As smoke from Canadian wildfires brings more hazy days to Chicago, staying inside won't necessarily protect you. Here's how experts say you can stay safe from bad air that finds its way indoors.
A sailboat passes Montrose Point in front of a hazy Willis Tower on July 26, 2023.
Once in the deepest portions of the lungs, this particulate matter can cross into the bloodstream, disrupting blood chemistry and causing heart stoppages. Fine particulate matter has also been linked to premature births, diabetes and dementia.Fine particles from wildfire smoke can make their way indoors in many ways. Most obviously, they can travel inside through open windows and doors by natural ventilation.
Keep the room clean by refraining from smoking cigarettes, using gas, propane or wood-burning stoves, spraying aerosol products, frying food and burning candles or incense. Seal the room by putting a rolled up towel at the base of the door.Instead of taking outside air in, recirculate indoor air, said Manish Sharma, vice president and chief product officer of Connected Buildings at Honeywell.
Those who have window AC units should also close the outdoor air damper, which Horner said is often built in to save energy by recirculating air, since the appliance doesn’t have to work to cool air coming from outside.“If you’ve got an outdoor episodic air pollution event, you would certainly want to close off the outdoor air supply — if that feature is available,” Sharma said.
Chicagoans should purchase an air purifier with HEPA filters, said Ravi Kalhan, a pulmonologist at Northwestern Medicine.are a type of pleated mechanical air filter that can remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns — the most penetrating particle size. HEPA filters trap larger or smaller particles with even higher efficiency.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
With summer coming to an end, Chicagoans enjoy relief from heat waveThousands across the Chicago area were making the most the waning days of summer on Friday night, with concerts, food, and festivals.
Read more »
Chicago weather: Weekend outlook, gusty winds will lead to dangerous swimming conditionsChicagoans, be prepared for some weather changes this weekend.
Read more »
Smoke from Canadian wildfires sent more asthma sufferers to the emergency roomCenters for Disease Control studies increased asthma-related ER visits by 17% nationwide during 19 of the smokiest days. On the worst air quality day in New York state, those visits spiked 82%.
Read more »