How To Create A 'Clean Room' At Home To Filter Out Smoke

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - If smoke levels in your area are unhealthy and expected to stay that way for a while, rather than evacuate, experts recommend staying inside and creating a special space with less exposure to smoke, called a "Clean Room."

Here's what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says you can do to create a Clean Room in your home:

1. Choose a room large enough to fit everyone in your family. They say a bedroom with an attached bathroom is a good choice.
2. Prevent smoke from coming inside: Close windows and doors in the room, but don't block entryways, or make it difficult to leave.
3. Stay cool. Run fans, window air conditioners or central air conditioning. If your HVAC or window air conditioner has a fresh air option, turn it off or close the intake.
4. Filter the air in the room. Use a portable air cleaner continuously on the highest fan setting, if possible.
5. Don't do things that introduce smoke or other particles indoors. These include using gas, propane or wood-burning stoves and furnaces, spraying aerosol products, frying or broiling food, burning candles or incense, and vacuuming unless you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
6. Spend as much time as you can in the Clean Room.
7. Dust or mop surfaces in the Clean Room with a damp cloth as needed to keep settled particles from getting back into the air.

For more information about how wildfires affect indoor air quality, visit EPA.gov.

In:
• California Wildfires