We asked the experts: How to protect yourself from smoke during California wildfires

with Winter wildfires devastating areas of Los Angelesyou might be wondering about the smoke. Large wildfires can send smoke hundreds of kilometers across, affect the atmosphere for millions of people and trigger air quality warnings.

You can visit IQAir.com to instantly check your local air quality and see which are the worst regions in North America (Canada also currently has some struggling cities). The site estimates that air quality problems cause more than 7 million deaths each year. We asked the experts what you can do to protect yourself.

We spoke with Dan Westervelt and Richard Peltier. Westervelt studies air pollution at Columbia University’s School of Climate Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatoryand he served as an air pollution adviser to the US State Department. Peltier is a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Here’s what we learned.

How dangerous is poor air quality?

Poor air quality can be dangerous for everyone, but especially for people with respiratory problems such as asthma; persons with lung and heart diseases; the elderly; and pregnant people.

Exposure to wood smoke from burning trees or homes is especially linked to triggering asthma attacks and worsening heart disease. This makes people more susceptible to respiratory infections and leads to increased deaths.

“Some people might think that wood smoke must be harmless because it comes from a natural resource, in the trees, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Peltier said. “We know that wood smoke contains many toxic chemicals, some of which are known carcinogens, and there is clear evidence in the scientific world that links wood smoke exposure to really important adverse health effects.”

5 expert-backed ways to protect yourself from smoke

Here are some important steps to take to protect yourself when faced with air pollution from wildfires and more, according to Westervelt and Peltier.

1. Keep windows and doors closed

Eliminate any way for smoke to enter the house where it can linger. Close doors and windows and check the insulation around their frames to make sure no air is getting in.

2. Use air filtration and upgrade filters

Use any air purifiers you have. If you have an air conditioner, replace its filter with a new one to clean the air.

Peltier also suggested asking your HVAC technician to upgrade your unit’s filters to higher MERV ratings at your next system service. MERV is an industry standard that describes how well filters can remove particles – the best filters have higher MERV ratings, usually 13 and up. Not all HVAC systems will tolerate higher MERV filters, so it’s important to get expert advice first.

“It’s important to note that most window air conditioners are not very good at filtering out these particles,” Peltier said. “The filter materials they use have a very low MERV rate and don’t do much.”

3. Do not use appliances that take in outside air

Some appliances, such as air conditioners or ventilation systems, are set to draw in outside air while operating. Either turn off these appliances or set them to recirculation modes so they don’t have access to the smoky outside air. When the smoke clears, start bringing outside air in to freshen things up.

4. Avoid using gas appliances — or vacuum cleaners

Don’t use anything that can worsen the air quality in your home. One of the most common examples is gas-powered appliances such as ovens. I was I’m amazed at how drastically my air quality has gone down when I used my gas oven indoors, and the same may apply to other natural gas or propane appliances.

Also, avoid vacuuming for now. Vacuum cleaners kick a lot of dust into the air, degrading air quality and making it harder for filters to do their job. Vacuum after the smoke has cleared.

5. Limit time outdoors and wear a mask

Limiting time outdoors is critical when air quality is poor, but if you must leave your home, Westervelt suggests wearing a face mask and avoiding strenuous activity that causes heavy breathing, such as jogging or running. Both Peltier and Westervelt also recommend that everyone in your household wear an N95 or KN95 mask, although a well-fitting surgical mask can also help block most particulate matter.

Air purifiers can help—if you get the right one

Although air purifiers have become more common in the era of COVID-19, experts are divided on their effectiveness. US manufacturers are not allowed to market air purifiers as health products, although CNET practical testing has shown that some effectively filter particulate matter from the air, especially if they use a HEPA filter.

“For indoor air quality, many air purifiers work well, especially those that use high-efficiency particulate filters,” Westervelt said.

We there is a guide to choosing an air purifier specifically to deal with wildfire smoke like what we’re seeing right now in California. As someone who has dabbled in Cali smoke for quite a few years, my personal favorite is the affordable yet effective Levoit Air Purifier ($100)which includes HEPA filtration and continuous monitoring of airborne particles so you can check air quality at a glance.

Westervelt recommends avoiding air purifiers that generate ozone, which will be identified as electrostatic and ionizing air purifiers. US Environmental Protection Agency also warns of the risk of ozone– generation of scavengers, as ozone molecules can lead to harmful health effects such as lung damage.

Peltier said air purifiers can be an effective method of purifying the air, but there are two important aspects to remember: they must be the right size for the space you’re trying to keep clean, and those spaces must remain closed to the outdoors. He recommends using them only where you spend most of your time and moving the machine from room to room. For example, move it to your bedroom at night or the living room during the day.

Be informed and be prepared

Westervelt also mentioned that air quality forecasts can give you an accurate picture of Air Quality Index for a given region. He recommends airnow.gov as a real-time source for finding air quality data for your city, state or zip code.

Peltier said to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst, given the health risks associated with continued exposure to smoke.

“We take about 20,000 breaths a day, and that happens whether the air is polluted or clean,” Peltier said. “When we take a breath, we inhale air, but also the contents suspended in that air, including pollutants, and draw it into the deepest parts of the lungs. This delivers a wide range of different chemicals into our bodies that cause many adverse health effects.”

For more safety tips, read about how air purifiers can protect you from poor air quality and what to keep in mind when shopping the best air purifier. You should also make sure that your air purifier is in the right place and it is clean to make sure it works properly.