Air Filtering Unit in Escape from Tarkov: Cost, Bonus and Upkeep

The Air Filtering Unit is a single-level hideout module in Escape from Tarkov. Its only job is to speed up how fast the Physical group of skills levels up, and it does that only while an FP-100 filter absorber is inserted. It does not touch stamina, health regeneration or in-raid performance.

The official Escape from Tarkov wiki lists no stamina or health regeneration effect for it. Values follow the wiki's Hideout page as edited on 1 November 2026, which covers patch 1.3.0 (29 October 2026).

Cost and build

Requirement	Amount
Dollars	25,000
Gas mask air filter	5, all found in raid
Military power filter	5
Military corrugated tube	10
Other modules	Generator level 3, Vents level 3
Build time	48 hours

The module has one level. In exchange it gives 3 extra FP-100 filter slots and a 40% leveling boost to the Physical skill group. The wiki's Physical list is Endurance, Health, Immunity, Metabolism, Strength, Stress Resistance and Vitality. The boost is only active with an FP-100 inserted. The wiki also notes that seasonal characters do not need found-in-raid items for hideout upgrades.

The FP-100 filter absorber

The FP-100 is the consumable that keeps the module active:

• One filter lasts 17 hours 38 minutes 49 seconds, or 23 hours 31 minutes 45 seconds with the Hideout Management skill at Elite.
• It is a 3x3, 13 kg item and can be taken out again if the module does not need to run.
• It can be crafted at Lavatory level 3 in 2 hours 36 minutes 40 seconds from a toolset, nippers, 3 gas mask air filters, 3 water filters and 3 metal spare parts.
• It also drops: the wiki lists sport bags, dead Scavs, ground caches, buried barrel caches and ration supply crates, with fixed spots such as the Reserve underground near the D-2 power switch and the ZB-014 bunker on Woods.

Because the filter runs down in real time while it is inserted, the sensible pattern is to insert it when a lot of Physical leveling is coming, for example a stretch of long raids, and remove it otherwise.

What 40% is worth

The wiki's skill page treats hideout bonuses as multipliers on the leveling speed of a whole skill group. The Library gives +30% to Practical skills and the Shooting Range at level 3 gives +10% to Combat skills, so the Air Filtering Unit is a larger bonus than either of those. It does not grant skill points by itself; it speeds up the points you already earn. Separately, levels 2 to 5 of the Defective Wall each carry a 3% penalty to the same Physical group (12% in total), which mopping the floor reduces for the current level; at level 6 the wall becomes the Gym and gives +12% instead.

Two patch changes touch leveling. Patch 1.3.0 (29 October 2026) changed Metabolism progress to depend on the amount of energy or hydration restored, and raised leveling speed of all skills in Seasonal mode significantly. Fixes in the past include a wrong physical-skill bonus calculation of the unit (patch 0.13.0.2, 27 January 2023) and a filter that wore out too fast (0.12.11.0, 30 June 2021).

Common mistakes

• Building it for stamina or regeneration. It does neither.
• Forgetting the filter: without an FP-100 inside, the 40% bonus is off.
• Underestimating the found-in-raid cost: 5 gas mask air filters must come out of raids, and the unit also needs Generator 3 and Vents 3 first.
• Treating it as an early upgrade. It needs 25,000 dollars and a 48 hour build, so it belongs after the core modules.

Related terms

• Hideout modules glossary: the other modules and what they unlock.
• Rest Space: passive recovery between raids.
• Water Collector: another module that needs a filter to run.
• Medical guide: healing and recovery in practice.

FAQ

What does the Air Filtering Unit do in Tarkov?

It gives a 40% leveling boost to the Physical skill group, but only while an FP-100 filter absorber is inserted. It has no effect on stamina or health.

How much does it cost?

25,000 dollars, 5 gas mask air filters found in raid, 5 military power filters, 10 military corrugated tubes, Generator level 3 and Vents level 3. Building takes 48 hours.

How long does an FP-100 last?

17 hours 38 minutes 49 seconds, or 23 hours 31 minutes 45 seconds with Elite Hideout Management.

Does it matter in PvE?

The wiki lists one set of values for the module, so the cost and bonus are the same in both modes.