Given BlueAir's position in the industry and their extensive marketing, and now the negative coverage from multiple people, you'd think they'd want to get to the bottom of this. I still haven't had a single issue with mine, but I don't run them all day, and I'm in the middle of the burbs with clean air.

Really like the new opening sequence. Let’s hope blue air comes around...

Ignoring your messages is not acceptable. I'd bundle the whole lot back to the company for a full refund.

Here is an idea: take one of the sour filters, a cheap 20x20 inch fan, and duct-tape the filter to the fan. This will force air through the filter. If the sour odour persists, then the issue is exclusively with the filter; otherwise it could be the motor in the filter generating ozone or overheating due to poor airflow.

Can you team up with a university lab or something to analyse the saturation of the carbon pellets in some way?

Since you suspect this smell is acidic, if you had some pH indicator paper in your lab, you could tape a tiny strip over an outlet, and another as a control on top of the fan unit say, and _just maybe_ in a few days/weeks it may show some signs - I know it's liable to be very weak, but if you could show more positive evidence of low pH, that might raise the interest from BlueAir a bit, up to 'level 1' say ? :o) Just brainstorming here Fran :o)

Motor windings getting hot? You mention low air flow so back pressure on the motor will be high.

After reviewing your video's regarding the BlueAir Carbon Filters; I firmly believe the manufacture has a major problem with their product design. From your description and other complaint posting it indicates the filters are not up to standard and should last at least six months to a year depending on use. BlueAir know they have a problem and refuse to address the situation, "personally I would not invest in such deceptive advertisement".

I would hazard a guess that BlueAir was inundated with thousands of complaints around the time of their offer to replace your filters for free, so they decide to just ignore all the complaints and pretend everything is fine with their product.

I am sure you looked into this but if not any way to turn of the electrostatic part to see if that is causing a reaction?

So happy to see a back to normal video! I’m so excited for more rants

Hi Fran. I can't comment on your filters as I don't know anything about them, but I would like to say that it's terrific to see you in an "up" mood and 'Franting'. I was worried about you after your previous video in that you seemed so "down". This video is the Fran we know and love! I hope you are able to get some resolution to your filter problems - and soon. We want you healthy and enjoying working in the lab, not feeling 'blue and having to chase down solutions to problems that you shouldn't be having in the first place! Hang in there and best of luck and good wishes to you.

i know one blueair 215 is not a problem for ozone..but what if i have 2 units in one room ? I asked Blueair.. but didnt really get an answer

Do the carbon filters come in a vacuum sealed bag? I'm thinking, if the vacuum is gone, the carbon might already be spent, so to speak, if they for example have been sitting on a shelf for a few months.

I have an original 600 model, purchased back in 2006. I have never used the smoke filters, and I've never had any issues. The model I have doesn't have any kind of ionization ability: Air in, Filter, Air Out. I purchased mine when I found out that they were used by the hospitals in New Orleans to clean the air after the hurricane flooding. I've been very happy, and have considered getting a newer version for the ionization features. I think I will be waiting another year or two until this gets resolved. Thank you for the videos, and hope all goes well!

Please considering reporting your problem with Blue Air to Consumer Reports. They have evaluated air purifiers and posted ratings on their website. Many of the CR's reader and subscriber comments mention a terrible smell coming from the filters. Heck, you could even submit this video to them for reference.

Any mileage in sharing carbon filter part nos/datecodes/place of manufacture/other data with Dave Jones' and the Dutch blogger's versions ? They may be different filters from yours of course, but maybe some telltale fact might drop out of the data bucket ?

Designed for a Lead Guitarist. Fan Speed: 00=Off, 01=Low, 10=High, “11=ELEVEN” Smell: New filter= Bar/Smoking Lounge, Used filter= Bar/Smoking Lounge.

I've had problems before with mold or fungus growing on or in industrial activated carbon air filters. I do not know if this was caused by a contaminated filter or just the environment.

Do you have the facility or lab to send a part of a soured filter to to figure out possibly what the sour smell is coming from?

