Nope, that isn’t snow falling. That’s ash wafting in the air. Once again California is battling many wildfires that are sending giant plumes of smoke into the atmosphere. In Santa Cruz and Napa areas, wildfires are merging into larger dangers, with common evening breezes distributing the smoke further North and East.
Here in Redding, we aren’t seeing the same abundance of smoke as with the Carr fire, but Redding is right in the middle of a hot spot. Raging fires threaten Lassen and Trinity Counties, and another fire burns just south of us. The amount of smoke in the air brings the temperatures down a little bit, but the air quality plummets. All that ash and smoke hangs into the air until we open a door or window, then it easily gets into our homes bringing with it threats to our health and safety.
What You Can Do
Although we cannot really get away from the poor air quality outside, we can take steps inside to keep our interior air filtered. That will not only make breathing easier but will keep the smoke particulates from accumulating in your carpet. Here are a few ideas.
- Refrain from venting – This might seem like a no-brainer, but having a door ajar or a window slightly open is an easy thing to overlook. If you need to go outside, make sure to close the door behind you as soon as you go through it.
- Use your air conditioning and fans – your air conditioner has a set of filters to catch particulates already floating in the air of your home. Make sure to clean them regularly. Also make sure the fresh air intake is closed.
- Use Air Filters – there are plenty of air filters on the market that use ionization or other means to take harmful particles out of the air. Many high-end fans have similar features. Use them as often as you can. Be sure to consider which room is most used by your family. Consider placing the air filter in that room, or wherever it will do the most good. As with your air conditioner, make sure any filters or collection trays are cleaned regularly. And don’t forget to have your carpet cleaned as needed – it’s the biggest air filter in your home, after all.
- Keep Cleaning – wherever dust accumulates in your home, ash and other smoke particles collect there as well. Make sure to keep up with your dusting and vacuuming routine. However, a word of caution: depending on the model, your vacuum might simply push dust and ash back into the air. This could be due to a full bag or canister. Ensure the collection method is free and clear. If your model does not have HEPA filters, it might be best to upgrade. HEPA filters have a long, documented history of significantly reducing microscopic particles in the average home’s air.
- Cover Up – if you really need to go outside, make sure to use your face covering. If you have an N95-rated mask available, that will help with keeping you safe from poor air quality.
Let Preferred Carpet Care Help
Our use of top-end equipment and strategic methods of cleaning – as well as repairing fire and smoke damage to your carpet – is designed to thoroughly clean your carpet regardless of air quality. We use powerful hot water and suction to remove any particles hidden in your carpet and upholstery. We also use large HEPA filters, ozone machines, and commercial fans to keep the air moving, creating a makeshift buffer so airborne particles have nowhere to rest in your home.
While firefighting professionals contain these fires, Preferred Carpet Care protects the fresh, clean quality of your carpet. If you would like to learn more about what we can do to keep smoke, ash and odor out of your household, please contact us via phone or schedule a consultation here on our website.