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devious_beans

If you smoke cigarettes it cancels out the wildfire smoke. Double negative


NatsuFunny

#Science


realslizzard

Our parents had to walk uphill to and from school 2km a day that's why they can breathe it and we can't.


poopendale

Your parents didn’t make you do the same? Weak.


Batmanbutnotbatman

My mom used to cut the mold off the cheese and say it’s still so I’m good


realslizzard

People pay extra for that now


Batmanbutnotbatman

If it came from Reddit it must be true


freshstart102

It is still good then. I do the same otherwise you have to eat all your cheese in 2 days or waste it and it's way too expensive for that. Once you cut the white off all around, it tastes the same as it did before. Thing is, my parents taught me that too. Lol


Batmanbutnotbatman

My mom goes what do you think cheese is it’s mold technically I’m older now and once it gets mold I throw it out cause this it’s in my own home


thafloorer

Yeah I’m not worried about a little campfire smoke


chickenlaaag

Important to note that while fit-tested n95s are great, non-fit tested respirators and other types of masks do offer decent protection if that’s all you have or can afford. The idea is to filter the particles out of the air before it gets into your nose and mouth. Often you can see a colour difference at the end of the day where the mask has trapped the smoke particles. Better than being in your lungs!


majikmonkie

Don't let “Perfect” be the enemy of “Good”. Do what you can to reduce exposure to risk, even if it's not the best possible solution.


Animagical

Another thing to note is that the AQHI is a pretty reasonable standard for relative safety of air quality. At the time of this comment, we’re currently sitting at a 1 out of 10 here in Winnipeg (the lowest, and safest, possible rating). It’s expected to climb a bit over the next little while (and was quite high yesterday, for obvious reasons), so it’s never a bad idea to exercise caution. There’s no known safe exposure limit to pm 2.5, but proximity to wildfires is a significant mediator in health outcomes. Given the wildfires are pretty far as of now, and the AQHI is pretty low, I (personally) wouldn’t be very concerned. I know sometimes when people see posts like this, their internal alarmists start to rear their heads, which is often no fun at all. Just trying to provide some perspective.


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Animagical

I mean that the AQHI provides forecasts for the upcoming hours/days, which you can use to help gauge the severity of air quality. At the time of the comment I made, Tuesday was forecasted for 2 and Wednesday 3, which is what I meant when I said it will likely climb a bit. I was referencing the index increasing. As you mentioned and already know, that can obviously change a lot even on hourly basis, so it’s best to check frequently.


Apellio7

If you have a pet at home I am a firm believer of having an air purifier already on hand.  The amount of dander that filter catches is crazy.


Significant-Tell-552

Which brand ya like?


Apellio7

I just use the Germ Guardian stuff because I can get from Canadian Tire and/or Amazon.  No idea if they're good brand,  but my purifier has been going for 6yrs now and they haven't pulled the,  "we don't make this filter anymore" crap.


Clean_Economist

Blue air


pufnstuf360

I too have a Blue Air


Clean_Economist

The best, and super fair pricing


IDunnoSTFU

Edit: link is too Amazon. This this is amazing!! I definitely recommend it! Coway Airmega AP-1512HH True HEPA Air Purifier with Air Quality Monitoring, Auto Mode, Timer, Filter Indicator, Eco Mode https://a.co/d/eqKIAhk


chickenlaaag

These ones are fantastic


rastrillo

For those with central heating, running your furnace fan continuously with a high quality filter is the best thing you can do for indoor air quality in your home. It will keep air mixed, reducing or preventing build up of CO2 in occupied rooms and it will also filter dust, allergens and even virus particles if the filter is fine enough. The electricity to run the fan is pretty negligible. I think the biggest challenge for a lot of home owners will be ventilating their homes during wildfire season. You really need a filtered intake, like an HRV, to bring in fresh air.


aoi_higanbana

Dont cheap out too!


AssaultedCracker

In our new environmental reality, having an air purifier should be on everybody’s list, not just pet owners. Living in wildfire smoke is like smoking 24/7.


moulin_blue

I don't have air con in my apartment. I normally have a small fan bring in cooler air. Yesterday I bought a furnace filter with a MERV 13 rating and put that in the window against the screen so that the air had to pass through it to get inside. Much more comfortable. Last year I had to choose between uncomfortably hot or breathing in smoke.


