Build Your Own Air Filter System
Clear indoor air with do-it-yourself (DIY) air filtration boxes.
The air filter, named the Corsi-Rosenthal Box, is low-cost, easy to assemble and effective. It was first created when Richard Corsi, Dean of the Engineering School at UC Davis, suggested the idea on Twitter, and Jim Rosenthal, owner of Tex-Air Filters, built the first box in response. The materials—a box fan, 4 or 5 MERV-13 filters and duct tape—cost somewhere between $70 and $120, and the box is designed to last six months.
Use this method to build your own air filter with MERV13 furnace filters and a box fan. This easy DIY project is a cost-effective way to help clear indoor air.
(Important: Fans purchased for this project must be 2012 or newer for electrical/fire safety reasons. Also, make sure to turn off fans when finished and do not leave them running unattended.)
More Resources
- Print out and share the Edge Collective one-page poster guide (PDF) detailing the materials, steps and costs.(Edge Collective)
- Learn more about how UC San Diego has been collaborating with experts to find air filtering solutions and put best practices in place.
- Could a Janky, Jury-Rigged Air Purifier Help Fight Covid-19? (WIRED)
- Local news story on UC San Diego and air filters. (CBS 8)