Along Colorado’s rural roadsides, Smokey Bear is a familiar reminder of the day’s wildfire danger. During hot, dry summer months, those signs often point to high or extreme fire risk.
Even when a wildfire is miles away, the smoke can still reach your neighborhood and affect the air inside your home. That is why it is important to understand how wildfire smoke impacts indoor air quality and what you can do to help protect your family during fire season.
Indoor air quality can quickly become hazardous as smoke seeps inside homes through ventilation shafts, HVAC systems, and open windows. Wildfire smoke can be one of the most dangerous parts of a fire because it does not stay in one place. It can travel thousands of miles, carrying chemicals and tiny particles that may irritate your lungs, nose, throat, and eyes when inhaled.
Wildfire smoke has been linked to an increase in asthma attacks, heart failure, heart attacks, and even strokes. Managing your in-home air quality can have a lasting impact on you, your pets, and visitors.
So, what can you do as a homeowner to protect your home’s air quality? Applewood suggests the following steps to help manage wildfire smoke and indoor air quality concerns at home.
Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality During Wildfire Season
1. Use a High-Efficiency HVAC System
A high-efficiency HVAC system can effectively filter out harmful particles from wildfire smoke, keeping the air in your home healthy and safe to breathe.
2. Know How Outdoor Air Enters Your Home
Know how to close off these outdoor air intakes or how to cover up these openings in case of emergencies. This can help reduce the amount of smoke that enters your home.
3. Regularly Check and Replace Your HVAC Filters
This ensures the system runs efficiently and can filter as much air as possible. Consistently checking the quality of these filters, especially during wildfire season, can improve the air quality of your home year-round and keep you safe during fire season.
Prepare Your Home Before Wildfire Smoke Arrives
It’s not a matter of if, but when, wildfire smoke will impact your family. A fire on the other side of the state can have a drastic impact on your local air quality overnight. Applewood technicians can help you take the proper steps to ensure your home HVAC system is ready to keep your family safe during unpredictable times.
The best thing you can do before smoky conditions become an emergency is to have a plan. Understand how your home’s HVAC system works, keep it properly maintained, and keep your systems up to date before wildfire smoke arrives.
Applewood can help you get your home ready for wildfire season with HVAC maintenance, filter checks, and indoor air quality recommendations.
Schedule service with our certified HVAC technicians today.
