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We have updated this post to include information about the new air purifier selection.

As more serious fires become the new normal, even those who are not directly threatened are worried about how to deal with the spread of wildfire smoke. Two good news: According to the EPA, “If you are healthy, you usually don’t face a major risk from short-term exposure to smoke.” Second, there are some simple and effective ways to eliminate wildfire smoke in your home.

As we pointed out in the air purifier collaboration with The New York Times, keeping the air in your home clean during the fire season requires a multi-pronged approach. Buying a dedicated air purifier for your central air conditioner or buying a new filter is the most effective thing you can do to help protect the people in your home. (Including pets-the American Veterinary Association recommends looking out for specific animal health issues related to wildfire smoke.) But you can also use things you may already have, such as a mop and a washing machine. This is what we recommend.

First, consider a real HEPA air purifier. We have an extensive guide on air purifiers, but the basic facts are as follows: According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (PDF), wildfire smoke is mainly composed of fine particles in the 0.4 to 0.7 micron range. Real HEPA air filters are very good at removing particles of this size from the air. Our first choice Coway AP-1512HH and almost the same Coway Airmega 200M are reasonable price, excellent performance and reliable. They are large enough to accommodate rooms under 350 square feet, including most bedrooms and living rooms. Blueair Blue Pure 211+ is our product of choice for larger spaces, which can quickly purify the air in larger rooms and open houses.

Since 2015, Coway has been our preferred air purifier, but in recent years, several companies have produced models that are close to our high standards, and we have also added some new options to encompass a wider range of price points and aesthetics. These include Winix 5500-2, Winix AM90, Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto and Levoit Core 400S.

We recommend that you turn on the air purifier for an hour when you turn on the machine for the first time. This will quickly remove air by passing all the air in the room through the filter four to six times. After that, keeping the machine at a low speed or in an automatic state will keep the air clean. Just run it continuously. Noise is usually not a problem; at lower settings, the purifiers we recommend are almost silent.

If you have central air conditioning and heating, you can consider another cheaper option: upgrade to one of our recommended furnaces and air conditioning filters. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, medium MERV filters "may be almost as effective as true HEPA filters" in controlling most airborne indoor particulate matter.

MERV stands for the minimum efficiency report value and is a measure of the degree to which the central air filter removes particles from the air. The medium-sized MERV filter provides more filtration than the basic MERV 1-4 filter with a central air system. The central air system captures only visible pollutants such as pet hair and dust rabbits, but not fine particles such as smoke. If you are not sure which type you are using, these basic filters are usually provided with the equipment. They are your cheapest filter replacement options. They usually look like transparent nets of blue or green strings.

Our recommended medium MERV filter, rated MERV 8 to 13, is usually opaque white, with a felt-like texture and accordion-like folds. In our furnace and air conditioning filter guide, we recommend Nordic Pure's MERV 12 filter. A six-pack usually sells for about US$40. If they are not available, we also have MERV 12 equivalent recommendations from Honeywell and Filtrete.

One caveat: these mid-range MERV filters may put pressure on one of several air moving devices, depending on the age and design of your system. (Read our detailed report on the matter in our main filter guide.) Smoke conditions can clog the filter within half of the recommended replacement period (usually three months), so we recommend simply replacing it after the fire is over filter. Regardless of whether a wildfire occurs, if your system has been in use for 15 or 20 years or more, it may not be able to withstand the extra effort of moderate MERV filtration. In this case, we recommend buying a portable air purifier.

Whether you adopt the above suggestions or not, you can take other simple, basically free steps to reduce smoke problems in your home.

This may seem obvious, but please close your windows. In most cases, there are fewer particulates in outdoor air than indoor air, so opening windows is a good idea. But in wildfire conditions, this is not the case. Closing the windows helps prevent smoke from entering your home from the start. Minimize entrances and exits through external doors, and use any two-door configuration you have (such as an attached garage, separate basement entrance, or front hall) to isolate the smoke upon entry and prevent smoke from fully infiltrating the living space.

Even small smoke particles will eventually fall out of the air and settle on surfaces including the floor. We recommend that you pick up the floors with a wet mop instead of using a vacuum cleaner, which will only blow them back into the air. The dust mop and wet mop we selected work well (I use both), and are cheap, durable, ergonomic and washable. But any mop you own can be used. According to records, wet mopping (the mop is slightly wet, not wet mop, which is soaked) will not damage the wooden floor.

Smoke particles can also stick to your clothes, skin and bed. If you have ever smoked outdoors, put on clean clothes when you get home. Also wash the sheets more frequently than usual. Take a quick shower before going to bed. After the smoke has dissipated and the fire has subsided, clean everything and replace all filters to make breathing easier.

By Eve O'Neill

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