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How to Make a DIY Air Filter | Ask This Old House

This Old House
Tutorials
YouTube
2 HN users recommended this tutorial2 months2021–2022 score 2
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN recommends it as a practical breakdown of filtration versus air volume and a clever box-fan filter design.

This Old House's Ross Trethewey explains MERV filter ratings and how air filtration works, then shows how to build a localized DIY air filter, including a box fan with multiple filters.

“This Old House has a really good breakdown on filtration and air volume and have a pretty clever DIY box fan approach using multiple filters.” (HN, 2021)

2 recommendations · 1 citations · Tutorials

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@Meleagris Feb 2021 Recommends
on HN thread The Cuboid: A DIY air purifier that's better than a box fan
This Old House made a great video on the subject of using box fans with filters: [this video] I've been using the design they showed in the video, but I will definitely try this duct-fan method, saving electricity is always a bonus.
Great video on box fans with filters.
@tootie Oct 2021 Recommends
on HN thread Real-world data show that filters clean Covid-causing virus from air
This Old House has a really good breakdown on filtration and air volume and have a pretty clever DIY box fan approach using multiple filters. Still costs under $100. The Wirecutter recommended Coway filter is $185 on Amazon. [this video]
Good breakdown of filtration and air volume with a clever multi-filter box fan.

Citations, criticism and jokes

@danans Nov 2022 Cites it
on HN thread Flu and colds are back with a vengeance
Read more
An Investigation of Ozone Emissions From Consumer Products: [link] Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners : [link] Ideally, don't use ozone-generating or other gimmicky devices. Ventilate the space instead. Usually, unless there is a high pollution event or it is peak allergy season, the air outside is lower in contaminants than indoor air. Vacuum frequently using a machine with a HEPA filter and run your home's air circulation system with a MERV13 filter, or get/make an air filter. ( [this video] ) If you feel you must use an ozone generating device, don't use it if the spaces are occupied and ventilate them thoroughly before occupying them again. Definitely don't use them along with other cleaning/deodorizing chemicals, as the result of mixing those with ozone is complex and poorly understood.
How to make an air filter as an ozone-free option.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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