A DIY Air Filter Using MERV 13 Filters

[@hopeandgracetompkins3707]

Thank you!! I saw this on this Old House Segment, but they did not explain it simplistic for someone like me. I'm very grateful

[@jtoo6060]

Excellent video and very easy to follow. That model box fan is the stronger one from Lasko, it’s called the “Power Plus”. It’s around $30. At Home Depot

[@narir6448]

Thank you! I just purchased the exact model after scrolling through soooo many 20x20 box fan models and reviews on amazon, walmart, etc. Your comment helped me tremendously. (Edit) I ended up buying from walmart for $40 as that was the best price I found on this cyber monday.

[@Kinginallday]

After having run the same setup for one day my IAQ has significantly improved, I’m stoked that this will continue to clean my air for months!

[@InTodaysVideo]

Thanks dude for showing how it’s done. You’re the best. For years now, I’ve been using my box fan with a single 20x20x1 Merv 13 taped at the back but this one is the king of DIY Hepa filter. Great idea!

[@clapwithme]

Great video! One missing part that is important to add is a piece of cardboard on the front (or rear) of the fan that covers the corners, and has a round hole for the fan. Some experiments have shown that the fan pulls in air from the corners, so that not all the air is pulled through the filters. It makes it more efficient.

[@Bendigo1]

@Bryon Bradshaw Using styrofoam or something simmilar to fill the gap between the balde and housing is the best way to go. Or use a fan that was designed with a circular housing to save some time...

[@michealnelson5179]

Dude you’re famous! Ask This Old House tagged you for coming up with the Comparetto Cube filter design. Good work.

[@RobFeldy]

Thanks I just made one! Works great.. I went to Walmart and found a a very thin blue cloth with smalls holes in it to wrap the bottom of the device to make it look more presentable. Thanks! Great Job!

[@Larry-zg2pz]

That's not gonna make you famous like him..

[@RobFeldy]

@@Larry-zg2pz let me know when you make something better. Good people do good things..

[@moscice58]

Great video thanks for sharing, I built one but I've notice that the four open corners suck in air. so I duck tape those area

[@joanjenkins3208]

Love your taping method the best.

[@vaughnerhardt1510]

Ever thought of building a permanent box where you can just insert replacement filters?

[@gunnslinger7774]

Great minds think a like…

[@jbartl87]

This is brilliant and deserves so much more attention than it has received.

[@incognito3743]

To save some time..... couldn’t you just connect all the filters together with duct tape then place your cube on top of a piece of large cardboard, trace an outline of the cube, lift and cut. Easy peasy.

[@jamesbizs]

Yes

[@giantthaw]

I've watched several of these builds and always wonder why they don't tape a 5th filter directly to the underside of the box fan.

[@matts8023]

Solid question. A single filter would require much more power to push/pull through. Putting a single merv 13 air filter in front of the fan negates the need for the other 4...HOWEVER the fan might not be able to push/pull air through it. You will get about 1/4 of airflow (simple estimate). Using this design pulls equally out of all 4 filters at once, making it easier thus more volume goes through system. This is why nearly every diy air filter with box fan uses this design. this is the best way to do it with a cheap box fan and off the shelf items like duct tape. Designs like this are a fantastic combinations of "people centric"/"well functioning" solution for those without tools or building experience.

[@gunnslinger7774]

Well I think it’s a good idea if you elevate the bottom so air can get to al 5 sides..

[@bubba8876]

I would think that the pleats would hold loose particles better if they were horizontal.

[@honkbeforeitstoolate587]

How did this hold up over time? Many sleeve-style fan bearings aren't meant to be oriented horizontally like this and will fail prematurely.

[@leahmarie7518]

Thank you this helped me a lot!

[@markmacdonald2347]

Staggering your corners is called chasing your corners Green idea Thanks

[@skaterdude14b]

Have you seen a comparetto cube?

[@MAADCITY777]

Wouldn’t you you want the fan facing instead of out? I’m just curious to know how that works with it blowing out instead of in, wouldn’t it just make it a lot of s messier situation and it blowing the particles everywhere?

[@squidbeard492]

Particles would get trapped on filters and clean air out. Since most particles will settle over time this would suck from the bottom and clean air will forced towards the ceiling and eventually back towards the walls and force air down and and back towards the filter.

[@amezvel8239]

This works well for a small room yes? I’m on the second floor and the only window in my bedroom leads to the roof of a restaurant. Throughout the day the smells coming from their exhaust will get into my room if I leave the window open and I absolutely hate it, so I only open my windows while I am home after they close for the day (11-6am when I leave for work) With the freezing NYC nights approaching I won’t be able to keep the window open and that would make my nose stuffy. Clearly I have to dedicate more time to dusting my room properly to help combat this I also have a damn carpet to make matters worse 🙃 so would simply circulating the air in my room with this help? Any ideas or advice Is appreciated, feeling stuffy in the morning is getting unbearable.

[@Bendigo1]

Air filtration and circulation definately helps but the odors are something that are very difficult to filter. Sunlight is acutally ome of the best ways to get rid of odors. There are other methods of odor absorbtion you may look into, but filtering the dust and letting as much sunlight as possible in will reduce it. Plants are also a good way to freshen the air.

[@jamesbizs]

@@Bendigo1 need carbon filters

[@Jeanninecomeau]

How long does it last?

[@bobbg9041]

You cut off the flap, with the flaps and some more cardboard you could have made legs for it to stand up off the floor just by folding the legs back and holding them in place with 2 side braces like a cut out toy or display. You could even filter the bottom like this giving even more air filter surface area.

