On June 6, 2023, the East Coast of the United States began experiencing wildfire smoke from the 2023 Central Canada wildfires. The smoke prompted school closures, affected businesses, delayed flights and caused smoke inhalation among residents.

What does the wildfire smoke mean for our Indoor Air Quality?

Wildfire Smoke and Indoor Air QualityUpgrade filters! Upgrade filters! Yes… we know. We also know that many mechanical systems aren’t powerful enough to work properly when filters are upgraded because the filters prevent air from flowing. We also know that filters present a human element. Who is checking the filters? Who is replacing the filters? Does anyone know how many filters go unchecked or would we rather not know?

The point here is to hammer home the one serious fact when it comes to IAQ:

You don’t get there with air changes and filters alone. It takes a multi-layered approach that should include the best ionization technology available to complement the air changes and filters.

I’ll add, a 2022 ASHRAE study done at Fresno State University, concluded that Merv13 filters + dielectric barrier discharge BPI = closest thing to HEPA filtration. For the non-HVAC people, that means that an entire building could have its air scrubbed similarly to having a HEPA filter in the HVAC system – and its impractical to have a HEPA in your HVAC system (chokes air flow/mechanical systems can’t handle it.) #BetterIAQ #MultiLayeredIAQ #SmartAirDefense #AtmosAir #UL2998 #Schools #Students #Teachers