How to control indoor air quality for wildfire season
Pay attention to alerts
First of all, if there is an active fire close to your home, it may be best to evacuate. Pay close attention to local emergency alerts, and follow guidelines. If there is an active fire close enough to cause high smoke levels, but is not a threat to your home, follow your local guidelines. EPA's AirNow website is a helpful source to get up-to-date air quality information.
Prepare for fire season now
If you live where there is a high risk of wildfires, take steps now to prepare. Knowing what to do during fire season is especially important for the health of children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease.
- Consider keeping a supply of N95 respirator masks on hand, especially if you live with anyone vulnerable to poor air quality.
- Invest in an air purifier like Airmega that meets HEPA standards. An advanced purification system can help control your home’s indoor air quality.
- If you have a central HVAC system, find out if it has a fresh air intake. If it does, find out how to close it or turn the system to recirculate mode.
- If you have a window air conditioner, find out how to close the outdoor air damper. Make sure that the seal between the air conditioner and the window is as tight as possible.
Watch for air leaks
Be on the lookout for ways you can better seal your home. Outdoor air, including fine particles from wildfire smoke, can enter your home in a number of ways:
- natural ventilation—open windows and doors
- mechanical ventilation—bathroom, kitchen, or HVAC fans with fresh air intake
- infiltration—small cracks or joints around closed windows and doors
You can better seal windows or doors like you would for weather stripping, giving you more control over your indoor air.
Air purifiers like Airmega can help protect your family
One way to protect yourself from the negative effects associated with smoke pollution is to use a True HEPA-filter air purifier, like the Coway Airmega. True HEPA filters capture and reduce up to 99.97* percent of particles 0.3 microns in the air, including pollen, pollutants and other allergens.
Check out FEMA’s How to Prepare for a Wildfire for additional detail on how to protect yourself.
*Based on the True HEPA filter material standard. The actual performance will be determined by indoor air quality and operation of the unit.
Disclaimers
1Coway air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander, viruses and bacteria in the air based on KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing.They have been tested in a 30㎥ size chamber according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers.
→ Tested with Airmega Aim, 100, 150, 160, AP-1216L, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, IconS, 230, 240, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S, ProX
299.97% of viruses, bacteria, fungi and pollen were verified to be removed from the air for Coway air purifiers which have Green True HEPA™ filter applied based on the Japan Food Research Laboratories(JFRL) testing according to JEM 1467 standard.
→ Tested with Coway Airmega AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S
→ All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
- Virus: Tested with Escherichia coli phage ΦX174 NBRC 103405, 60 minutes
- Bacteria: Tested with Staphylococcus epidermidis NBRC 12993, 60 minutes
- Fungi/Mold: Tested with Penicillium citrinum NBRC 6352, 60 minutes
- Pollen: Tested with Cedar Pollen extract, 60 minutes
3Aerosol test conducted in a Biosafety level 3 laboratory with two Coway air purifier models, Coway Airmega 250 and 400 for removal of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol by US based MRI Global, a not-for-profit laboratory and partner of US Department of Defense. The test was conducted in a 13.1ft3 chamber. Virus was aerosolized for 15 minutes and the product was turned on high for 2 minutes. Result showed each product effectively removed over 99.98% of the SARS-CoV-2 in 2 minutes. This is a result from a laboratory experiment condition and result may vary in different conditions. This result does not imply it kills SARS-CoV-2 or prevents the transmission of Covid-19. Coway Airmega 250S and 400S are identical to the tested models and has equal performance with an additional mobile connectivity function.
4The concentration of ammonia, acetaldehyde and acetic acid were proven to be removed within 30 minutes by FCG Research Institute, Inc. Human Life Science Lab. It is not a demonstration result in the actual use space. Not all odors and gases may be supported. → Tested with Coway Airmega 150, 160, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 400, 400S
5The coverage area of the air purifier is based on an area where the air cleaner can make two air changes per hour (ACPH). An air change per hour translates to how many times an air purifier can clean an area, assuming the height of a ceiling to be 8 ft, in one hour. Therefore ** means two air changes per hour means that the cleaner can clean the area once every 30 minutes and * means air changes per hour means that the air purifier can clean the area once every 60 minutes.
10Terms and conditions apply. Discounts, including promotions, coupons, bundle discount and subscription discount, cannot be stacked on top of other coupons. During promotional periods, discount codes will not be able to be applied to orders. Promo codes may apply to products only—filters, accessories, and new products within 3 months of the release date are not included.