I don't know if this will help I had the same situation with 2 activated carbon filters for my furnace that gave off a really sour smell the first time was the carbon filter was old is apparently it was old stock and because of that they activated carbon filter was used up just sitting around the second time it happened I had a furnace repair guy come out and it turned out my fan speed was not fast enough to push the air through the carbon filter I don't know if it'll help

Thanks very much for the info, I was just about to pull the trigger on 2 units, I will be researching an alternative. I hope you are on the mend. Keep up the great work.

I can't find any images of the actual electrostatic precipitation grid of these anywhere, is there any chance you could get some images of the inside of it? I know a lot of ionisation air purifiers have a grossly ineffective or even non-functional system and I would be interested to see what this one looks like.

I bought a Blueair classic 605 last fall and had to return it because it was producing a strong odor. To me it smelled like ozone, or metallic. I didn't buy the fancy carbon filters, just used the standard particle filter. So Fran, you are having a better experience than I did - I couldn't stand the smell even with the regular filters. I was disappointed that I couldn't own a magical machine that makes the air clean (especially given that neighboring towns tend to burn down and pollute the air, in the summer, here in northern California, lately), but I was happy that I could return it and get my money back. I would so much love to have an air purifier with only washable filters. When fire season comes around this year, maybe I'll buy a box fan and slap a HEPA filter on the intake side.

What will you bet that the filters are being made under contract in China using cheaper materials than the company specs require.

I was wondering if their "no-ozone" was possibly depending on the activated carbon eliminating the ozone? The other thing worth trying to check is the plastic materials in the units, including any frame of the filters. If the ions and/or ozone attack them, the plasizisers might suffer. THEN, and maybe even more -- do they have some silicone RTV in their seals. There are the two kinds, as you probably know. One is humidity curing and the other one uses some sort of acetic acid reaction...Some polyurethane also can "de-cure", turning into nearly a fluid. I have had two unpleasant experiences of that, although I don't recall any acidic smell. But the acetic acid curing smell of silicone RTV is unmistakable.

What a fabulous simple intro to the video Fran. Keep that - its good :)

have you tried IQ air ? they seem to do a great job . but the first units i got i had a smell like what you have but when i changed out the carbon filters everything is fine now it seems that the filters that come in the IQ air are not sealed and had all the Wearhouse smells but the replacements are sealed and have no smell i even tested my room air with a laser particle counter to see if they work like IQ air says and they do

I bought a 605 based on your recommendation and my own requirements. Bearing in mind I'm using the standard filters and not the activated carbon ones, it had a bit of a smell to it to begin with which I chalked up to manufacturing processes. It wasn't pleasant but it eventually went away. I'm glad I didn't spend the extra cash on the carbon filters! At present it seems the biggest problem is that I'm now a lot more sensitive to allergens when I go outside as just getting groceries yesterday was enough to really irritate my throat.

Hi Fran - the timing of your video is perfect. I had mentioned in your previous video comments that in my lab the activated carbon filters also become sour. Today I installed a fresh filter, and within an 8hr work day (with very little solvent use), it started to smell sour. At this point I am certain this is a quality issue with the activated carbon. All of my filters are manufactured in China. I suspect most of the world sources their activated carbon from China for cost reasons. It is possible that BlueAir is using this carbon as well and thus you are experiencing the same problems that I am.

Well, my purchase decision has been delayed (or deleted)...thanks Fran!

Could it be the glue or the bleaching liquid they use on the filter material

What chemicals are you using in your lab? I've had one of these for years and it's never smelled

Thanks for the update. I was strongly considering buying a BlueAir because of pollen, but I really can't be bothered dealing with a company who can't offer good support. I'll pass and keep an eye out for another brand.

Did you end up getting different brand air purifiers? I’d like to know what works best?

When you and Dave were discussing these filters way back when I had my doubts. Fast forward to today I'm sorry to hear that you're having all these issues. I was going to buy 6 of these machines for my place and I am so relived I didn't. I've never really had good luck with these Hepa machines, regardless of manufacturer, my most recent one pumps ozone into the air and I ended up tossing it in the trash.

