Summer Smoke and Indoor Air in Chilliwack
Some summers, smoke from distant wildfires settles into the valley between the mountains. A home's heating and cooling system can do a lot to keep indoor air cleaner.
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Keep windows and doors shut while smoke is heavy.
Recirculate
Run the system fan so air passes through the filter.
Upgrade the filter
A higher-rated filter, if your system can handle it, traps fine smoke.
Ventilators
Ask your contractor how to set an HRV or ERV on smoky days.
Portable cleaners
Place portable air cleaners in bedrooms.
Stay cool
Smoke often comes with heat. Cooling lets you keep windows closed.
Change filters after
Smoke loads filters quickly; replace them after an event.
Outdoor coils
Rinse ash off outdoor units gently with the power off once the air clears.
Health
Follow public health advice, especially for people with breathing or heart conditions.
Next
See ventilation and filtration.
Bedrooms first
If you can only clean the air in one place, focus on bedrooms.
Thick filters
Very thick filters can strain some blowers. Ask a technician which filter your system can handle.
Inside smell
If smoke smell lingers after the air clears outside, change filters again and air out the house on a clean day.
Cars and garages
Keep the door between an attached garage and the house closed. Smoke collects in garages and seeps in when the door is open.
Keep spares
Buy filters before smoke season. Stores can run short once smoke arrives.
Pets
Keep pets indoors on the smokiest days; filtered air helps them too.
After the season
Book a check if the system ran hard all summer.
Measure it
An inexpensive indoor air quality monitor shows whether filtering is working on smoky days.
More heating and cooling guides
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