Air Purifier Sizing Calculator for Wildfire Smoke

Understanding Air Purifier Sizing for Wildfire Smoke Protection

Last summer, Sarah watched from her Seattle apartment as an orange haze descended over the city. The air quality index climbed past 200, then 300. She'd bought an air purifier the year before after a friend's recommendation, but as smoke seeped through every crack in her building, she wondered if her small bedroom unit could actually protect her family's health. Like many people facing their first serious wildfire smoke event, she'd never considered whether her purifier was actually sized correctly for the job.

The difference between adequate and inadequate air purification during wildfire events isn't subtle—it's the difference between breathing relatively clean air and exposing yourself to hazardous particle concentrations for days or weeks at a time. Research consistently demonstrates that properly sized air purifiers can reduce indoor particle concentrations by 50% or more during wildfire smoke events [3]. This isn't just about comfort; fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke penetrates deep into lung tissue and enters the bloodstream, creating serious health risks even for healthy adults.