Hi we work with carbon filtering one problem is moisture level and the sour level sounds like it. The ozone before carbon filter bacteria on the input side and carbon filter will neutralise the ozone if grounded. So if you have a humidifier this will cause a problem. Tell me about it

I agree with the comments pointing to the overloaded motors. One question: Is this a duel voltage appliance, either with an input switch or able to automatically handle 115 to 250 volts?

do you recommend me buying Blueair Protect 7410i model ?? thanks for your review as well

Sooo glad I searched and found this. Ironically, I watched one of your videos prior to me purchasing my blue air classic 280 and the smaller room version. I too, had filter with funny smell..I too got replacements and had same smell. I was told it might be the carbon. I too....have has respiratory irritation. I think that these machines are emitting ozone or other vocs....I placed my air quality montior on it and it WENT CRAZY. Shot right up to over 2000ppb. Turned the machine off and it started to go down. I think they need to be looked into.

Does anybody know of these filters have a specified shelf life when kept sealed? I called a distributor in UK and they said it's indefinite and as long as you keep them sealed they don't expire. Is that possible?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, activated charcoal was originally steamed. Is there a chemical process for activation?

I had a BlueAir 605 and returned it because they would not answer my questions or phone calls. In a response to an email sent on 25 Jan 2020: Dear Sirs: 1. I'm disappointed that the device which will make the 605 function in auto is out of stock. Do you have any idea when the Blueair Aware device will be available again? Did I make a mistake of buying a 605 when I should have bought the Pro L? 2. You advertise all over your web site and in your manual the filters last 6 months. The unit has a sticker inside that the filters last 6 months. Why did the Blueair Friend app start counting down from 180 days for filter replacement (see screenshot from iOS app)? Can you tell me why I would choose the particle over the smokestop filter for a replacement? I can't discern the difference between the two filter replacements. I would like to sign up for the filter replacement program but want to make an informed decision before I do so. 3. Can you validate my extended warranty is valid? I have registered it in the app but I do not see it under "My Units" when I log into your website. The unit was purchased on Amazon.com through your Blueair Inc. store. Order number is (redacted). I've attached a screenshot from the mobile app and from your website. Another email was sent on February 15, 2020: Dear Sirs: Thank you for helping me make an informed decision regarding my purchase and that I had made a mistake purchasing from your company. You had over 2.5 weeks to return my email or call my telephone number that I included. Because you have not returned my email nor can I get a hold of any one on your phone system, I have returned the unit in lieu of a IQAir system. I am highly disappointed. I had better expectations for your company. ---- The fact that they ghosted you is not surprising and is expected. This is an awful company and I will never buy another product from them ever again nor will I recommend their product. I found the air monitor was sold out for months. I also did not like the fact that certain functions like the blue light on the front of the unit could only be controlled by the app on your mobile phone. There was no button to disable it. Likewise their marketing material is awful. You'll get 6 months out of the filter if you run the machine at the 2 lowest "HEPA Quiet" settings. Otherwise, if you run the machine at full speed, you'll only get 3 months out of the filters. No where in the documentation nor printed on the inside of the machines is this stated. This is classic bait and switch. Another item is this is charges the air attracting the particles (almost like a small scale ionization system). There was no in take filter so the little brushes on the 605 unit inside when they become dirty or dusty will loose their effectiveness. There was no method to keep the bottom of the unit clean other than to take the filters out and drag it to my garage and clean it with pressurized air. In the end, there was too much marketing hype and I returned it. I bought it for the very same reason. I did the very same research. It all looked good on paper. I'm sorry you're having this issue but I figured I'd respond because I got the very same lack of customer service. I was in dismay that a company which received such high reviews in consumer reports had such poor support for their customers. My 2 cents: return the units and get your money back. Choose a different company that stands by their customers. Oh yeah, if you order the 3rd party filters you void your warranty on the units so make sure you buy your filters from blueair direct if you care about the longevity of your unit.

Did you find a better air purifier?

Hi Fran, Jessica here from the Blueair team. Very sorry to see that we've made your problem video series. I've connected with our Customer Experience team, and they will reach out to you shortly if they haven't gotten in touch already. I want to reassure you (and your viewers) that our intension was not to ignore your emails. Our Customer Experience team has experienced a huge influx of calls and emails over the last few months. While we've taken steps to ensure all customer inquiries get addressed in a timely manner, it appears that was not the case with your emails. I completely understand your frustration here, and I'm very sorry for that.

