Over three decades ago, we designed a canister-style filter for high airflow and unsurpassed efficiency. Portability and a long lifespan were key features of this new filter’s success. We named it The Original Can-Filter for simplicity and accuracy and it did just what its name implies.

The filter was great on its own, but pairing it with a fan – a necessary companion for a complete filtration system – took it over the top. We partnered early on with a German manufacturer to bring you the classic Can-Fan, and the instant hit Max-Fan. Focusing on performance and efficiency has helped establish us as an industry leader in filtration and ventilation.

Soon the Can-Filter was being used to filter and improve the air quality in a range of environments – from grow rooms to garages, locker rooms to laboratories, and mining operations to military facilities.

Now with our North American manufacturing site in Vancouver, Washington and distribution centers throughout the continent, we continue to update the original filters while looking to the future for the most innovative odor mitigation solutions.  We set the bar for air ventilation, but being the best is not enough for us.  Can-Filters and Max-Fan strives to improve the experience for consumers.

When you build your odor mitigation and air filtration system, there is a lot to consider.  Reliable odor filters and fans are not just about being a good neighbor, or adhering to regulations.  They give you the power to keep your grow to yourself, and share it on your own terms, not when equipment fails.  Can-Filters and German engineered Max-Fans are the right choice for reliable, quality filtration systems, from your tent, to the biggest grows around.

Be Part of Our Story

When we began, we knew that air filtration could be a whole lot better. There was a gap and we filled it. Fast forward thirty years, and we can see that our hard work and perseverance really did raise the bar and keep it high. In fact, we innovated our products to the point that they set new expectations. Our products are known throughout the industry for their quality, durability, and performance. Not only that, we deliver. On time. When it matters, we are there so that our clients and customers have the peace of mind they deserve.

Join Our Team

Think you’d like to join us? Take a look at available positions and drop us your resume with a note about why you think you’d be a perfect addition to our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section we answer some of the most common reoccurring questions.

Calculators

Calculate your fan requirements.

Can-Filters vs. Everybody Else

See how Can-Filters stacks up against the competition.

How-To

Determine your requirements, size your space, and watch tutorials to guide you through your installation.

Beauty Salon Ventilation

Determine your requirements, size your space, and watch tutorials to guide you through your installation.

The special needs of a beauty salon require that the room be continually and proficiently ventilated so that both salon visitors and staff are not harmed by vapor released from products. Not all products are harmful, and not all harmful vapors smell bad. Making sure that you get the ventilation right before there’s a problem is crucial to the long-term success of your business.

Clean Air Beauty Salon Myths:

• A HEPA Filter will get rid of all harmful particles in the air
• Keeping windows open is “good enough”
• If the salon smells good, it’s safe
• If no one is complaining, it’s safe
• Ozone filters clean the air better than other filters

Most salon owners know that they need a good ventilation system in place but many don’t know the best choices or what’s available for them. When your salon is properly ventilated, you can breathe easy knowing that you are protecting your workers, guests and people in neighboring businesses.

Beauty salons typically use products that, in combination and over the longterm, can be hazardous to breathe in. Both for beauty salon staff as well as guests, some of whom may be chemically sensitive, providing a clean-air environment make sense.

Can-Filter is the industry leader in activated carbon filtration systems. We manufacture filter, fans and accessories that work quietly in the background of beauty salons cleaning the air in a continuous cycle, ensuring that there are virtually no toxic gases or VOCs in the air. This means that staff and clients are safe and happy as they relax in your salon. You won’t be worrying about complaints about irritants, bad smells or issues with asthma.

Our fans are whisper-silent, and our filters are the best in the industry, often lasting far beyond their 12 to 18 months lifespan. You can learn more about how to design a completely ventilated room step-by-step, or contact one of our trusted distributors to learn more.

Why Can-Filters?

First, why carbon filters?

Activated carbon filters have been proven an effective tool for air filtration, removing a variety of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), odors, and other gaseous contaminants. They work by a process known as adsorption where VOCs, odors, and other gaseous contaminants adhere to the carbon’s surface. Can-Filters uses only the highest grade and responsibly sourced carbons.

Can-Filters uses only the highest grade and responsibly sourced carbons.

vs. Other Carbon Filters

Can-Filters uses the highest grade carbon carrying the highest CTC (First, why carbon filters? Activated carbon filters have been proven an effective tool for air filtration, removing a variety of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), odors, and other gaseous contaminants. They work by a process known as adsorption where VOCs, odors, and other gaseous contaminants adhere to the carbon’s surface. We also manufacture the LARGEST and smallest filter sizes allowing for the widest range of versatility in your system design right here in North America.

