Summer in Montana is one of the most beautiful times of the year! Montanans love to get outdoors, explore nature, and find fun things to do around the area. However, one of the biggest threats to our glorious summer weather is the wildfire season. Each year, wildfires inevitably make an appearance in late summer. Some years, the fires are small and easy for firefighting crews to handle, while other, drier years, cause evacuations or other major disruptions. Regardless of the size of the fire, though, Montanans know to expect some wildfire smoke.
Wildfire smoke may stick around for a few hours or last a week. Regardless of how long it is here, residents never want to smell the smokey air or breathe it for long. Each year, we received questions from local residents about the health implications of running their HVAC systems during a smokey day. Is it possible to filter out wildfire smoke by running the air conditioning? Or will wildfire smoke damage air conditioners?
Should I Run My AC during a wildfire?
As wildfire season ramps up across Montana, many people may question what they should and should not do inside their home to protect the environment from wildfire smoke. It is understandable that homeowners may wonder if running their air conditioning unit will help prevent smoke particles, or if the smoke will damage the air conditioner.
The short answer is generally yes, it is safe to run your air conditioner during a wildfire. Even more so, your AC unit may help filter wildfire smoke out of your home. While the primary function of your HVAC system is to heat and cool your home, the system also helps purify the air in your home. When air is circulated through the heating and cooling system, it is run through a filter, which removed pollutants, pet dander and debris before recirculating the air back into your home. This filter will also help filter out wildfire smoke that may have gotten into your home.
Wildfire Smoke May Affect Your Filter
While your AC unit can help filter out wildfire smoke, the system is only as good as the filter you have installed. If the filter is old or full, your AC unit won’t be much help in purifying the air in your home. Remember to change your HVAC system filters regularly, and have your system serviced annually to keep the filtration system working at top efficiency.
Check AC Unit Settings To Keep Wildfire Smoke Outside
While your air conditioner unit will generally filter out any wildfire smoke (or other dangerous particles and debris) in your home, you will also want to ensure it is not bringing additional smoke into your home. Double check the settings on your air conditioning unit and HVAC system to ensure that any setting that allows the intake of outdoor air into the indoor space is turned off. Additionally, do not use window AC units that might pull contaminated air from the outdoors into your home.
Wildfires May Require More HVAC Maintenance
If you don’t know the last time you changed your air conditioner filter or had your HVAC system serviced, now is the time to schedule this maintenance. Contact the team at Central Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical. Our professional staff can help evaluate your system and get your AC unit ready for summer.