Every avenue I can imagine has been covered by others in the comments. I just want to say I'm pleased to see you looking and sounding much healthier and composed. Some recent videos were quite alarming for how laid low you were. You're cool, you're clever, and you're sweet. Please hang in there Also that was some impressive tongue action in the outtake! 😊

Excellent info Fran !

Is there an update to this issue? Thinking about buying one D:

The groove, she is back! Yeah!

I would highly recommend assembling a carbon filter system from generic components, preferably with a carbon filter that can be refilled with loose carbon. Any product that uses proprietary filters and where you cannot replace a failed component will be substantially more expensive to buy and maintain, and may simply become useless if any part of it is no longer suitable for your needs. The Blueair systems appear to be designed for basic domestic, low-demand applications. I find the integration of wi-fi connectivity on such a basic product to be quite telling about their priorities. I would recommend foregoing the electrostatic filter and just getting a cylindrical HEPA filter, an inline centrifugal fan that can accept speed control, and a cylindrical carbon filter with some thickness to it. Such a setup is easy to assemble since it is all inline cylindrical fittings and having a filter on both sides of the fan dampens the noise, if the fan is still noisy you can wrap some acoustic foam around it covering up to the filters. Most large carbon filters can be refilled even if they were closed with rivets, just be sure the carbon you are getting is appropriate for efficient air filtration, there is little difference between different carbons other than the efficiency, the fine extruded carbon tends to be appropriate. If you still want electrostatic filtration I believe a dedicated unit would be a better choice than a combined unit, there is little benefit to operating a carbon filter in series with an electrostatic type, and the benefit of any sort of filter after an electrostatic filter is not massive unless the machine is actually using the filter material as the electrostatic precipitation plate which I doubt is the case here.

Was there ever any update on this?

I noticed the same type of smell with a set of BlueAir Smoke Shop filters. Shame on BlueAir for ignoring your complaint. Thanks for the great video.

Wow! You are definitely feeling better. Big difference in your energy level and your outlook. Hang in there, baby! We all love ya!

I have seen green algae growth on an activated carbon filter from a car! I don't know how or why but it was definitely there, I was considering the use of Automotive activated carbon filters for a DIY setup because they are inexpensive and available everywhere. Definitely much cheaper than what blue air are asking for! Shouldn't be too hard to make, just a box with a fan (could possibly use the thermo fan which is used to cool the radiator with a speed controller because those things can really move air around LoL) and lastly the filters! If timber is used for the enclosure, you can paint it or give it a few coats of high gloss polyurethane to bring out the beautiful timber grain... You could probably even use the intake filter as a particle block just before the activated carbon filters.. they are also cheap and come in various sizes and shapes... And it would cost you less for the complete DIY setup than what you paid for just one filter!

Thank you for making this video.

I realize that this is old, but... Could it be that when the barometric pressure drops some of what the carbon has absorbed comes back out of the filter?

Fran, Do they state how often these active carbon filters get replaced? I expect that depending on the age of the building, city versus country air play into it's effectiveness. Very expensive components. Not cheap that is for sure.

I'm probably wrong. I'm completely guessing it's humidity and mold. Curious if the problem clears up when used with a dehumidifier or in the winter. Good luck, Fran.

Hi, I've worked a lot with AC, and can tell you that 1. it might simply be growth of bacteria in the media it self. 2. You can purchase loose AC granulates and fill them in your self, the media is very cheap. 3. It is expected for these consumer based products not to be up to commercial standard, a 6 week run time of the AC is expected, i can run it for a 2 week period with 2kg of granulates at 80m3/h and get smell to penetrate the AC bed around that time. Big beds of AC is recommended and consumer based filters rarely have that.

WOW Fran I love the new intro!!

I got some activated bamboo carbon fiber bean bags last year. Instructions are to place them in direct sunlight for a day or 2 once a month to reactivate them. Suggest you try that, what have you got to lose. If it works you'll be back in business. Love your videos, keep it up.

