When wildfire smoke moves in, your home can help

When wildfire smoke rolls into Minnesota, public health officials tell people to stay indoors and keep their windows closed. But that is not always practical if your home is too hot, leaky, or creates pollution of its own.

Home upgrades, like weatherizing and sealing the home, switching to efficient cooling systems, or using electric options for cooking, make a difference, not only during wildfire season, but anytime outdoor air quality is unhealthy.

Stay cool without opening the windows 

The EPA recommends keeping doors and windows closed during smoke events and using a cooling or ventilation system in recirculation mode, when available. But, according to the U.S.. Census Bureau, more than 89,000 households statewide lack air conditioning,, particularly northern Minnesota and in some lower-income Twin Cities neighborhoods. Even for households that have access to air conditioning, high energy bills may limit how cool they can keep their home. During hot, smoky weather, that can leave families choosing between opening windows for relief and letting wildfire smoke indoors. 

Efficient cooling systems like heat pumps can help households stay comfortable while using less energy than outdated cooling technology when outdoor air is not healthy enough to bring inside. This can make it easier for families to follow public-health guidance without having to choose between staying cool and keeping smoke out.

Well-sealed homes help residents stay safer indoors

Closing windows is only part of the solution. In older or draftier homes, smoke can still enter through cracks, gaps, and other leaks.

Air sealing, insulation, and weatherization can help reduce that infiltration by creating a tighter building envelope. These improvements also make indoor temperatures easier to maintain, keep energy bills low, and improve comfort throughout the year.

A U.S. Department of Energy-funded study found that improving the building envelopes of existing single-family homes to meet current energy-code requirements could extend the amount of time they remain habitable during a power outage by up to 140% during extreme heat.

Avoid adding more pollution indoors

When the air outside is already unhealthy, it’s important not to create more pollution inside. During poor air quality events, the EPA recommends avoiding activities that add to indoor air pollution, including using gas, propane, or wood-burning stoves. It also advises limiting cooking that requires high heat or long cooking times.

Cooking with electric appliances like an induction cooktop is one way households can avoid combustion-related pollution inside the home, and cooking with induction keeps kitchens cooler. Paired with efficient cooling and a better-sealed building, electric cooking can help create a healthier indoor environment during smoky weather and throughout the year.

Grassroots organizations across Minnesota are helping communities better understand the air inside their homes. Clean Heat Minnesota coalition member Ayada Leads worked with four Minnesota families to monitor air pollution in their kitchens and see how gas stove use affected indoor air quality. The project was built on similar work led by COPAL. Research has also found that replacing gas stoves with electric models can reduce asthma attacks and other symptoms while sharply lowering indoor nitrogen dioxide levels. 

Resilient homes should help protect the people inside them

Whether sheltering indoors due to wildfire smoke, unhealthy ozone pollution, or extreme heat, Minnesotans rely on resilient homes and healthy indoor air to stay safe. Homes that stay cool efficiently, keep more outdoor pollution outside and reduce pollution created indoors can better protect families during extreme conditions and throughout the year.

What can you do?

Your utility may offer a variety of rebates for things like insulation and air sealing, energy efficiency, heat pumps, and more! Rebates vary by utility, but you can check with your utility and the DSIRE Database at programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/mn.