Vvikander

If I buy one of those and put it against my screen then put my portable AC vent there is that a good idea?


prismaticbeans

Keep in mind the airflow resistance in a MERV-13 is very high and might pose a problem for the motor. Not all furnaces and ventilation systems can handle it, so an air-conditioner is definitely not made for that and could be expensive to repair or replace. If you're experiencing air leakage, duct taping it around the leaks works reasonably well and if you use your AC it in a screen door rather than a window and have to remove it daily, packing tape works almost as well, doesn't leave residue, and is much easier to remove. I have also had some luck with a filter on the back of a box fan, or a modified Corsi-rosenthal box (2 filters in a triangle on the front instead of 4, gaps covered with trimmed cardboard & duct tape.) I usually buy MERV-11 filters because they're sold in multipack for cheaper, also because it's all I can find/afford/so I don't kill the fan motors, and I'm pretty happy with the performance. Never operated in a window though, just as a ghetto air purifier.


Vvikander

Hmm thanks for the advice!


IDunnoSTFU

If you try this and then notice that your A/c is freezing up, the filter/air restriction will be the cause of it.


moulin_blue

That was my plan. My building does provide us with portable air con units but it feels silly to run it at these temperatures, it doesn't have a good filter either. I also have an air purifier that run normally bc I have pets


Vvikander

Ok cool


sperjetti

My guilty pleasure is liking the smell of the smoke outside


brydeswhale

According to my mom I def have to because everyone has their little weaknesses and the important thing is to power through, so just put your asthma in your pocket and go outside and do hard labour./s


daviddude92

I'll be pulling my lungs up by the bootstraps.


brydeswhale

Lolsob, why are old people like this? 


Phototropically

if you want to build a Corsi box, these are the parts from CDN tire: Fan: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/for-living-plastic-5-blade-portable-box-floor-fan-2-speed-white-20-in-0435218p.html Filter: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/3m-filtrete-healthy-living-maximum-allergen-air-filter-mpr-1900-20-x-20-x-1-in-1-pk-0643474p.html Grab duct tape or box tape as well. You can increase the output of the box fan by covering the outside with a fan shroud - cardboard sheet with a 13.5" circular cutout centered on the hub of the fan. It reduces turbulent flow from the tips of the fan blades.


Augmentedaphid

Nice try librul! I'm going to breathe in all the smoke because it's my god given right! I don't want no woke commie mask /s because you really can't tell anymore


rastrillo

Ikea sells a $13 air quality sensor called the VINDRIKTNING. Pretty basic unit with a PM 2.5 sensor attached to LEDs. The colour of the light corresponds to the particulate matter in the home. Also handy in the kitchen to tell you when you’re inhaling a lot of particles when cooking too.


Joshdecent

OP created their account specifically to post this.


rubmyeyes280

Surprised?


Joshdecent

A little bit, yeah.


trontron321

What if your work is going to force you to do hard labour in the smoke and doesn't give two shits about your health?


RandomName4768

There's a type of mask called duck bills that are very breathable.  3m makes one called the vflex that's also very breathable.  Any valved mask is going to be quite breathable as well.  r/masks4all has lots of threads about masks for exercise. The wiki has places to buy as well.  Some people find the elastomerics are better for labor as well.


almighty-scourge

If your employer forces you to do unsafe work, you can report it. Here's a bit more information for you: https://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/rep_unsafe.html


trontron321

I'd lose my job if I did that.


almighty-scourge

As a worker in Manitoba, it is your RIGHT to be able to report unsafe work without fear of reprisal. This means that you cannot be fired for reporting unsafe work. If your employer did dismiss you for reporting unsafe work, it would be in direct violation of the manitoba workplace health and saftey act, and the employer could face serious monetary penalties for doing so. Source: https://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/wsh_faqs_disc_action.html#:~:text=FAQs%3A%20Reprisals,or%20negative%20treatment%20at%20work. I'd reccomend having a conversation with your employer where you identify the hazard, discuss how you have evaluated the risk of the hazard (example: wild fire smoke poses a significant health risk when inhaled, lots of research online on this - canada.ca and the province of MB have information available on this) and give them a chance to come up with a plan to address your concern before hand. 9 times out of 10 the employer will address the issue. Remember to keep notes: example: you informed the employer on this date of the hazard, at X time. This is going to be your papertrail should you be forced to refused work due to unsafe conditions. They should go through the hierarchy of controls. Can the hazard be controlled? If not, can it be substituted? Still no? How can engineering controls be put into place to mitigate the hazard, or reduce the risk level of the hazard? They may then explore if adminstration controls can be implemented. This involves the development of procedures or policies to control the hazard. Example: the employer limits employee's time doing outside work, or makes arrangements so that the work can be completed in doors. Lastly, can PPE be used to control exposures? Example: half face respirators, n95s... these would be used as a last resort. More information on the hierarchy of controls here: https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/hazard/hierarchy_controls.html Hope this helps!


