Hazardous Air Quality in Ottawa - What Can You Do?

9 June 2023 •

Smoke from wildfires made for chart-topping hazardous air quality in Ottawa. Even with the windows and doors closed, indoor air can become polluted.

Closing doors and windows is the first step and if you know of any areas in your home that leak air or carry a draft, they can be blocked with damp clothes or towels.

It's important to keep indoor air circulating. You want to make sure that you have some good quality air filters on your ventilation system and that the existing ones aren’t dirty.

You can also employ the help of portable air purifiers, but there are a couple of important things to note: look for high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and ensure the device is appropriate for the size of the room you have. Monitor the device’s filter regularly and make sure to change when needed.

Remove your outdoor clothes after coming home and place them into the laundry before touching another surface, especially textiles. For the time being, consider doing laundry more frequently to get rid of particles clinging to your clothing. Change your sheets more frequently as well - this will improve sleep quality and restfulness.

We hope you are staying safe during this time and remember: just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.