The smoke has been really thick here the past couple of days as well.
Canadian Smoke
- Thread starter Zee09
- Start date
I took a plastic tool box and cut a hole in it and installed a high flow 140 mm computer fan on it. I then put a 4 inch elbow out the back and hooked it up to my basement dryer vent with another elbow and hooked it into a humidifier control module and it is really exhausting the smoke from the house and acts a dehumidifier as it is pulling the damp air from the bottom of the floor.
Of course I set it to where it won't shut off, super low humidity.
Saves my other exhaust fans and actually is doing a decent job for not much money.
If anyone wants a picture I will oblige .. I even have a brick on the top to keep the tool box secured and sealed.. desperate measures
One thing about an exhaust fan, it has to pull the air from somewhere.
picture taken by a chopper pilot near chibougamau, as a matter of fact, the entire town of 7200 people has been evacuated.
JHZR2
Staff member
Horrible here. Aqi was around 180-190 all day and you couldn’t see half a mile. Smells like a campfire despite the distance. It went over 360 tonight.
Could look directly at the sun during the day.
ive been loving the cool dry weather, but we need a good rain to clear the air, and more importantly, a good rain up in Canada to cool things down…
Could look directly at the sun during the day.
ive been loving the cool dry weather, but we need a good rain to clear the air, and more importantly, a good rain up in Canada to cool things down…
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JHZR2
Staff member
I feel for you guys and can affirm I understand what you are experiencing having gone through it for the last few years in California.
The most cost effective solution Ive found is a cheap box fan, and a MERV 13 or better filter taped to the intake side of the fan. If you can get a 13+ charcoal get it.
As you'd imagine the thicker you get it, the more airflow you will have. We settled on the 4" thick filters.
If you can only get 1" thick units build a V for more airflow with cardboard sealing the top and the floor usually seals the bottom. You can go as far as making a cube, and it will flow more, but the filters will likely be hard to get right now and be at a premium.
We had AQI of 450 in the building and had 50 of these going they dropped it down fast to something we could live with in a short time.
There have been extensive studies of the effectiveness of these setups and they are every bit as effective and often more than much more expensive dedicated units.
The most cost effective solution Ive found is a cheap box fan, and a MERV 13 or better filter taped to the intake side of the fan. If you can get a 13+ charcoal get it.
As you'd imagine the thicker you get it, the more airflow you will have. We settled on the 4" thick filters.
If you can only get 1" thick units build a V for more airflow with cardboard sealing the top and the floor usually seals the bottom. You can go as far as making a cube, and it will flow more, but the filters will likely be hard to get right now and be at a premium.
We had AQI of 450 in the building and had 50 of these going they dropped it down fast to something we could live with in a short time.
There have been extensive studies of the effectiveness of these setups and they are every bit as effective and often more than much more expensive dedicated units.
This says Philly is going to get it hard tomorrow. Www.firesmoke.ca
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I am only 40 miles from Philly
We have two air purifiers, and a 16x25x4 MERV 14+ charcoal filter in the central HVAC unit AND I am still going to do this for the furthest rooms.
Ordered two box fans and the 20x20x4 MERV 14+ charcoal filters. The filters cost more than the fans!
Our house is pretty tight, and last year July-Aug through October we only entered - breezeway, garage, hall, then main house. This really helped.
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Time to break out that two year old box of N-95 masks. 
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
At McDonald's
Blowing down the highway now..
Blowing down the highway now..
Walker MN about three weeks ago.
SE Michigan is under a haze blanket too! Pretty bad and no sign of clearing. Makes one cough when outside.
JHZR2
Staff member
From the top of the Walt Whitman Bridge crossing the Delaware River between NJ and PA (Philadelphia), you can’t even see the skyline or the Ben Franklin Bridge.
So, what does this smoke do for our vehicles driven in it? I rode my motorcycle through the Berkshires yesterday and it was eery. Looked like fog much of the time. Could smell smoke most of the day. I felt fine except for a scratchy throat at the end of the day, but probably not the best for my health. I wonder if I should clean the air filter on the bike?
Looks like I'm in the light blue area.
If you click on historical data to the left - or just click here: https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate
Then you can choose your weather office and choose monthly summarized data and hit go, you can see monthly averages and the mean. Charleston was right about average for May, for example.
