Article Highlights:
Smoke can change how the air in your home feels and smells, from summer wildfires to cozy fall and winter nights in front of the fireplace. Keep your home feeling and smelling fresher with a well-placed air purifier. Canopy pairs HEPA filtration with activated carbon, which absorbs and neutralizes the odors and gases associated with smoke.
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As we learn more about the importance of air quality, many homeowners are turning to air purifiers to optimize their indoor air. While these devices are commonly used to address contaminants like mold or post-construction dust, many people wonder: Do air purifiers help with smoke?
The short answer is yes, but it’s important to understand how smoke enters homes in the first place. Here, we’re discussing common sources of smoke contamination in residential settings, along with the best air purifiers for smoke removal and how they work.
How Smoke Gets Into Homes
Wildfires
While there are several potential sources of smoke that can make its way into homes, one increasingly prevalent one is wildfires. The smoke from wildfires carries small particulate matter (PM2.5), which can contribute to the irritation of the eyes, nose, and air passages. Wildfire smoke carries fine particles that can irritate eyes, nose, and airways, and sensitive groups may feel it more. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 could also contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular challenges1.
In addition to groups with respiratory problems, people with heart conditions also face an elevated risk of health issues from wildfire smoke, as do pregnant women, young children, and older adults. Beyond these risks, wildfire smoke is simply unpleasant: its odors can cling to upholstery long after the worst of the smoke has dissipated. And even if you’re miles away, you could still be affected. In recent years, smoke from wildfires in Canada and California has been detected as far as New York City2.
When the pollution from a wildfire peaks, staying indoors with your doors and windows closed is the recommended way to avoid most smoke exposure. But it may not be possible to stay home through the duration of these events. And even if you were to hunker down, smoke could still make its way into your home through entry points like your home’s air conditioning system3.
Residential Sources
In some cases, the source of harmful smoke could be coming from within your own home. Certain types of candles, for example, can release contaminants, like soot, formaldehyde, and benzene. Burning wood is likewise harmful, such as in fireplaces and wood stoves or grills, as it can release pollutants like carbon monoxide4.
Fortunately, burning potentially harmful candles can be avoided easily, especially with alternatives like candle warmers or soy- and beeswax-based candles, which burn cleaner. Yet, many homes rely on burning wood as a source of heat, making smoke an inescapable factor during cold weather4.
How Air Purifiers Help Address the Effects of Smoke
For the smoke contamination that simply can’t be avoided, an air purifier can help, especially when placed near the source. There are both whole-house air purifiers, which use specialty filters and integrate with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to trap pollutants before they circulate through the home, as well as portable devices designed to enhance air quality in a smaller space as needed. These are particularly useful when placed near the source of contamination, such as the room where your fireplace is located5.
The technology used to capture contaminants varies by purifier type. Below are some of the most effective approaches to filtering out smoke.
HEPA Filtration
High-efficiency particulate absorber (HEPA) filters are considered the gold standard of air filtration. They’re particularly effective for removing smoke particles from the air, since they’re made to capture fine particles. HEPA air purifiers are considered mechanical systems, as they pull indoor air through the device and pass it through a filter with interwoven fibers via a fan6.
Activated Carbon Filtration
Carbon air filters utilize activated carbon to trap gases, particularly those that cause unpleasant odors in your home. While they’re effective for handling some pollutants, they don’t fight particles like formaldehyde on their own5.
Multi-Stage Filtration
Multi-stage filtration addresses both fine particles and the sources of odor in your home. Canopy’s air purifiers have multi-stage HEPA filtration to trap 99.97% of smoke and other ultrafine airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns*.
* - Tested to ISO 29463 standards
With that in mind, the best air purifiers for smoke removal call for carbon filtration, too. Activated carbon absorbs and neutralizes the odors and gases associated with smoke. HEPA filters are designed to capture fine particles, while carbon filtration helps absorb odors and gases2.
Canopy’s air purifiers exceed the capabilities of HEPA alone by acting as a hybrid air purifier: Our devices combine HEPA and carbon filtration mechanisms, to capture fine particles and help absorb smoke odors for fresher air at home.
With sleek and simplified devices designed to enhance your living space, Canopy designs simple, considered devices that help your home feel like the sanctuary you deserve. Explore our full range of air purifiers to make your home feel like the sanctuary you’ve always wanted it to be.
Sources:
- (5 May 2026). Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved September 14, 2026, from https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/health-and-environmental-effects-particulate-matter-pm
- 0 Tips for Buying an Air Purifier to Clear Wildfire Smoke. Riviera Allergy. Retrieved March 26, 2026, from https://rivieraallergy.com/10-tips-for-buying-an-air-purifier-to-clear-wildfire-smoke/
- (10 October 2025). Strategies to Reduce Exposure Indoors. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved March 26, 2026, from https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/strategies-reduce-exposure-indoors
- Cozy Sources of Indoor Air Pollution Examined: Candles and Fireplaces. Filtrete. Retrieved March 26, 2026, from https://www.filtrete.com/3M/en_US/filtrete/home-tips/full-story/~/cozy-culprits-examined-candles-and-fireplaces/?storyid=b1cc5d0c-6519-42bc-82dc-8cb273432618
- Christian, T. (31 July 2025). Air Purifiers. Consumer Reports. Retrieved March 26, 2026 from https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/air-purifiers/buying-guide/
- Meyer, M. (14 July 2025). Can an Air Purifier Protect You From Wildfire Smoke? Here’s What You Need to Know. CNET. Retrieved March 26, 2026 from https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/can-an-air-purifier-protect-you-from-wildfire-smoke-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
