With the ongoing wildfires in California, we wanted to share these tips to help you stay safe, avoid smoke exposure and protect your lungs from wildfire smoke:
1. Reduce strenuous physical activity.
2. Reduce other sources of indoor air pollution such as smoking cigarettes, using a wood-burning stove, or frying meat. Do not vacuum anywhere in the house.
3.Use central air conditioner or heater to filter the air: A home’s heater or air conditioner set to the fan mode may be able to filter out some of the particles by “re-circulating” the indoor air through the filter.
4. Use air purifiers with HEPA filters. Try to get an air purifier that has a HEPA (PM2.5) filter. Note: do not use air cleaner devices that produce ozone such as “super oxygenators”.
5.When traveling in a vehicle, keep windows closed, run the air conditioner, and set air to re-circulate to reduce smoke.
Read more tips here:
thoracic.org/patients/patien…