DIY air filter for wildfire smoke

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Yard Dart, Aug 20, 2018.


  1. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    There is an easy way you can to make a filter for your home to help clean the air during wildfire season.


    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.

    The Washington Department of Health encourages people to stay inside and away from pollution when air quality levels become unhealthy. 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.

    All you need to do is buy what’s called a MERV 13 or FPR 10 furnace filter and tape it to the

    There is an easy way you can to make a filter for your home to help clean the air during wildfire season.

    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.

    The Washington Department of Health encourages people to stay inside and away from pollution when air quality levels become unhealthy. 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.

    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.

    Unhealthy air quality: How to keep your pets safe in the haze

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

    [​IMG]


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

    Last year the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency put one of the homemade filters in a 14’ by 14’ room with all the windows and doors closed. The filter dramatically decreased the amount of black carbon in the room within 30 minutes. The agency says the filter can give you a 90 percent improvement in fine particles.

    [​IMG]

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



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

    sec_monkey SM Security Administrator

    gud improvised filter (y) (y) [applaud] [applaud]

    these werk even bttr [gasmask] :)
     
    GrayGhost and Ura-Ki like this.
  3. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    This is our AO today...... woke up to ash on the vehicles this morning.... :eek:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    If you have to be out in the smoke, a personal mask is very good for protection from inhaling smoke. Indoors.....PITA. ;)
     
    Dunerunner, GrayGhost, ghrit and 3 others like this.
  5. sec_monkey

    sec_monkey SM Security Administrator

    yep that aint gud :( :(

    [biggrouphug] @ all yall

    is ya gonna stock up on air filters fer all the vehicles on the way to werk plus reorder [gasmask] filters?

    has the national guard deployed their C-130s equipped with MAFFS II yet?

    most if not all of the other air assets are tied up :( :cry:
     
    Dunerunner and Ura-Ki like this.
  6. I live where the Mississippi runs west, and local weather people have been commenting on the smoke we are getting from the west coast fires..
     
  7. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    We are getting a lot of smoke from British Columbia.
    But last night we also had a local fire spring up right down the road, that burned all night.
     
  8. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    @Yard Dart Be safe... That is really ugly. Thinking about relocating the O.P. yet?
     
  9. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    My Folks sent me photos that look like that, In Salem! I guess there is no off shore winds to push and disperse the smoke to the east, instead the smoke is getting blown up from Cali! I just sent Dad the info for the Fan filter set up, Thanks Y.D. (y)
     
    GrayGhost, Yard Dart and sec_monkey like this.
  10. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I have been doing this sinc 2010.
    It works.
    Get a 20''x20" filter, a 20'' box fan and some clear tape.
     
  11. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Another trick, but more complex and expensive! Make a water filter using the same idea as a Bong! Draw the air through the water and you will trap 100% of the contaminates! Dad is building such a contraption as we speak, Will see if he can post photos of it and a report on how well it works and a list of materials and cost!
     
    GrayGhost, Yard Dart and chelloveck like this.
  12. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    The suggested filter in th OP could do double duty as a fallout shelter filter. A tighter seal might be recommended for that usage.

    A useful improvised facemask is an infant's cotton diaper / nappy...use it as a bandana. I had a couple of these in my kit when i was in the rural fire service...they gave some measure of protection from smoke and dust, and offered good protection against flying embers and radiant heat.

    I used velcro fasteners as a quick way of tightly securing the bandana around my face and neck..instead of a white bandana i had a fruity mauve...which as usual diferrentiated me fron the rest. ;)
     
  13. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Our smoke locally was pretty bad today.........

    [​IMG]
     
  14. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    A good swamp cooler will capture the particles pretty well, smoke can still sneak in but not badly.
    I have carpenter painting filter masks for serious events. one for the house one for the vehicle and one for the bike. respirator type masks that cover the eyes as well make a big difference. its not over doing it ,fireman do no less .
     
    Yard Dart and sec_monkey like this.
  15. GuitarPlayer

    GuitarPlayer Monkey

    I use a filter on a box fan in the garage to filter sawdust out of the air. Also wear a 3M white mask. It works, but stuff still gets past.

    We had fires in our area a couple years back. Evening time was particularly worse because the fire would 'lay down' for the night. During the day smoke would rise and the air quality improved immensely.

    Waking up in the morning and the air smells like fire smoke was something I'll never forget.
     
  16. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Wow YD, those photos show a pretty thick concentration of smoke. I used to live in northern Nevada and wildfires were a yearly occurrence, typically burning 250,000 - 500,000 acres of sagebrush. The smoke never got that thick.
     
    Yard Dart and sec_monkey like this.
  17. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Actually when my consumer grade 1 inch thick 20x20 filters I bought at lowes run out I was going to buy some 2 inch thick 20x20 industrial/commercial grade filters.
    Maybe some one else can try it first?
     
    sec_monkey likes this.
  18. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    If there is a volcanic event your going to want several filters and the means to keep the air moving without city power and if your running a generator it will need the same attention because it needs air for both running and cooling. you vehicle will need a stand by engine air filter if your caught out and about during such an event .Another thing I might add is to provide one self the means to clean their filters in the event it goes longer or the severity is more than the few filters you've stored can function .
    This is what makes a water bath filter more practical in an event like this. it will capture more debris and not clog up like paper will. and it will last indefinitely and what ever your using to move the air will not be as adversely affected as the debris thicken the water,
    Cleaning would be simply dumping the polluted water and adding fresh .
    Since it is going to be polluted, potable water is not necessary for this operation but a little chlorine couldn't hurt.
     
    Yard Dart and sec_monkey like this.
  19. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I made filter fan Gen 2.
    Gen 1 is tape a 20x20 dust filter to a box fan. Gen 2 prototype is tape one of those high end merv 13 air filers to a quiet bathroom fan, use cardboard to make up the difference between the small bathroom fan and the 24x24 filter. The finished model will use plywood and might use 2 fans.
    You don't have to use a quiet high efficiency bathroom fan, you can use a cheap noisy fan if you want.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2020
    sec_monkey likes this.
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