Reddit mentions of Vornado AC350 Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter, Captures Allergens, Smoke, Odors, Pollen, Dust, Mold Spores, Pet Dander

I'm originally from the Chico area, and the Camp Fire hit my social circle pretty hard. I went up to help out in the make-shift camps/shelters being set up, dropping off and passing out supplies. The smoke was so bad that in the middle of the day, there was very little sunlight.

Some tips I've learned:

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1. It's all about PM2.5 particles

Last year, people were sharing masks and filters that weren't sufficient for the true hazards in the air, the PM2.5 particles. These can get into your lungs and blood stream and wreck havoc long-term. So you need filters that cover these. Always look for that (and P95/N95 ratings on masks), and don't fall for some of the trendy-looking-but-otherwise-useless masks some people share around the Internet, or think that a surgical mask is going to do any good.

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2. Treat yourself to quality personal air filters and goggles

Buy a good reusable N95/P95 respirator. The little paper-like masks are good in a pinch, but you're going to find that they're not that comfortable to breathe in, and if you wear glasses, you're going to fog them up.

I recommend the 3M 07193 Dual Cartridge Respirator. This is technically disposable (you can get replacement particular filters, but the carbon filter can't be replaced). However, it will actually last you a fairly long time. They're affordable and you're going to feel like you can actually breathe comfortably, even in heavy smoke, especially compared to those little disposable masks. I have a couple of these so that I can share with those around me.

I've since picked up the 3M 65021HA1-C Respirator, which is P100 (better than a P95/N95, adding resistance to solids and liquids containing oil) and has replacement organic vapor/particulate filter cartridges.

Along with these, some good safety goggles will help keep the smoke out of your eyes. I find these Dewalt DPG82-11 goggles to be pretty comfortable, even with glasses (though they may be a difficult fit for larger glasses).

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3. Buy a new, quality home air filter

You have whole-house air filters in your home/apartment, and they probably do nothing for smoke. Most air filters people buy help with allergens only. So do yourself a favor and buy some air filters before they're out of stock everywhere. Something along the lines of the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 filters or, even better, the MPR 2200 filters (make sure you get the right size for your place, but I think 14x24x1 is pretty standard?).

MPR 1900 ratings are a minimum requirement here. There's a chart on that Amazon link in the product pictures that shows you what filters you need based on what you're trying to filter. Look for the PM 2.5 Air Pollution.

Note that the higher the filter, the more your heating system will have to work, so just be aware of that.

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4. Buy good portable air purifiers for the home

Along with the whole-house filter, you're going to want something you can put by the door or the windows (by the way, close those windows). I have a few of the Vornado AC350 air purifiers (one for Palo Alto, a couple for my place in Chico). They're not cheap (and right now they're more expensive than they were -- I paid $99 -- so shop around).

You'll also want replacement filters. In a pinch, you can wash the old filters, but I don't that that's a good long-term solution.

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5. Car filters!

If the smoke gets really bad, and you're driving around in it a lot, your car's cabin filter is going to capture a lot of that smoke, and that's going to start working its way back into your cabin. You might want to consider getting your cabin filter replaced.

I know this can be done manually, just buy one online, take out the old, replace it. I had the dealership do this for me in Chico, but they were doing this for free for everybody, so... Lucked out there.

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6. Avoid being outside as much as you can

If you don't have to go anywhere, don't. It's just not worth exposing yourself. You don't know what's in that smoke, or how well protected you are. Just prepare, buy food for the home, get the filters, and minimize how often you leave the house. This isn't always practical, and if you do have to leave, make sure you and your family are using quality air filters.

Check the air quality on a site like PurpleAir. Don't rely exclusively on your phone's Weather app. You want to use something that's tracking many sensors in an area, not just one or two official sensors.

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Stay safe.

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Edit: Added a link to the PurpleAir air quality map.

Edit 2: Thanks for my first-ever Gold, kind stranger! That was very nice of you.