Tips to reduce smoke exposure indoors during Rochester's air-quality alert

If you’re staying indoors and still being bothered by the smoke, there are several things you can do to help yourself and reduce your exposure.

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On its website, the Environmental Protection Agency offers a number of recommendations, including:

• Keep your windows and doors closed.
• If you have an HVAC system with a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode or close the outdoor intake damper.
• If you have an evaporative cooler, avoid using it because it can bring more smoke inside.
• If you have a window air conditioner, close the outdoor air damper. If you can’t close it, do not use the window air conditioner. And make sure the seal between the air conditioner and the window is as tight as possible.
• If you have a portable air conditioner with a single hose (typically vented out of a window), do not use it because it can bring more smoke inside.
• If you have a portable air conditioner with two hoses, make sure that the seal between the window vent kit and the window is as tight as possible.
• Use a portable air cleaner or high-efficiency filter to remove fine particles from the air, and run it on the highest fan speed.
• Avoid activities that create more fine particles indoors: using gas, propane or wood-burning stoves and furnaces; spraying aerosol products; frying or broiling food; burning candles; vacuuming, unless you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

For more, go to epa.gov.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.