Did you know that wildfire smoke from the West coast has been tracked all the way to the East coast? The impact of smoke in far away areas can range from grey skies, to a faint smoky odor, to aggravating health issues.
If you have a fire in your own home, of course, you won’t be able to prevent odor and damage, but can minimize it by calling a restoration company to salvage as much as possible.
If the fire is in your neighborhood, or hundreds of miles away, there are things you can do to protect both your family’s health, and your home.
Check the air quality in your area to know your risk. You can find the air quality index at AirNow.gov.
1. When air quality is low, stay inside. Dust masks will not protect you from smoke.
- Reduce activities that make indoor air quality worse like:
- Vacuuming
- Smoking
- Burning candles, fireplaces, or gas stoves
- Using air fresheners
2. Also remember to:
- Keep doors and windows closed
- Run air conditioners with a clean filter and fresh-air intake closed.
- Run non-ozone emitting air cleaners with clean filters.
- Avoid strenuous activities that cause you to breathe faster.
- Have enough supplies on hand that you don’t have to leave the house.
3. When the outdoor air clears to a good quality, even temporarily, you should then air out your house to help improve the indoor air as well.
4. If you have a smoky odor or residue left behind on the walls and other items in your house after the fire is extinguished, contact a restoration professional about how to remove it.