Dangerous wildfires are burning throughout southern California, and the effects of the smoke can be felt across the western United States. Immediate safety is the first concern for people in the area, but countless others are experiencing poor air quality miles away from the actual fires.
The long-term effects of poor air quality inside and outside the home are serious concerns.
Use our guide to avoid wildfire air quality issues:
- Why Smoke from Wildfires is a Concern
- What You Need to Know About Removing Wildfire Smoke Particles
- Other Wildfire and Air Quality Considerations
- What's the Best Air Cleaning Solution?
- Cleaning Up After a Fire
- The Takeaways
- Still Have Questions?
Why Smoke from Wildfires is a Concern
Exposure to smoke from wildfires and burning particles can cause various health issues. Burning eyes are the most common side effect, but others include:
- Chest pain
- Wheezing
- Headaches
- Asthma attacks
Even if the air outside your home looks clear, there could be harmful particles in the air, especially after the long-term wildfires occurring right now. Homeowners can get highly accurate indoor air quality readings by taking measurements with a laser particle counter.
Smoke contains carbon monoxide and other particulate matter that can be hazardous, particularly for elderly or ill people, whose symptoms can lead to more serious issues.
What You Need to Know About Removing Wildfire Smoke Particles
Outdoors
The easiest way to keep up with the air quality outside is with the Air Quality Index. Stay indoors when the air quality outside is at a dangerous level.
Indoors
Keeping indoor air quality healthy is most important since you spend most of your time indoors. Keeping the windows closed is just the beginning.
The best way to clean your indoor air is with an air purifier. Air purifiers pull in air, filter it, and then release it into your space. If your area is affected by wildfires or your city suffers from poor air quality, look for air purifiers with HEPA filtration and true carbon filters.
HEPA Air Purifiers and Smoke
HEPA filters trap tiny but dangerous air particles that aren't visible to the human eye. They remove up to 99.97 percent of indoor air pollutants down to 0.3 microns. According to the EPA, smoke particles are typically between 0.4 and 0.7 microns, so HEPA filters can trap them easily.
Additionally, carbon filters work in conjunction with HEPA filters to remove odors, VOCs, and other dangerous airborne particulates.
Air Purifier Sizing
Air should be continuously cleaned so particles filter through the air purifier before they fall and get embedded in your carpet or other surfaces.
Regarding sizing, strive to have air replaced four times per hour. Our site labels this as "square footage for four air changes per hour." This means that all the air in a room will be replaced four times per hour.
If particles fall to the floor, vacuums with quality HEPA filters can remove them. But an air purifier is the best way to keep the air clean and healthy for you and your family.
Other Air Quality Considerations
- Ensure your air purifier's filter is tightly sealed so air can't flow around the edges.
- CADR Ratings (Clean Air Delivery Rate) measure the volume of air that passes through an air purifier. If you're concerned about wildfires and the smoke associated with them, look for high CADR ratings for smoke.
If you're not interested in adding an air purifier to your space, you should update your home's HVAC filter to MERV 12 or higher. - Your air purifier won't work correctly unless you replace the filters. Most HEPA filters need to be replaced every 6 months to a year. See if we carry a replacement filter for your air purifier here.
What's the Best Air Cleaning Solution?
If you're concerned about air quality inside your home, you should consider adding one of these effective air purifiers. Sylvane offers free shipping to California and anywhere else in the United States when you purchase one from us.
Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max Air Purifier
The Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max Air Purifier is a customer-favorite smoke air purifier with hundreds of positive reviews for a straightforward reason: It's easy to use and does exactly what it promises.
Capable of cleansing the air of particles down to 0.1 microns in size in spaces up to 1,524 square feet, the 211i Max features an intuitive color-coded air quality monitoring system and HEPASilent technology that purifies without outputting more than 53 dB.
- CADR Smoke Score: 410
- Suggested Coverage Area: Up to 1,524 Square Feet
- Type of Filtration: HEPA Filter, Pre-filter
- Customer Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars
Winix 5500-2 True HEPA Air Purifier
An affordable solution for small-space air cleaning, the Winix 5500-2 True HEPA Air Purifier with PlasmaWave Technology covers spaces up to 360 square feet.
It features three levels of filtration, including carbon filtration, a True HEPA filter, and Winix's unique PlasmaWave technology, designed to create charged ions that neutralize odors, gases, and more.
- CADR Smoke Score: 232
- Suggested Coverage Area: 360 square feet
- Type of Filtration: Carbon Filter, HEPA Filter, Germ Treatment
- Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 Stars
Coway Airmega Pro X Large Space Air Purifier
With two Coway Max2 Filters and an impressively large coverage area, the Coway Airmega Pro X Large Space Air Purifier is one of the most effective smoke air purifiers on the market today.
This model features a dual-motor design and an onboard indoor air quality monitoring system that constantly provides real-time feedback about what is happening in your air.
- CADR Smoke Score: 568
- Suggested Coverage Area: Up to 2,126 Square Feet
- Type of Filtration: Carbon Filter, HEPA Filter, Pre-Filter
Cleaning Up After a Fire
Heavy-duty cleaners and air neutralizers are required to clean up after a fire. These powerful formulas clean smoke-damaged surfaces by removing odors, tar, and other residue from homes, apartments, businesses, and more. Browse Smoke Remediation products here.
The Takeaways
Everyone benefits from cleaner air, but it's even more important to take extra precautions when dealing with poor (and dangerous) air quality associated with wildfires. Concentrated pollution indoors should be avoided even more.
If your home is in smoke-prone areas, we suggest you purchase a HEPA air purifier and run it while you're there.
Still Have Questions?
Still not sure what air purifier is best for your needs? Contact our product experts at 1-800-934-9194.
