An air purifier, such as one that uses a HEPA filter, is the best way to improve the quality of your indoor air. However, if you’re staying indoors to avoid wildfire smoke and don’t have access to an air filter, there are a few more things you can do to keep the air in your home as clean as possible.
The next best tool after an air purifier is an air conditioner, said Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Keep your windows closed and make sure your air conditioning is set to recirculate, said Dr. Samantha Green, GP at Unity Health Toronto. You may want to replace the air filter in your central air conditioner. Wirecutter, a New York Times company, provides instructions on air filters and air purifiers that can help protect against wildfire smoke, as well as a guide on building a homemade air purifier.
If you don’t have air conditioning, portable fans and ceiling fans can help. Keep the fans close – and if you have multiple fans, turn them all on. “Anything that can help with airflow is better than nothing,” said Dr. Galiatsatos.
You should keep bathroom exhaust fans off as much as possible when letting outside air in, said Dr. Green. Some range hoods over cookers also allow outside air into your home (if you’re cooking, you should use the range hood, but try to limit the amount of time it’s on).
To further minimize airborne pollutants, avoid lighting candles, lighting fires, and refraining from roasting meat. Smoking indoors is always a bad idea, said Dr. Galiatsatos, but especially if you are already exposed to the smoke of forest fires. “Now is the time to promote lung health,” he said.