Thank you! I was on the verge of buying from them. I started developing pollen allergies last year at 30 and thought these could be a solution...not now, I'll wait and see how this plays out.

Austin Air is the filter that has been recommended to me. Have you done a review of it?

Could it perhaps be the polypropylene parts of the filter off-gassing due to the dyes used in them (or the polypropylene itself) ?

I’ll be very honest. I have 3 units and they are awesome. I had an issue with one and customer service responded to my email in one day and had a replacement at my house in less than a week. Im going to buy one more Thai week

I was just about to buy 2 bluer machines and you talked me out of it LOL Customer service is a must for me! I really love the no ozone and I love the look but cannot afford no service. thank you so much:)

I couldn't sort out the BlueAir story so excluded it in my search, ending up with an Austin Air. Impressive performance overall.

According to the EPA, "ozone may also increase indoor concentrations of formic acid (Zhang and Lioy, 1994)", if the manufacturer is falsely claiming no ozone is produced, this may be your odor source.

Maybe because of that ion grid in close proximity of activated carbon and moisture from air, they create carbon acid? Do you find that sour smell resemble smell of carbonated water?

If it is ozone, it will be the "electric" smell you find around old style photocopiers. In some places, it is the smell after a thunderstorm. Run the machine, then take out the filter and smell the duct upstream from the filter. If you smell it there it might not be from the filter itself. Maybe, let the filter sit out for a while (15 min+) and smell it. If you can't smell anything, that might rule out mold. Reducing the amount of ozone in the air is a reasonable claim. 2O(3) + 3C -> 3CO(2) is the likely reaction. If there is ozone being generated and there is a leak, the ozone might not be destroyed in the filter. If that happens, you won't smell anything in the filter after waiting. It's possible that this a defect from the filter manufacturer.

Have you tested filters from another company, that will fit the BlueAir Machines??? Testing different filters and getting different results would definitely show that the BlueAir Filters are bad and they should replace them.

Excellent working

They used to call it the smoke stop filter in the US. I've had my 203 a number of years and it wasnt until then last couple years did they start calling it dual protection

I bought a 200 series machine several years ago and did not experience any issues with the initial filter. Then I purchased replacement filters which emitted the most foul chemical odor upon opening the package. I left the filters to “breathe” thinking maybe the packaging had caused the odor. The chemical smell took on a life of it’s own over the course of a week- growing to the point of filling a 1200 square foot area and causing severe migraines. I repackaged the filters and contacted BluAir after seeing others had reported the same issue. I never received a response from BluAir and was forced to discard the rather pricey filters after the stench continued to overpower the space and I could no longer bear the discomfort. I now have an expensive machine which I cannot use and I would certainly never recommend BluAir to anyone.

Really good work

I wanted to buy an "air washer" for my bedroom, to try and address brutally-low humidity in the winter months (and dust). Then, I saw the prices... I ended up getting separate units: a large-reservoir cool-air humidifier (with humidistat) and a Honeywell "medium room" HEPA filter. Granted, my bedroom is 8' X 10', but MAN can I breathe so much better when I sleep! I change the activated carbon pre-filters every 6 weeks, despite being rated for 3 months, because they clog up too quickly. (The carbon is still effective and the room's air still smells fresh at this point.) I know this doesn't exactly relate to the BlueAir, as obviously a $60 "medium bedroom" consumer unit is nothing compared to a high-end machine - but the Honeywell filters don't get a sour smell, and when paying for a premium product at a premium price, the consumer should get premium performance. If my filters don't stink, yours shouldn't either. In your position, I would not be pleased at all with the product, OR their customer service.

So far I've been happy with the Holmes (WalMart) "large room" filters...they have a basic foam large-particle filter, an oder pre-filter, and HEPA main filter, I've not noticed any significant smell and they have 4 speeds (plus off) so you can find a balance of flow vs noise. Originally got them for an apartment with heavy smokers below us and now use them in a rental home for dog/allergy elimination. As far as I know, they don't have any ionizer/ozone generator stuff, just a motor and plastic squirrel cage fan and enough of a PCB to show a "quality" LED graph which I think is really just an hour-counter. I have occasionally noticed the Filtrete carbon oder filters leave an odd smell (used on box fans or in the central air) but it isn't consistent which makes me wonder if it's something to do with a reaction of "stuff" in the air and the filters? In my case it's infrequent and mild enough I don't worry about it.

