Smoke Season Prep: Your Indoor Air Checklist

Getting ready for wildfire smoke season? Use this indoor air checklist to reduce smoke particles, improve filtration, prevent leaks, and protect your home’s air quality without overcomplicating it.

Smoke season can turn indoor air into a daily stressor. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is practical: reduce smoke particles indoors, keep air as comfortable as possible, and avoid the common mistakes that make homes feel smoky for days.

This checklist is designed to be simple, realistic, and repeatable. We’ll cover what to do before smoke arrives, what to do during a smoke event, and how to reset your home afterward.

This is general home information, not medical advice.

Quick Summary (The “Do This First” List)

If smoke is in the forecast:

Choose 1–2 “clean air rooms” (bedroom + main living area).
Close windows and exterior doors.
Run a properly sized HEPA air purifier consistently.
Replace filters if you’re overdue or airflow is weak.
Reduce indoor particle sources (burning candles, frying, heavy cleaning dust).
Use ventilation carefully only when outdoor air is good.

Part 1: Before Smoke Season (Set Up Once, Benefit All Season)

1) Pick Your “Clean Air Rooms”

Choose the rooms where you spend the most time:

Bedroom (high priority because of sleep)
Main living area (high priority during the day)

If you have one purifier:

start with the bedroom or main living area based on your routine

If you have two:

bedroom + main living area is the most practical setup

2) Check Your Air Purifier Setup

For smoke season, we want:

True HEPA filtration for smoke particles
Activated carbon if smoke odor is a big issue (more carbon usually helps more)
A purifier sized for the room (undersizing is the #1 reason people feel “no difference”)

Do a quick performance check:

Does the purifier move a meaningful amount of air on medium?
Is it quiet enough to run for hours?
Are replacement filters easy to find and not overpriced?

3) Stock Filters Early (This Saves Money and Stress)

Filters sell out during heavy smoke periods. Before the season ramps up:

check your filter model number
buy at least one spare HEPA filter if smoke is common in your area
buy carbon filters if your unit uses them and odor is a problem

4) Reduce Air Leaks (The “Easy Wins” Version)

Smoke gets in through gaps. You don’t need a renovation, but small steps help:

check weatherstripping around exterior doors
check obvious window gaps
keep doors that lead outside sealed well
close fireplace dampers if you have them (when not in use)

Even basic leak reduction helps your purifier work more effectively.

5) HVAC and Central Air (If You Have It)

If you have a central system:

check your HVAC filter type and replacement schedule
replace it before smoke season if you’re overdue
use a filter that fits the system’s specs (don’t guess)

Central air can help, but it’s not a substitute for a room HEPA purifier during heavy smoke. The best results usually come from using both strategically.

Part 2: During a Smoke Event (What To Do When Outdoor Air Is Bad)

1) Close Up the House (The Core Move)

Keep windows closed.
Limit door openings.
Avoid running fans that pull outdoor air in unless outdoor air improves.

2) Run HEPA Purifiers Consistently

Smoke events are not the time to run purifiers “sometimes.”

Run them in your clean air rooms for most of the day.
Use a higher setting during the worst periods, then drop to a quieter setting when you can.

Practical tip:
It’s often better to run a stronger purifier on medium than a small purifier on max.

3) Reduce Indoor Particle Sources (This Matters More Than People Think)

During smoke events, avoid adding more particles indoors:

Don’t burn candles or incense.
Avoid smoking indoors (including vaping).
Minimize frying or high-smoke cooking if possible.
Avoid heavy dusting that kicks up particles.

If you need to cook:

choose lower-smoke methods when possible
use the range hood if it vents outside and doesn’t pull smoke in
run the purifier during and after cooking

4) Keep Your “Clean Air Room” Clean

This is a simple system:

Keep the door closed if possible.
Keep it uncluttered so airflow is better.
Vacuum or wipe surfaces gently to reduce dust buildup.

If you have allergies, this can also reduce symptoms while smoke is high.

5) Pay Attention to Odor (Carbon Reality Check)

HEPA targets particles, not odor.
If smoke odor is the main complaint:

carbon filtration helps, but thin carbon pads have limits
rotating air and reducing leaks matters
sometimes odor reduction takes longer than particle reduction

If odor returns quickly, it can be a sign filters are saturated or the home is leaky.

6) Ventilate Only When Outdoor Air Improves

Ventilation is useful, but timing matters.

If outdoor air is unhealthy, keep windows closed.
If outdoor air improves, a short ventilation window can help reduce indoor stuffiness.

The key is being selective. You want fresh air only when it’s actually cleaner outside.

Part 3: After the Smoke Clears (Reset Your Indoor Air)

1) Ventilate to Clear Stale Indoor Air (When Safe)

When outdoor air is clearly improved:

open windows briefly to flush the home
ventilate the clean air rooms
then return to normal routines

2) Clean Surfaces Gently

Smoke can leave residue on surfaces over time. Keep it simple:

wipe high-touch surfaces
vacuum with a good vacuum if you have one
avoid aggressive dust storms indoors

3) Check Filters and Replace If Needed

After a smoke period:

check purifier filters for heavy discoloration or reduced airflow
replace if performance dropped
check HVAC filters too if you used central air heavily

Filter replacement is one of the most practical “reset buttons” after a bad smoke week.

Optional: The DIY Box Fan Filter (Quick Backup Idea)

If smoke season is frequent and you need a budget backup, some people use a box fan with a filter as a temporary setup.

Practical note:

It can help move air through a filter
Performance and safety depend on setup quality
Use common sense and follow safe operation guidelines

If you’re relying on this often, a proper HEPA purifier is usually a better long-term investment.

Common Mistakes (And Easy Fixes)

Mistake: Opening windows because it “feels stuffy” during smoke
Fix: Use purifiers and targeted ventilation only when outdoor air improves.

Mistake: Using one small purifier for a big open space
Fix: Move it to a smaller clean air room or add another purifier.

Mistake: Burning candles to “cover the smell”
Fix: Avoid adding more indoor pollutants. Use carbon filtration and leak reduction instead.

Mistake: Forgetting filter replacements
Fix: Replace filters proactively, especially if smoke events are common.

Mistake: Cooking high-smoke foods constantly during smoke events
Fix: Choose lower-smoke cooking methods and run filtration during and after.

FAQ

Do air purifiers help with wildfire smoke?
They can help reduce smoke particles indoors when windows are closed and the purifier is correctly sized and run consistently. For odor, activated carbon can help, but carbon amount matters.

Should we keep windows closed all day?
During unhealthy outdoor smoke, yes. When outdoor air improves, brief ventilation can help. Timing is the key.

Is one purifier enough for the whole house?
Usually no. Most homes do better with “clean air rooms” and targeted filtration where you spend time.

How do we know if filters need replacement?
Signs include reduced airflow, persistent odor, and heavy discoloration. If you’re overdue by time or heavy smoke periods, replacing is often the simplest solution.

Bottom Line

Smoke season prep is about simple systems: choose clean air rooms, reduce leaks, run a correctly sized HEPA purifier consistently, and avoid adding indoor particles. Then reset with ventilation and filter replacement when outdoor air improves. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s a calmer home with noticeably better air during smoky weeks.

Related guides:

How to Choose an Air Purifier for Smoke, Allergies, and Pets
Air Purifier Placement: Where It Works Best (Room by Room)
Indoor Air Quality 101: VOCs, Ventilation, and Common Sources

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