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SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Health Department shared tips Friday on how to keep the smoke from getting in your house and mucking up your indoor air quality.
"With wildfire smoke recently becoming more of a concern as fires burn in several western states, the Salt Lake County Health Department's air quality experts warn that even if you are not in immediate proximity to a fire, smoke imported by weather systems can still be a significant health concern—especially for people with underlying health conditions," the Department said.
They say obviously smoke can get into your house through open doors and windows, but also through "mechanical ways such as an HVAC system, or through infiltration of cracks or small openings in the structure."
They recommend the following tips:
1. Keep windows and doors closed
Try to keep the most obvious entry points to your home closed as much as possible. If you don't have air conditioning, when your area is affected by wildfire smoke the EPA recommends using fans instead of opening windows—or seek relief from heat at a Salt Lake County Cool Zone.
2. Limit use of a swamp cooler
Evaporative coolers bring air from outside to help cool the home.