[@priyankaagarwal2943]

Better filter than $400 dyson one

[@tonimccoy2683]

You left nothing out! Thank you🤗

[@user-2uf2kr2c]

Are these filters washable? Maybe you can make a filterframe and use some cheap(per meter) filter material ..?

[@Bendigo1]

Cheap filter material does not usually do a great job at filtering.... A frame would be a great idea so that you could more easily change the filters.

[@stevenICTKS]

I was wondering how it would work if you had the fan pushing the air into the filters rather than pulling it through? I was thinking that it would stir up less air if you did it that way. What do you think? Thanks

[@user-2uf2kr2c]

The fan would get dirty that way ...

[@number1pappy]

I would imagine using "aluminum tape" would do a better job at sealing the edges! Thanks for the video! I'm going to build this myself .

[@giorelee]

hi, why the fan have to put/face on top?, can it put of front to act as fan?

[@michelleszafranski4]

How long can you leave the fan on

[@tutormarkettingm441]

if i use exhaust fan 10 inch,with air flow ( in ) 5 Cubic Meter Minute can air penetrate the merv filter-?

[@Netflexstory]

Hi, The DIY box air filter is fine with me. Could you help me get 1 unit and a few extra filters? I am gonna pay for the costs and shipping. Can't shop online at the moment. Thanks for your help

[@Wireless_Gadgets]

Liked your video at 57 seconds mark!

[@larryd6143]

Thanks, I made one according to your directions and it works great. I live in a small town and only 1" wide MERV 8s were available. Would 2 MERV 8s be equal to a MERV 13? At any rate, some is way better than none. Thanks again. Great vid.

[@one7decimal2eight]

Just wait until you need to change the filters and then use the 13. Order them online if need be.

[@larryd6143]

@@one7decimal2eight Okay. Thanks.

[@outlaw4now702]

Awesome!

[@bobbg9041]

This would be great in a woodworking shop, but I have one better idea a old furnace squall cage blower unit. But some of the would need to be plywood. However you could change the filters without remaking the whole thing.

[@cc-wy4bs]

Thank you!😲

[@jamesbizs]

Box fans suck (not literally tho) , because when you’re creating so much restriction with the filters; the fan will pull air from IN FRONT of it. The only way this fan would work for suction , would be in a tunnel.

[@vaughnerhardt1510]

I would at least build a permanent plywood base with wheels so you could easily move it around the shop.

[@one7decimal2eight]

@Jesus is Lord lol. Wrong! More like 5 pounds! Put some wheels on the bottom of that beast.

[@jtoo6060]

@@one7decimal2eight , put the filter box on a small furniture dolly from Harbor Freight if you need wheels. If it’s in your home put felt pads underneath if you have hardwood floors, if you have carpet the cardboard will slide easily

[@abbylynn8872]

Nah, just get a plant trolley/dolley from dollar store or daiso and zip tie to the bottom.

[@eileenm6652]

I wouldn't want wheels on mine, I put it in the middle of my bed, or on a coffee table in the living room. It's so easy to move around and I think it works better if you put it up a little higher, just my opinion

[@jtoo6060]

I will use black duct tape for a little better look 😃

[@gunnslinger7774]

White duct tape may be cool

[@wjgoh653]

ok I will agree that it DOES basically filter, however, that is still a radial blade style fan with a fixed blade. That means that it cannot work under any static pressure other than the one the blade pitch was designed for on the fan curve based on its installation housing. I can prove with airflow instrumentation that your getting less than half the airflow thru the fan than hen it operates with no obstruction. Will it filter? yes for a bit, but the minute it starts to load, you will decrease your flow exponentially. Sorry, just PHACTS, PHIGURES and PHYSICS. And yes as a matter of fact I am a professional engineer with 35+ years experience and I am also a PE with a state stamp. Please dont expect this to drastically alter anything unless it is in a small room.

[@user-2uf2kr2c]

Maybe he can add the prop from an F4U Corsair ...

[@Bendigo1]

With all due respect to you. This is a cheap hack intended to save someone from buying an expensive air filtering machine. It does work. It is definately not an optimized design. It is just a hack. One could design a blade and filtering system that would be much more optimized and easier to maintain for long term use. What is demonstrated in this video is best used for a short time, maybe dureing a time when forrest fires or dust storms are causing air quality to be less than ideal. I would actually like to see a more advanced version of this idea being shown, where the fan is designed for the static pressures and the filters can be easily changed.

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

My buddy has a dedicated mobile cubed filter with a HEPA dust bag on top. When it’s on it’s about 10 feet tall. The thing works awesome for his body shop. It also cost $7500. This is a $100 DIY air filter to get the job done quickly and inexpensively as possible without just blowing particulates around the room like throwing a filter on the back of a box fan.

[@tarun.mittal]

Thanks for sharing video

[@Jeanninecomeau]

Maybe a piece of plywood would be a little better in case the floors get wet.

[@Jeanninecomeau]

You should design a case and make some $$

[@TheGoodContent37]

I have seen 2 real scientists from 2 different countries doing this DIY air filter with a single fan and a single filter and their lab results were similar, more than 95% efficiency compared to market air filters. Now KZbin is starting to recommend me these common people videos with their 3 filter box with no evidence, no data, no logic. So fascinating how common people think. So, how much better than 95% efficiency is this monstruosity? I just wonder if the filter manufacturers started this myth of needing more filters for a DIY air purifier...

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

Part of this design is to blow the filtered air up, instead of blowing particulates across the room, like using a single filter taped to the back of the fan. Plus, the design of the filter cube will pull air in from 4 sides. Also using 2” filters, you will have a faster fan speed.

[@DANT-E]

Lol

[@tutormarkettingm441]

if i use exhaust fan 10 inch,with air flow ( in ) 5 Cubic Meter Minute can air penetrate the merv filter-?