Protecting Your Air Quality During California Wildfires

You need to be aware of the air quality outside at all times to protect yourself against health risks. While it’s easy to forget about the omnipresent air we breathe every day, the airborne smoke produced by California wildfires endangers residents almost every year. At Urgent9, we want you to be prepared for the risks wildfire smoke can cause, and we want you to rely on us for urgent care if you are concerned that you’ve been harmed by air pollution or wildfire smoke.

Do Air Conditioners Filter Wildfire Smoke?

What is your IAQ? If you don’t know, you should find out as a California resident. IAQ stands for “indoor air quality,” and it’s used to determine how safe it is to breathe the air inside your home.

As a general rule, air conditioner filters will only remove a small portion of the smoke present in your air. Wildfire smoke and industrial air pollution are largely composed of tiny particles that make their way through the meshwork of most standard HVAC filters.

To protect yourself whenever the air quality index goes south, you’ll need to equip your home with true HEPA filters in every room, which are certified to remove smoke particles from the air. It’s likely that a single filter will not be enough to service your entire home; check the number of square feet your filter services, and purchase enough air cleaners to provide your entire home with clean, smoke-free air.

TIP: Remember to close all your doors and windows whenever wildfire smoke is in the air. Check your phone frequently to get updated on the current air quality index in your area.

How Bad Is Wildfire Smoke For You?

The tiny particles in wildfire smoke make their way past your body’s defenses and lodge themselves in your lungs and cardiovascular system, which may worsen existing conditions or cause new illnesses. People who have conditions that are exacerbated by smoke should invest in high-quality air filtration devices prior to wildfire season.

Exposure to wildfire smoke could cause bronchitis or cancer even in young, healthy people. Temporarily breathing in smoke generally doesn’t have lasting negative effects, but if you live in a smoke-prone region like California, you need to shore up your home’s air quality infrastructure to protect your family’s health and well-being.

Wildfire smoke is nothing to be trifled with, and the Los Angeles area suffers from year-round pollution problems that ebb and flow with the air currents. Many residents have accepted this flaw of their sunny, Southern California utopia, but that doesn’t mean you need to let smoke ruin your life. Rely on modern technology to keep the air in your home crystal-clear even when the world outside your window is fogged in with toxic smoke, and trust Urgent 9 to help you when you’re concerned that you’ve breathed in toxic air.

Protect Yourself Against Bad Los Angeles Wildfire Air Quality

Wildfires can happen suddenly, and it’s understandable if you haven’t taken adequate precautionary measures. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, however, wildfire smoke inhalation could be deadly, so rely on Urgent 9 to help you when you need it the most.

Our state-of-the-art imagery equipment is on par with the devices offered at expensive hospitals, but we offer our services for reasonable, up-front fees. Our general care is courteous, professional, and friendly, and we can help you with many smoke-related maladies. 

People everywhere are struggling to pay insurance premiums, and at Urgent9, we want to be able to provide you with the care you need whether your insurance covers our services or not. If you’re concerned that you’ve been harmed by smoke in the air, now is not the time to wait around in an emergency room. See us at Urgent9 immediately to get the on-the-spot care you need.