Wildfire smoke is a serious health risk, especially for children. If your kids are coughing, complaining about stinging eyes and scratchy throats, or having trouble breathing, you might have smoke coming into your house. It’s no surprise—it’s been a brutal year for wildfires with 6,878 fires burning over a million acres in California in 2024. That’s a huge increase from 2023, which saw just over 300,000 acres burned.
Experts believe that wildfires are only going to get worse as climate change progresses, which means now is the time to protect your home from wildfire smoke. In this guide, we explain how to assess your house for wildfire smoke entry points and the best upgrades you can make to block out smoke and improve the air quality in your house.
Start by Assessing Vulnerabilities
Before you can get rid of wildfire smoke in your house, you have to find out how it’s getting inside in the first place. If you don’t find and close entry points, you’re going to be dealing with the same problem over and over again.
There are three main areas to check if you have a wildfire smoke smell in your house.
1. Windows & Doors
Windows and doors tend to have small gaps and cracks around them that let wildfire smoke flow freely into your house. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to replace your windows to solve the problem. Sealing cracks with caulk and weatherstripping will usually suffice.
2. Attics & Basements/Crawlspaces
The top and bottom of your house are highly susceptible to air leaks—small openings around rim joists, plumbing and electrical wire penetrations, attic hatches, recessed lighting, vents, and more. The amount of air leakage in the typical house is equivalent to leaving a window open all year! That means smoke is pouring into your house through these hidden openings.
3. HVAC Air Ducts
Leaky ducts are a huge indoor air quality concern. Since they’re typically located in an attic or basement/crawlspace, leaky ducts draw in the dirtiest air in your home and distribute it throughout your living spaces. If smoke is getting into your attic or basement/crawlspace, your ducts could be exacerbating the problem by delivering smoke directly into your living spaces and bedrooms.
An Energy Audit Is the Easiest Way to Find Vulnerabilities
It can be extremely difficult to find all of the gaps and cracks (technically called air leaks) in your home by yourself. They’re often hidden away in attics and basements, or too small to see with the naked eye. But there is a way to find every opening—with an energy audit. Air leaks are one of the biggest sources of energy loss in a house, in addition to being a wildfire smoke entry point, making them a problem for energy efficiency as well as indoor air quality. An energy audit is a professional evaluation of your home’s energy efficiency that includes locating all the air leaks in your home so they can be sealed up.
Seal All Smoke Entry Points
Air cleaners and air purifiers are a great way to get rid of a wildfire smoke smell in your house, but if you don’t seal off entry points, it will just come back. To keep smoke out of your home for good, you need to close off every entry point. There are a few ways to go about this:
- Air Sealing - Air sealing your attic and basement/crawl space is the best way to block out smoke because this is where your home is most susceptible to air leaks. Air sealing also makes your house more energy efficient and blocks out moisture, preventing water damage and mold.
- Duct Sealing - Duct sealing keeps unfiltered air out of your HVAC ducts, so only clean fresh air is delivered to your living spaces.
- Weatherstripping - Installing weatherstripping around windows and doors creates a tighter seal, blocking out smoke.
- Replacement Windows - In most cases, you can eliminate cracks and gaps around windows with caulk or weatherstripping. But if your windows are old or damaged, they may need to be replaced.
Keep Your Air Clean with Filters & Air Purifiers
No matter how tightly sealed your home is, smoke will always be able to sneak in because you have to open your doors to come and go. There are several options for air purification, including:
- Whole-Home Air Purifiers - These systems are installed directly inside your HVAC ductwork and actively remove smoke particles from the air as it travels through.
- Room Air Purifiers - Portable air purifiers plug into a standard outlet and can clean the air in a single room. They aren’t the best solution since they only serve a small amount of space, but are a good short-term and affordable fix.
- High MERV HVAC Filters - MERV 13 air filters can trap smoke particles and are a good option for houses that have serious wildfire smoke infiltration.
Find a Local Contractor to Smoke Proof Your Home
Finding a contractor to make the upgrades your home needs isn’t easy. The Clean Energy Connection can help. Our free online directory connects California homeowners with qualified contractors who have been carefully vetted. You can find highly rated energy auditors, insulation and air sealing companies, HVAC companies, and more to help you make the upgrades your home needs. Don’t wait—search the directory today and start breathing cleaner, healthier air at home.
Keep wildfire smoke out of your home.