2018-03 · reference

But I thought it has been shown putting simple furnace filter on a fan is good enough. [VIDEO] Are you talking about other filters to filter the larger particles, and carbon filters? Because aliexpress sell them too.

Read original comment ↗
meesterdude · 2018-10 · reference

I know a certain framework creator that will be all over this - and has been vocal on twitter about it. I went looking, this seems like a pretty good air quality monitor: [LINK] (~$400) There are cheaper ones too; but do your research, as accuracy (and ideas about what constitutes accurate) can vary from manuf. to manuf. [LINK] also apparently, a box fan + filter ain't so bad. [VIDEO]

Read original comment ↗
bryceacc · 2021-09 · reference

[VIDEO] you just put a fan filter on the back, you can increase the amount of filters to not hurt the fan motor as much by making a triangle config or fan on top of 4 filters in a cube. fans are for air throughput not static pressure so real air purifiers have squirrel cage blowers

Read original comment ↗