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This DIY air filter for wildfire smoke is less than $20

There is a simple and affordable way to make your own air filter during wildfires.

Air quality has reached hazardous levels due to wildfires in the region and is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. 

Wildfire smoke is full of small particles that can get into your eyes and lungs, causing health problems including chest pain, headaches, or an irregular heartbeat. 

Keeping your windows and doors closed and using an indoor high-efficiency HEPA filter can help keep indoor air as clean as possible. 

High-end filters can be expensive if you don’t already have one in your home, but the good news is you can make one for a fraction of the cost in just a few easy steps.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - 8:43 a.m. update: More than 180,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders. The Kincade Fire has destroyed 77 buildings, including 31 homes. Up to 31,175 more structures are threatened. The Kincade Fire has grown to 30,000 acres and is 10 percent contained as of early Sunday morning, CalFire reports.

All you need to do is buy what’s called a MERV 13 or FPR 10 furnace filter and tape it to the back of a box fan. The filters sell for about $15. Don’t worry if you don’t have any tape because the suction from the fan should make the filter stick to the back.

A filter used for a week during 2017's wildfire season (L) compared to a new filter (R). (Photo: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency)

“The tape is just helpful to keep it tidy so when you shut off your fan the filter doesn’t just flop off,” said Erik Saganic, an air resources specialist. 

Saganic said it’s OK to have gaps around the filter and it doesn’t need to be a perfect seal.

Air quality experts say the filter can give you a 90 percent improvement in fine particles.

Filters should be used in your bedroom or in the room where you spend the most of your time.

This graph from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency shows the reduction of black carbon in a 14' X 14' room after turning on a homemade air filter.
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