Thank you Fran I have 2 Blueair units but I currently have only the particle filters. I was going to buy the carbon filters but now I am going to wait and see or look into aftermarket. Please update us

I bought a Blue Air 411 when my husband had covid. Dr. friend suggested it and told me where to place in the room and open the window. This was in July, in Arizona. Very hot! I had it six months, worked great and bought a new carbon filter from Amazon, but it was a Blue Air, and replaced it and it quit working. Since it was Covid, when I reached a guy there, he said he would just send me a new machine and normally,, I would have to return the first machine, but to not worry about it. I received the new machine and it has been working great. I run it 24/7. I replaced the first filter in December, then at the end of May. Within two weeks, my filter Indicator turned orange. I tried contacting them to no avail. I purchased a new filter from Amazon and installed it yesterday. It is working great. So....I did receiving great customer service during covid, but now, no one has reached out to my email. The filters are now $79.00 from 59.00 and I am wondering if it is worth keeping the machine or replacing with a different brand.....advice would be welcome. Thanks!

Oh no... I have a philips air cleaner and I recently stood over the exhaust vent and noticed a weird smell and remembered your video, it is that vinegar like smell... but I only notice it if I stand right above the exhaust vent, don't notice the smell in the room itself, I just took out the pre filter for cleaning again and sniffed on the activated carbon filter and it has a very noticable vinegar-like odor to it... now I don't know if I should change it or not as I do not notice any smell in the room as such.

I worked in carbon for filters company once. Buy the tons. I say that worker or in shipping to filter factory had something spilled or strong chemicals place near the carbon. So they where made and no one knew about it. So corporate has COVID problems with money and can’t afford a loss as big as this. So denial is not just river in Egypt.

Having a combination HEPA - activated charcoal filter doesn't seem such a great idea to me as one could last longer than the other. I don't know about activated charcoal air filters but when used for water filtration if not replaced when spent they can dump everything they've collected. In this case though I'm thinking it's a problem with the glue being used. Maybe just take the filter out and use the HEPA only for a while then try the combo filter again.

Back in the 80's I worked for General Air a well known filtration company in Darby Boro outside of South West Philadelphia. We serviced many large companies and facilities such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The HEPA style pleated filter with a carbon filter built in will reduce flow on any system due to the tighter air restriction. Activated carbon filters have been known to produce strange smells when new but this generally goes away, usually if an activated carbon filter is emitting a foul Oder continuously, it's a sign that it is in need of replacement. Since your filters are rather new you may have a batch of bad activated carbon. You can remove the carbon in these filters and still use them as HEPA filters minus the carbon function. It's very hard to cheat on manufacturing a HEPA pleated filter, but very easy to cheat on the carbon portion. They could be using improperly treated carbon or even mixing used carbon with new. When preparing carbon filters they simply remove old carbon and replace with new, so it's possible something dodgy took place in the manufacturing.

The negative reviews and discussion I've seen on this topic appear to point the finger at badly processed 'coconut carbon' in the filter. The only way to know for sure what is happening to the filter is to get some testing done to see exactly what it's out-gassing.

Where can I get one of those shirts?

Spending all my time now working from home, I've been interested in a filter for my home office. Was looking at Blue Air, as I trust you and Dave -- I still trust you and Dave, but not Blue Air! I'll keep looking. Hang in there and stay safe!

Fine carbon particles (as small as soot from diesel exhaust) have a distinct sour smell. I'm wondering if what you're smelling is carbon particles coming from a defect in the filter manufacturing...

Thanks so much for this video. Not am I only having this problem. But it’s actually dangerous. I’ve noticed bad tinnitus since getting this purifier, and other symptoms that have resided since I stopped using the air purifier.

Thanks Fran for this info. Because of my COPD I am considering an air filtration system. With the way they responded to you, ( and the absence of ) this company is off the list.

