5 tips for keeping smoke out of your home during Oregon wildfire season
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As smoke lingers in the Pacific Northwest amid wildfire season, experts stress the importance of keeping smoke out of homes to avoid potential health issues or damage to homes.
Energy Trust of Oregon, a nonprofit that helps communities find affordable clean energy solutions, shared five ways to keep homes smoke-safe.
1. Tighten seals around windows and doors
Energy Trust of Oregon recommends installing weatherstripping to drafty windows or doors to prevent smoke from drifting into your home. For those with a window air conditioner, the organization suggests closing the outdoor air damper or to avoid a window AC unit if you’re unable to close it.
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“There’s a few things that people should consider when it comes to wildfire smoke, the first is consider the seal of the home,” said Energy Trust of Oregon Program Manager Scott Leonard. “You want to close, cover any gaps and cracks. So, for instance, if around the window, if it feels drafty, you want to consider adding some weather stripping. Just make sure that you don’t feel any air flowing through that area.”
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The nonprofit also recommends avoiding using a portable air conditioner with a single hose vented through a window in smoky conditions. If you’re using an air conditioner with two hoses, Energy Trust of Oregon recommends ensuring the seal between the window vent kit and window is as tight as possible.
2. Avoid frying, using candles, and air out of your home after a smoke event
Energy Trust of Oregon urges Oregonians to avoid activities that will create more fine particles indoors such as smoking cigarettes, using gas/propane/wood-burning stoves, spraying aerosols, frying food, or vacuuming, unless you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
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“You want to consider not making the air that’s inside the home more unhealthy than it needs to be. So, avoid doing things like cooking, frying things, burning candles, incense, all those things, are going to create this unhealthy air,” Leonard said.
3. Temporarily switch to fan-only mode
Energy Trust of Oregon said using HVAC system’s “fan-only” mode during wildfire season will ensure the system is running indoor air through the filter to keep the air more clean.
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The nonprofit recommends switching systems back to “auto” mode ahead of cold weather, so the system kicks on when needed.
4. Replace air filters frequently
Energy Trust of Oregon recommends changing air filters every three months, or possibly every six weeks for healthy air quality during smoke events.
The nonprofit suggests checking filters for dust and debris buildup monthly – noting high-rated minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) filters can catch more particles compared to standard filters.
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However, they can also cause HVAC systems to work harder and increase energy use.
5. Use a portable air purifier or high-efficiency filter
Energy Trust of Oregon suggests running air purifiers as often as possible on the highest fan speed.
The nonprofit also works with some retailers to offer discounts on energy-efficient air purifiers.
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“Energy Trust offers instant discounts on [air purifiers] at Home Depot and Lowe’s, but make sure that you call ahead to make sure that they have them in stock,” Leonard said.
Stressing the health impacts of wildfire smoke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said wildfire smoke can travel far away from where wildfires are burning and have the potential to make anyone sick.
Breathing in smoke can cause coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, headaches, tiredness, and fast heartbeats, officials said.
The CDC reports some people have an increased risk of getting sick from wildfire smoke including people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, and those who are pregnant, or wildfire responders.
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