Last Updated on August 19, 2026
If you’ve ever dealt with dust, odors or poor indoor air quality, you’ve probably wondered what an air scrubber is and if your project site or facility needs one.
From construction zones to mold remediation jobs, air scrubbers help create safer, healthier environments. Whether you’re trying to reduce allergens, control odors or improve air quality after water damage, understanding how air scrubbers work can help you choose the right climate control solutions for your needs.
In Simple Terms: What Is an Air Scrubber?
An air scrubber is a mechanical device that cleans and purifies air by removing airborne particles. These powerful pieces of climate control equipment can also help remove odors and surface contaminants.
What Are Air Scrubbers Used For?
The answer is: quite a lot because they are incredibly versatile. Air scrubbers are used in many industries and situations where air quality is a concern. For example, if you will be working in any of the following scenarios, consider renting a high-quality air scrubber.
Restoration Projects
After fires, floods or other disasters, air scrubbers help remove lingering contaminants and odors, making spaces safer to occupy again.
Water Damage
When water damage strikes, you will probably need a series of water damage dehumidifier rentals and air scrubbers to eliminate humidity, airborne bacteria and other irritants. If water sits in your space for more than two days, you could begin to see mold spores, which is why a reliable air filtration system becomes paramount.
Mold Remediation
Mold thrives in places where there is an excess of humidity in the air. When mold issues aren’t properly handled, it will not only impact the structure of your building but also your health. Mold produces toxic substances that can attack cells in your body, leading to larger health problems.
“Sick building syndrome” is a term for a worldwide issue that occurs when buildings suffer from toxic mold and bacterial issues, causing illness and chronic disease for those who work or reside in the building. Air scrubbers can help purify the air in mold remediation projects.
Medical Facilities
Hospitals and healthcare facilities can easily suffer from sick building syndrome if the HVAC systems aren’t properly regulated. It’s especially important for hospitals and healthcare facilities to use emergency heating and cooling rentals when HVAC systems fail or need maintenance, so the building and its patients aren’t affected by airborne toxins that can result from low-quality air. If the medical facility does undergo air quality issues, air scrubbers are the perfect rental for the job.
Construction Sites
Demolition projects and construction sites can be difficult areas for workers when the air on site is full of dust, chemical fumes, toxic gases, sewer damage, and more. In these cases, air scrubbers with HEPA filters are ideal and will help capture these contaminants, so on-site workers can safely get the job done.
What Does an Air Scrubber Do?
When choosing air quality solutions for your next project, it can be helpful to understand how air scrubbers work.
Air scrubbers continuously pull in contaminated air, filtering out harmful particles and releasing cleaner air back into the space.
Air scrubbers use a multi-stage filtration process that may include pre-filters, HEPA filters, and carbon filters to trap a wide range of pollutants. These can include dust, mold spores, pet dander, pollen, smoke, odors, and even some bacteria and viruses.
Because of this, air scrubbers are an essential tool in maintaining safe and breathable air — especially in enclosed or high-traffic environments.
How They Work: Understanding the Parts of an Air Scrubber
Before renting an air scrubber, it helps to understand exactly how they work.
Like most filtration systems, an air scrubber uses purification filters to help remove contaminants as the air within the space is circulated through the system. Several times each hour, the scrubber draws the contaminated air from the space while also pumping in fresh air that is free of chemicals.
HEPA filters can take care of a considerable amount more contaminants and grime than a regular filter. It captures small particles such as mold, bacteria, asbestos, lead, dust and many other airborne contaminants. Air scrubbers will continuously clean the air and provide a clean, healthy and productive environment.
Pre-Filters
In the first stage of filtration, the pre-filters capture the larger particles that are sucked in. Removing these larger particles helps the unit maintain airflow, process more cubic feet per minute and increase the filtration efficiency.
By removing these bigger contaminants early, pre-filters help protect the more advanced filters deeper in the system. This not only improves overall efficiency but also extends the lifespan of the primary filter.
On busy job sites or in dusty environments, pre-filters are especially important because they prevent clogging and keep the unit running smoothly.
Optional Carbon Filter
Many air scrubbers include an optional carbon filter, which captures gas and vapor molecules, which are simply known as “odors.” This is accomplished through a process called adsorption, where the gaseous molecules are physically attracted to the surface of the carbon.
This filter makes air scrubbers ideal for situations where unpleasant odors are present — like after a fire, during painting projects or in spaces with chemical exposure. While not always required, carbon filters can make a big difference in improving overall air quality and comfort.
Primary Filter
The final stage of filtration occurs when the primary filter removes the smallest particles from the air, and these particles can be as small as 0.3 microns in diameter. With a HEPA filter, the air scrubber is guaranteed to capture 99.7% of all 0.3-micron particles that pass through the filter.
Blowers
Air scrubbers don’t operate on filters alone. They also require a dependable blower, which pulls air through the filters and exhausts the filtered air out of the unit. The blower’s power level must work well with the efficiency of the installed filter system, as a blower that is too powerful may actually decrease the system’s efficiency.
A strong blower ensures consistent airflow, which is key to effective air cleaning. The faster and more efficiently air circulates, the quicker contaminants are removed from the environment.
Find Air Scrubber Solutions at Herc Rentals
Now that you know what an air scrubber is and how it works, it’s easier to see why it’s such an important part of any climate control plan. Whether you’re managing a construction site, handling a restoration job or improving indoor air quality, the right equipment makes all the difference.
Herc Rentals offers a range of air scrubber solutions to fit the unique needs of your next project and facility. If you’re not sure which unit is right for your project, our team can help you choose the best option.
Explore our selection of top-quality air scrubbers, or call 1-800-432-6215 today to get started.