The air purification business is full of companies making junk. I would stick to Honeywell or 3M.

I've bought a Blueair 405 because of Dave. I'm using a huge amount of Isopropanol here and don't have this problem with my Smokestop-Filter yet.

I’ve had my for about 6 months and haven’t had any issues as of yet . This is very interesting to me

i've used the Blueair Blue 211+ and two 411 for a few years now. I've never had a single problem from either model.

These filters are in some way similar to car air conditioning filters: you can find standard or carbon activated ones, from different sources and different origins. Smell source can be first associated with mold, but it's also a common problem with glue used to assemble it, or other chemicals that may compromise integrity. You could choose a local (US) supplier of filters for industrial use, you can always find one that will be pleased to sell you some stuff, and their high performance materials are not that expensive. Best filters are not necessary carbon based, and can integrate a lot of different technologies, from HEPA to diatomea, to silver coated glass beads to extra fine cellulose... Anyway, you can also fight bad smells and PH air balance with the old trick of baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, you can dispose in little containers like dishes in front of all ventilator or air filtering machine. It's a pH neutralizer and adsorbant that costs nothing if you buy it in quantity, a 25kg bag top quality can be ordered from Amazon for a few bucks. This works well in fridges, cars, and has many other uses as mild sanding agent, disinfectant, toothpaste, bleaching agent,...and baking powder! You can measure the air pH with a glass of distilled water that will catch contaminants (and check it with swimming pool pH tips), but your nose is best detector: if it stinks, there's a problem! Another point to check is correct grounding of these air filters, as static charges, ionizing agents or ozone can only be neutralized if an adequate discharging plate or grid is correctly grounded. You can notice such things as contact springs in air conditioner filters, and check if present. Most serious air filters also need a special maintenance, and a simple filter change is not sufficient. It's also difficult to find a sustainable system that mix high performance and cheap engine and filters. The sole fact that you loose a great amount of initial air flux with these "bad" filters also means both are not correctly calculated, as you must keep a minimal cfm flux to be efficient! A bad filter lot or a change in the supply policy of a company is always a bad sign. The way these are treating the problem is also indicative of a failed business plan: sounds no good if they face a boycott! The ideal is to find something integrating generic industrial filters... Or at least some alternate solution like car air venting filters (cheap and made by specialists), or filters from other manufacturers you can modify! There's no risk of guarantee loss if your nose tells it works...

I have the experience with 'humidifying' air filters and coolers, that they will take in dust, and that will over time make them smell sour. The carbon filters should themselves not form a smell, but once they get a certain level of moisture, they will be a good breeding-ground for mold an fungus. A sour smell would indicate an acidic component, but that might be part of the filter material. I would hypothesise that the air-flow through the filter is uneven and that you have an AC close by, that cycles on/off. That would allow the filter to cool down when the AC runs, accumulate water when the AC is off and the humidity rises, and store some of the accumulated water in the regions of the filter that does not get good circulation. I daresay that the carbon filters were an afterthought of BlueAir, not a part of the base design. A simple test would be to place a filter in direct sunlight to dry completely and see if the situation improves.

