With the heat of Summer comes the threat of Forest Fires.
The Western regions of Canada go through a yearly danger zone of smoke that affects everyone, but in particular those with respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease, and children.
The use of an Air Purifier may seem small, but finding the right one with a true HEPA filter can filter out the smoke particles and make your home a safe place to breath. These particles can be incredibly small, in between 0.4 and 0.7 microns which allow them to get themselves deep into your lungs. This also makes Dust Masks unreliable. A HEPA Air Purifier paired with a few small changes to your home is the best bet for keeping your air as breathable as possible.
Some Tips:
- Best to install a Whole-House Air Cleaner with a true HEPA filter (removing down to 0.3 microns) with an appropriate area of effectiveness for your home or room.
- Avoid Ozone or Ionic air purifiers, while they help with general air purification they will not remove the finer Smoke particles.
- If you have an Air Conditioner, close off the fresh-air intake to prevent it from bringing in more smoke.
- If you must go outside and want a mask to protect yourself in heavy smoke areas, find one that is NIOSH certified and marked N95, N100 or P100.
- For a look at the current Smoke Forecast and areas that will be affected, you can view a live feed at Firesmoke.Ca. Remember always follow your Provincial Fire Bans, and never leave a flame unsupervised.
