During the summer, thunderstorms are quite common and you need to be wary of the major and minor wildfires that are prone to happen due to the heat and strong winds. Severe thunderstorms can ignite many wildfires, thereby starting the ‘wildfire season’ which includes all the wildfires that take place as a result of the weather.
During this time, the air quality of the areas surrounding the fires can be terrible for your health, so it’s vital that you take all the precautions you can to protect yourself from the impurities in the air, especially because some wildfires can last for days or weeks. In this article, we’ll go over 3 important ways you can reduce the pollution in the air inside your house during this season. Let’s get started.
1. Use Air Purifiers
Even if you don’t prefer using air purifiers on regular days throughout the year, it’s a good idea to invest in an air purifier for wildfire smoke, especially if you live in areas that are prone to be affected by pollutants from the fires. Air purifiers are good for this purpose because they help remove allergens and pollutants present in the air. While some people prefer living without air purifiers as they suffer from respiratory infections that can be triggered by an air purifier, resulting in cough or sore throat, most people are not affected by them if they are used only when absolutely necessary.
It’s impossible to keep your windows and doors closed all the time to keep out the pollutants from the smoke, so it’s wise to make the most of the options available to you until the situation settles down. Many people also accept that they tend to sleep better when there’s an air purifier around, as it circulates fresh air throughout the bedroom, which is beneficial to people who have sensitive noses and can get irritated by the smallest particles in the air. Additionally, scientists suggest having high-quality air purifiers at home if you’re expecting wildfires, as this can make a significant difference in the air quality inside buildings and homes.
2. Reduce the Entry of Smoke
While the results of having a high-performing air filter at home are quite satisfactory, you may want to reduce the amount of smoke entering your home, especially if there happens to be an ongoing fire close by. You will definitely want to evacuate your home if the fire is very close, but if it’s only the smoke that is affecting your region, it’s best to try reducing the entry of smoke for as long as you can.
Apart from keeping the doors and windows closed for as long as possible, also check how you can reduce your air conditioner from allowing smoke inside the house by altering its settings. Additionally, It’s a good idea to avoid doing things that will cause more smoke and pollution inside the house during this time, such as smoking, using sprays, frying food, burning incense or candles, or using the fireplace.
3. Make the Most of Fresh Air
While it is necessary to prevent outdoor air from entering your home when it’s filled with smoke, breathing air inside the house for long periods of time is also not a wise idea. Instead, make the most of any small improvement in the quality of outdoor air by opening windows and doors and airing out your home whenever you notice a decrease in the smoke outside. By doing so, you’ll be able to allow a small amount of fresh air into the house and increase the quality of the air on the whole.
