Friends and fellow Angelenos have lost homes, schools, businesses, places of worship, belongings, pets and loved ones. When you are back indoors, this is how to make the air in there something you can breathe without thinking about it.
Assess the air quality and the risk
Check local air quality. SCAQMD publishes the regional AQI, and the AirCare app is a reasonable phone companion for it.
Know what AQI misses. The index tracks particulate. It does not track the benzene, formaldehyde and phthalates that come off burning buildings — the Coalition for Clean Air has been clear about that gap.
Measure indoors. A monitor that reports PM2.5 and VOCs tells you when a room is actually improving rather than when it smells better.
Ventilate, but with caution
Wait for the outdoor AQI to come under 100 before you open up, then use exhaust fans to move air rather than letting it drift in.
Deep clean to remove ash and soot
HEPA vacuum first, then damp microfiber — dry dusting re-suspends everything you just moved. Do windows and floors, and launder soft furnishings in hot water.
Optimise filtration
Run HEPA purifiers in the rooms you use most; the California Air Resources Board publishes a list of units that do not generate ozone. Replace HVAC filters with MERV 13 or better.
Eliminate lingering odours
Activated charcoal and baking soda pull odour out of a room. Essential oils do not — they mask it, which is not the same thing and can make it harder to tell whether the air is actually getting better.
Prevent recontamination
Seal the gaps that let outside air bypass your filtration, and make the entry a no-shoes zone while ash is still on the ground outside.
When to call someone
Air quality testing, an HVAC check-up, duct cleaning and an air scrubber are the four things worth a professional. If you are unsure which you need, describe the situation and we will tell you honestly.
Or call us on (818) 471-6022 — installation estimates are always free.