How to protect yourself and your home from wildfire smoke

Backup power sources and a solid air filter are just a few ways to prepare your home for wildfire smoke.

Amid a viral pandemic and an unseasonable heat wave, wildfires and high winds have blown smoke into Puget Sount—and many Seattle-area residents are stuck at home having to breathe in smoke. As SeattlePI reported Tuesday, the U.S. Air Quality Index and Washington state's Department of Ecology rated the city's air quality as unhealthy, and that means older adults, children, teens, and those with pre-existing medical conditions should avoid strenuous outdoor activities and limit time outside.

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But the smoke doesn't simply go away because you go indoors, and many homes are not equipped by default to deal with wildfire smoke. The Washington State Department of Health has laid out a detailed explainer on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke and how to improve air quality in your home. Among them:

The simultaneous COVID-19 pandemic and heat wave further complicate matters, as opening windows and seeking fresh air are almost out of the question. While wearing breathable masks was already the pandemic norm, now the challenge lies in making air more breathable.

Below you'll find advice on how to prepare your home for wildfire smoke, and what products you may considering buying. It's also worth considering what emergency supplies you may need in case of blackouts, as a heat wave and wildfires could lead to further adverse conditions.

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According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, weatherizing your home is the first step to keeping smoke out. That means:

Replacing windows and doors isn't something you can do in a pinch, or perhaps at all if you live in a rental. But you can seal leaks yourself with products like window weather stripping, sealant caulk and door sweeps.

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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District suggests buying a "non-ozone producing air purifier (HEPA) to create a cleaner air room in the home" or "a MERV 13 or greater filter for your HVAC system to be used when experiencing a heavy smoke event."

READ MORE ABOUT HOW AIR PURIFIERS WORK

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Amazon carries a variety of non-ozone producing air purifiers, and some of the best-sellers cost less than $100. You'll want to run this filter in the room where you spend the most time, like your bedroom. If you live in an apartment building, this is likely your best option.

MERV 13 filters are inexpensive, running less than $10 per filter, and are usually sold in multipacks. But, as Francis Zamora, a spokesperson for the Department of Emergency Management told SFGATE, you only need to use a MERV 13 filter in your HVAC system during a smoke event, and not at all times.

Air purifiers on Amazon

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Air purifiers at Home Depot

Air purifiers at Lowe's

If you're using air conditioning amid wildfire smoke, make sure to set it to recirculate air so as to not bring in smoky air from the outside, and check that the filter is clean. If you have a window air conditioning unit, ensure it's properly sealed and the filter is clean.

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As the Washington State Department of Health states, wildfire smoke can lead to a variety of harmful effects, including "eye, nose, and throat irritation or headaches, to more severe symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, asthma attacks, and worsening existing chronic conditions." If that sounds familiar, it's because many of those symptoms overlap with those of COVID-19.

If you're experiencing symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. But if you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, "treat it like it could be COVID-19 and call your health care provider to discuss COVID-19 testing and other possible reasons for your illness."

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While many reach for N95 masks—the kind worn for sanding or painting—during a wildfire, as SFGATE reported, it's still best to seek out places with fresh air. In fact, an N95 mask can do more harm than good.

"We reach for them because they're easy, and sometimes they make you feel a little better," Dr. Jan Gurley, director of public health emergency preparedness and response with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, told SFGATE. "But there are no substitutes for getting to where the air is clean."

If you do reach for a mask, understand what kind you're using and how it works.

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With an N95 mask, the 95 number means it blocks 95 percent of particulate matter. An N97 blocks 97 percent, and an N100 mask blocks 100 percent (really 99.9997).

If you see a P instead of an N, like a P100 mask, that means the mask also blocks lead and asbestos. But an N100 and P100 should work equally well for soot.

No matter the rating, a mask won't be effective if worn improperly. Just having facial hair can kill a mask's efficacy, as particulate matter will get past facial hair. Masks should not be reused, and more notably, no such masks are available for children. An N95 mask will not properly fit a child, and will therefore be ineffective.

Additionally, wearing a mask could exacerbate respiratory issues, as they make breathing more difficult. Your best bet is still to go somewhere with clean air or seek out a sealed building with a filtered HVAC system.

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If you insist on wearing a mask, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District suggests using only N95 or N100 masks. Surgical masks or bandanas will not help.

N95 masks

N100 masks

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N100 masks on Amazon

Anker makes a variety of high-capacity batteries that can charge a smartphone several times without having to be plugged in, and Aukey has a bunch on sale right now.

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The PowerCore 20,000 mAh is available in a variety of places. If it's fully charged, it has enough power to recharge an iPhone 8 almost seven times. At press time, you can also get an Aukey Portable Charger 10000mAh for just $14.99.

The Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 500 can power small appliances and electronic devices under 500 watt(surge 1000W), like car coolers, air pumps, car vacuums, laptops and phones. It also pairs with the SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel, which lets you charge anywhere there's sunlight. So unless you're on the dark side of the moon, you'll be able to juice up your phone. And if you're on the dark side of the moon, you're not going to be getting any reception anyway.

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These power stations are designed for camping and should keep an air purifier running if your power cuts out for a few hours.

Portable power stations on Amazon

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Portable power stations at Best Buy

Portable power stations at Walmart

A gas-powered generator can run appliances for brief periods. Don't run your generator without ventilation, and be sure to read its instructions. You'll need to know your appliance's wattage to buy the right sized generator.

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As the National Ag Safety Database explains: "If you want a generator to run a refrigerator and a freezer, the wattage of the refrigerator would be 800 and the freezer would be 1,000. To select the correct size generator, you decide if both refrigerator and freezer are to start at the same time. If so, you would need (1,800 X 4) 7,200 watts. You would select the nearest larger wattage generator. If you can be certain both appliances will not start at the same time, you would only need 4,800 watts (to run the refrigerator while starting the freezer)."

Portable generators on Amazon

Portable generators at Walmart

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Portable generators at Lowes

Portable generators at Home Depot

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

non-ozone producing air purifier (HEPA) MERV 13 or greater filter for your HVAC system Masks should not be reused, no such masks are available for children N95 masks N100 masks