One thing you may or may not be able to try, is to collect all of the complaints you can, then find an attorney or lawyer who will take it Pro Bone ("For the good of the people"), or on a "percentage" basis, (no win=they don't get paid anything), & have them send a letter on their law firms' letterhead mentioning a Class-Action, & see if that doesn't get BlueAir's attention VERY quickly. I've NEVER heard of a properly made Activated Charcoal filter emitting ANY odors; it MAY have something to do with the overall design, particularly of the proximity of the Charcoal Filter material to the high-voltage ionizing wire(s), as carbon DOES conduct, & if the machines are producing a regular "Zap!" sound, see if it's the normal "blowing out a dust-formed short" in the electrostatic precipitator cell, or if it's actually coming from the high-voltage wire closest to the carbon filter shorting to the filter, causing a partial breakdown of the filtering matrix. (I've worked with high voltage, ionizers, etc., most of my lifetime, and have never heard of this sort of thing, but I DO know that if the charcoal filters aren't being made properly, a high-voltage "Zot!" through one could, at least in theory, cause a partial breakdown of the carbon matrix.) That's the only thing I can think of, though I wish I could be of more help! 8( Good luck with it! (...And see if a more reputable company, such as 3M, who's been making things like Activated Charcoal Filters for decades, makes an equivalent replacement charcoal filter, as they make replacement filters for furnaces of all shapes & sizes, among other things.) (I've always gotten my calls to their Engineering Dept. returned, or they'll put someone on the line immediately, who has been there "forever", & "knows their stuff" about the given subject.) P.S.: For a much cheaper & probably better product, with a 100% guarantee, look on "geek.wish.com". There are two sites, I think they're interlinked: "Geek" has a green background logo, while "Wish" has a light-blue logo, but I've seen some air-filtration units on one or both of those sites with very good specs, & when I get something that's "just not right", I take a photo or short video & send it, with my comments about what's wrong with the item, to them, & they've never failed to have the full cost (including shipping!) returned to my account within 48-hrs. They each have a "search box", where you can specify what you're looking for, since they handle orders from all over the world, & ship almost everywhere as well. I prefer to select the "Expedited Shipping" when available, since it usually means the item is "in-country", or at least they'll get it to you much faster then if it's "drop-shipped" from who-knows-where; the additional shipping fee is worth it, & you can filter for only things with a logo which means "Expedited Shipping Available". (I do NOT work for them, although I AM a loyal customer, so if you wish to go that route, I'll se if I can find a "Referral Code" that'll get you a significant discount on a "New Customer, 1st Order", on top of their usually unbeatable low prices to begin with. I'm wearing items I got from there, my wristwatch is solar-recharged & has never needed any attention after I took it out of the box & set it, & I've been replacing all of the lights in the house with LED-equivalents, all bot one of which have been working perfectly... (I took a short video of the one with a "dead spot", attached it to a note to their Customer Support Dept., & my account was refunded within a day.) (Also, if I can find a source of the machines I got decades ago, & put one of in my parents' home, (while they were still alive), or my own, (long ago, before my wife died, & I ended up in the mid-west USA, where I didn't plan to be spending my later years, alone), I'll forward it to you, as in my parents' home, after only a week, going INTO the house felt like going outside just after a refreshing brief lightning storm, & they got many comments from friends & neighbors about how "fresh & clean it FEELS" inside, & those units only had a stai8nless-steel washable pre-filter, electrostatic precipitator cell, ionizer, & stainless washable post-filter. Those things never did "wear out"!) Remember, as John Muir often said, "Perseverance Furthers"! Phoenix NightOwl Jr.

Blueair: "Let's be an ostrich and bury our head in the sand to make all our problems disappear!"

I use activated carbon to filter laser cut PVC fumes, it works very well and filters out the muriatic acid produced in the process perfectly. The activated carbon will have a different odor profile with the time, however, it does not mean is producing acid or something of that sort. It will be interesting to see the usual composition of the air inside your lab to see if there is anything specific that is causing the problem, but it's not something activated carbon usually does.

This is really interesting - I bought two BlueAir filters about two years ago and had no trouble with them, but about six months ago I bought new filters and they immediately started pumping out a stale sweaty smell. BlueAir has replaced the filters twice at their own expense but they still stink. They must have changed something because the filters I used to buy didn’t have this issue. Bummer. For what it’s worth to anyone reading this now, I’ve had terrible luck with their customer service via email but have had great luck with calling them.

Your experience is very interesting, and very informative.thank you! Especially between particules and active charcoal ( anti smoke) since I am in uk, who’s reducing the air flow. What’s make the machine inefficient! We thought to buy the blue air 411 as we have quiet a big space and carpet in a room. It’s is a appartement rent so not much solution. But know it make me want make more research as it cost quite a bit. I am very curious now to know what’s is the different between particules and active charcoal. And amazingly the miss leading information or non information with all these ozone machine or oil machine who’s supposed to be healthy we’re it’s not at all! In huge city like London , New York , who’s very high pollution. These information are still today lacking transparency, to allowed corporate to make money despite of the health of user! Thank you