We also have the most experience with nearly three decades of filter production under our belt, simply put, we’ve been at this longer than any of our competitors.

vs. Ultraviolet (UV)

Will also destroy non-UV stabilized plastics (your stuff) and according to the United Sates EPA should be applied with but not as a replacement for filtration systems.

vs. Ozone (O3)

Ozone destroys the molecules, reactions from this can create new or worse contaminants. They are more commonly referred to as pollutants than cleaners and increase human cardiopulmonary health risks. Ozone is considered a toxic gas by the United States EPA.

vs. HEPA

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. These are excellent, although highly restrictive particulate filters but will not capture VOCs, odors, or other gaseous contaminants, they collect particulate only (dust, pollen, etc).

vs. Odor Neutralizing Agents (ONA)

Neutralizers work by permanently binding to the contaminant/VOC (odor molecule) and masking it. Sprays or gels released into the environment may end up bonding to unwanted places and introduce a chemical that may be considered a contaminant into the environment. With carbon, nothing is introduced to the environment but instead, the environment is introduced to the carbon.

Whether or not you are exhausting (going from a contaminated environment to a sterile environment in only a single pass through the filter) or recirculating, aka “scrubbing” (exhausting the system back into the contaminated space), you’ll want to determine the requirements of your application.

Calculating your requirements early is important because in an exhaust setting the air only passes through the filter one time so it is imperative that we remove as close to 100% of the contaminate as possible with that one chance. This requires that the contaminant have a certain time in contact with the carbon in order to be fully adsorbed.  Our filters are marked with both exhaust and recirculating ratings for just this reason.  If you are using this system to exhaust, DO NOT exceed the exhaust rating for the filter, the more this rating is exceeded the less contaminant will be adsorbed because the two will not have enough contact time for adsorption to fully take place.

In a recirculating system, the contact time is not such a crucial number as we are taking contaminated air, filtering it, and releasing it back into what is typically and constantly decontaminated environment.  It is for this reason that it is not necessary to remove 100% of the contaminant in a single pass.  Instead we double the exhaust rating which will reduce the contact time, the goal here is to still remove a large portion of the contaminant but to get raise the cycle rate of air through the filter above the rate of emission from the source.  Now, instead of removing 99.9% of the contaminant in a single pass we are getting closer to 60% but we are getting twice as many cycles through the filter in the same amount of time and over time, reducing the overall build-up of contaminant in the environment.  This is ok because we are not exhausting into a sterile space but instead to a space that is already more contaminated, after the system has run for a few hours, you will notice that the build-up of contaminant has been reduced to only the constant emission.

Recirculating systems can be desirable when atmospheric adjustments have been made to the environment such as the addition of air conditioning or CO2 which exhausting outside can be less efficient and more expensive than leaving the front door open.  Recirculating systems are intended to be used in sealed rooms.

Once you’ve determined the type of system you need, it’s time to size your space.

Typically for exhaust we recommend a simple length x width x height /3 calculation.  This will give you the amount of air (cubic feet per minute, CFM) that you will need to move to properly ventilate your space allowing for a three-minute air exchange (all the air in the space is exchanged for fresh air every three minutes).  This is the number you will match your filter to.

Example:
Room size: 10’x12’x8’ (960 cubic feet)
960 cubic feet / 3 minutes = 320CFM (Minimum recommended CFM to exchange the air every 3 minutes)

For recirculating systems, you can use the same length x width x height but divide by 1.5.  This will give you a high cycle rate while still ensuring the removal of a majority of contaminant with each pass through the filter.

Great, now that you know which filter to use its time to find the fan to pair with it.  Take that CFM target used to find your filter and match it with the closest fan rating.  It is wise to factor in a 10% -25% drop in airflow due to the resistance of pulling through the carbon filter.  Just remember, if you are running an exhaust system, DO NOT choose a fan that will exceed the exhaust rating of your filter.

Recommended Pairings based on CFM Requirements

Finding you the best solutions before you need them is one reason we are the industry leader. Our packed bed design set the standard for future innovation in carbon filters. Combined with our virgin activated carbon; we have set the bar higher than ever for quality, long life, consistency, and low pressure drop. When you need a contaminant-free environment, come to us. When we’re in your room, you won’t even know we’re there! Quiet, comfortable, and odorless. Just the way you need us to be.

We responsibly source our products from around the world, finding the absolute best quality wherever it is. Staff members are multilingual and highly skilled in finding the best products at the best price. We then use these products to manufacture our filters here in North America, to the highest standards of manufacturing quality. From our distribution centers in North America, South America, and Europe, we send our product to the shops on a regular basis to distributors and retailers around the world. Reliable, consistent quality. You can count on us.

E – Denotes an exhaust recommendation
R – Denotes recirculating

*Airflow ranges are for exhaust. Double the highest number for maximum recirc.