Wildfire Smoke Is Traveling Thousands of Miles. Is Your Building's Air Filtration Ready?
- Airex Filter Corporation
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Smoke doesn't have to be local to affect your indoor air quality.
In recent years, wildfire smoke from Canada and the western United States has reached communities throughout New England, turning skies hazy and reducing outdoor air quality for days at a time.
While many people assume wildfire smoke is only a concern near active fires, the smallest airborne particles can travel hundreds—even thousands—of miles. Once they reach your area, they can enter commercial buildings through outdoor air intakes, loading docks, and frequently opened doors.
For facility managers, property managers, schools, healthcare facilities, and commercial buildings, that raises an important question:
Is your HVAC filtration system prepared to help protect indoor air quality during wildfire events?
Why Wildfire Smoke Is Different
Wildfire smoke contains a complex mixture of contaminants, including:
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
Soot and ash
Organic compounds
Smoke odors
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Gases produced during combustion
Standard HVAC filters are designed primarily to capture airborne particles. However, they are not designed to remove smoke odors or many gaseous contaminants.
That's where activated carbon filtration becomes an important part of the solution.
Carbon Filters Help Address Smoke Odors
Activated carbon is specially engineered with millions of microscopic pores that adsorb odor-causing molecules and certain gases.
Unlike standard particulate filters, carbon filters are designed to help reduce:
Smoke odors
Chemical odors
VOCs
Certain airborne gases
General nuisance odors
When outdoor smoke enters a building, activated carbon filtration can help improve occupant comfort by reducing many of the odors associated with wildfire smoke.
The Best Solution Often Combines Two Technologies
Many facilities benefit from Carbon Combination Filters, which combine:
✅ High-efficiency particulate filtration
plus
✅ Activated carbon media
This allows one filter to both:
Capture airborne particulate
Help reduce smoke odors and gaseous contaminants
For facilities experiencing wildfire smoke, this dual-stage approach often provides a more comprehensive indoor air quality solution than particulate filtration alone.
Facilities That May Benefit
Carbon and Carbon Combination Filters are commonly used in:
Office buildings
Schools and universities
Hospitals and healthcare facilities
Medical offices
Laboratories
Government buildings
Hotels
Multi-family housing
Commercial buildings
Manufacturing facilities
Airex Filter Offers Carbon and Carbon Combination Filters
For more than 50 years, Airex Filter has supplied commercial HVAC filtration solutions throughout New England.
In addition to our complete line of pleated filters, bag filters, rigid filters, and HEPA filters, we also manufacture and supply:
Activated Carbon Filters
Carbon Combination Filters
Custom Carbon Filter Configurations
Standard and Custom Sizes
Whether you're preparing for wildfire season or looking to improve indoor air quality year-round, our team can help recommend a filtration solution that fits your HVAC system and your building's needs.
Not Sure Which Filter Is Right?
Every HVAC system is different.
Our filtration specialists can review your current filters and recommend options based on:
Your equipment
Indoor air quality goals
Occupancy
Outdoor air conditions
Budget
Custom sizing requirements
Simply upload your current filter list, and we'll help identify the right replacement.
👉 Request a Quote:
Breathe Better. Protect More.
Wildfire smoke may be beyond your control—but the quality of the air inside your building doesn't have to be.
Whether you need MERV 10, MERV 11, MERV 13, activated carbon filters, or carbon combination filters, Airex Filter offers a complete line of commercial HVAC air filtration products manufactured to meet the demands of today's facilities.
Family Owned • Manufactured in New Hampshire • Serving New England Since 1971
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