Creating a clean room in your home is an effective way to help reduce exposure to dangerous or unhealthy wildfire smoke. Below are some resources to learn about air filters and cleaner air spaces.
Create a Clean Room to Protect Indoor Air Quality During a Wildfire (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/create-clean-room-protect-indoor-air-quality-during-wildfire
What to Know Before Buying an Air Purifier to Clear Wildfire Smoke (NY Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/smarter-living/what-to-know-before-buying-an-air-purifier.html which includes a link to NY Times Wirecutter recommendations.
How to build a Do-It-Yourself Fan/Filter Room Air Cleaner
https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/diy-fan-filter.html (Climate Smart Missoula)
Where can high efficiency filters be purchased?
Ask your local hardware store to order high efficiency filters. Some high efficiency filter brands include:
- Aerostar MERV 13 Air Filter
- Honeywell Elite Allergen Pleated MERV 13
- Filterbuy MERV 13 Air Filter
- Nordic Pure MERV 12
- 3M Filtrete
Various manufacturers use different rating systems; MERV, MPR, and FPR. MERV is the industry standard for measuring how well a filter captures particles. Below is a chart that shows how the rating systems correspond.
| MERV | MPR | FPR |
| 14 | 2500 | |
| 13 | 2200 | 10 |
| 12 | 1500 | |
| 11 | 1200 | 7 |
How to stay informed about air quality in your area
Air Now (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control, and tribal, state, and local air quality agencies)
https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?xmin=-13548677.28722669&ymin=4695883.83911172&xmax=-13403630.38235274&ymax=4789935.991776823&clayer=none&mlayer=ozonepm
Residential Air Cleaners: A Technical Summary (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
https://www.ashland.or.us/SIB/files/Smokewise%20Documents/residential_air_cleaners_-_a_technical_summary_3rd_edition.pdf
DIY Home Air Filters Can Be Effective, Safe, Researcher Says (Montana NPR)
https://www.mtpr.org/post/diy-home-air-filters-can-be-effective-safe-researcher-says
The material contained on this website is for informational purposes only. Those with medical conditions or sensitivities to smoke should seek the advice of a licensed medical provider. If individuals need more information, they should consult a medical professional.
