Breathe Easy: Protecting Your Home During Wildfire Smoke Season

Because clean air is something we all deserve to breathe.

If you’ve lived in Salt Lake City for more than a summer, you know the drill—wildfire smoke drifts in, the mountains disappear behind a haze, and suddenly even a quick walk to Liberty Park feels like breathing through a campfire.

While we can’t control what’s burning hundreds of miles away, we can take steps to protect our homes (and lungs) during Utah’s smoky season.

Here’s how to keep your indoor air as fresh as possible when the smoke rolls in:

1. Close It Up Tight

When smoke is in the air, treat your home like a sealed bubble. Keep windows and doors closed, even if the temperature outside drops.

Hack: Check the seals around windows and doors. If you feel a draft, add weather stripping or use draft stoppers to keep smoky air out.

2. Upgrade Your Air Filters

Your HVAC filter is your first line of defense. During smoke season, a standard filter might not cut it.

Pro Tip: Swap to a high-efficiency filter (look for a MERV rating of 13 or higher). It captures finer particles and keeps indoor air cleaner.

3. Run Your A/C on Recirculate

If you’re using your A/C, make sure it’s set to recirculate so it’s not pulling in smoky outdoor air.

Salt Lake Bonus: If you have swamp coolers (common in older SLC homes), avoid running them on smoky days—they draw outdoor air inside.

4. Add an Air Purifier (or Two)

Portable HEPA air purifiers work wonders in bedrooms or living spaces where you spend the most time. They pull fine particles from the air and can make a noticeable difference.

Hack: If you don’t have one, you can make a DIY box fan filter with a high-quality furnace filter taped to the back. It’s not perfect, but it helps.

5. Skip the Indoor Pollutants

When the outside air is bad, avoid adding to the problem inside. Hold off on burning candles, frying smoky foods, or using harsh cleaning chemicals that can make indoor air worse.

6. Create a “Clean Room”

Pick one room (like a bedroom or home office) to be your clean air sanctuary. Run a purifier, seal gaps, and keep it closed off from the rest of the house when air quality is at its worst.

7. Stay Informed

Check air quality reports daily—Salt Lake’s AQI can change fast, especially with shifting winds. Apps like AirNow or PurpleAir let you monitor conditions in real time.

Final Thoughts

Wildfire season isn’t fun, but with a few tweaks, you can make your home a safe haven from the smoke. Breathe easier knowing you’ve done what you can to protect yourself and your family.

Need help finding the right air purifier or a local HVAC pro to upgrade your filter system? I’ve got recommendations—just ask.

Stay safe out there, Salt Lakers.

Love you, mean it.

– Annie