Wildfire smoke: cleaner air at home

Smoke season can mean weeks of poor air. Here is how to keep the air inside your home cleaner.

Smoke season can mean weeks of poor air. Here is how to keep the air inside your home cleaner.

Keep windows and doors closed

On smoky days, keep the house closed up and set the HVAC to recirculate.

A MERV 13 filter traps much more fine smoke than a basic one — check your system can take it.

Running the furnace fan moves air through the filter even when you are not heating or cooling.

A HEPA air cleaner in the bedroom makes the biggest difference for sleep.

Change the filter again and consider a duct cleaning if a lot of smoke got in.

How do I know if the air is bad?

Check the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for your area — 7 or higher is high risk.

Can I run the AC during smoke?

Yes — most central AC recirculates indoor air. Close the fresh-air intake if your system has one.