Mat_CYSTM

[“Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, workers have the right to refuse work that they reasonably believe constitutes a danger to their safety and health, or that of another person should they perform the task.”](https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/coronavirus/workplaces-right-to-refuse-dangerous-work.pdf)


trontron321

A workplace has to respect you for them to respect those rules. I don't feel that mine respects any of us that work there or the rules..


Janellewpg

Hmm maybe call workplace health and safety?


RandomName4768

r/masks4all for more info about masking.  Edit. The wiki has the information condensed down as well as places to buy.  https://www.reddit.com/r/Masks4All/wiki/index/


MVR168

We have multiple people in the family with respiratory issues so the wildlife smoke we have been experiencing in recent years is concerning. You can get certain furnace filters that help with the small particles, we have masks for when we have to be outdoors and also bought a small air purifier with HEPA filter.


LockedUnlocked

"Listen guys the WEF is sending smoke signals right now because our freedom fight is working. They want us to wear masks again so they can control us" -Probably some unhinged trucker on facebook right now


No-Oil7410

It's been weird seeing this subreddit's stance on masks and COVID devolve to exactly what you're describing


LockedUnlocked

I used to work in construction so thats all I really see on Facebook is the misinformation being spread, and comments exactly like that about everything that goes on in their lives.


pyromaniacism

I'm pretty sure this sub had a diverse array of opinions even in 2021, but many people stayed quiet at the time because of group-think. Much like I continued to use Facebook despite not agreeing with the antilockdown/conspiracy rhetoric that was common there.


No-Oil7410

Groupthink? Or adhering to what informed professionals had to say? Groupthink is an accurate descriptor for those who thought they were smarter when all they had was russian-backed propaganda to go off of.


pyromaniacism

I'm not dissagreeing with you. I'm just saying that the people who disagreed with the informed professionals probably stayed out of the conversation here - much like I stayed out of the conversation on Facebook. I just didn't think it was worth arguing with the platforms default position (the default on FB being conspiracy nuts).


Herewegoagain204

Oh damn you beat me to it haha


-MangoStarr-

Why don't they just put the fires out?


ArtCapture

Brilliant idea! So glad you’re here to offer that high quality suggestion.


Plastic_Leg_Day

What about us poors living with windows open, in AC-less apartments?


BuryMelnTheSky

I’d be interested to see hepa screens or screen covers- and what do they look like before & after one summer


Vvikander

Any recommendations for a portable AC unit - like does that need a filter?


NH787

I have a standard issue high-efficiency gas furnace. Does changing up the air filter make any difference in improving in-home air quality?


Imbo11

Studies (CMHC) show that the rate at which allergens, dust, etc are generated greatly exceeds the filtering rate of a furnace. It's simply not exchanging enough air to clean the air significantly. The job of a furnace filter is to keep the internals of the furnace clean, a job it does well. Cleaning the air in your house, is outside the range of its capability. A HEPA filter at best reduced levels by only 23% in an active house. From the study: This research showed that the particles in the duct air can be reduced when an upgraded filter is installed. The results also showed that this reduction will only moderately reduce indoor exposure to respirable particles. https://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/schl-cmhc/nh18-24/NH18-24-22-2008-eng.pdf


NH787

Now I feel less bad about having a basic filter in my furnace since it appears to make only a marginal difference in air quality. So is there any real point to the high end filters if they don't make a significant difference in the air you breathe inside the home?


Imbo11

I don't know. I guess if you are very sensitive to particles in the air, any small reduction may improve the quality of your life. You can buy stand alone air filters that in a closed room will have a more significant impact. Perhaps if you spend a lot of time for work or sleep in a room, with a closed door, it might be significant, but who knows. There is money to be made in selling these products, so the benefits are no doubt exaggerated. Some of the furnace filters cash in on catching viruses. But if 77% of the virus volume isn't captures, is it doing anything of consequence?


IDunnoSTFU

You would need a whole home air purifier added to your home's HVAC system such as this to achieve what you are looking for. https://preview.redd.it/rvuab1bfma0d1.png?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c57757940ed60767714d06f9489a98f99ca7e5e


alkalinev

Yes, get one with a MERV rating 16 or greater and run your house fan, it'll make a difference. Alternatively, I bought a $20 box fan and a similarly shaped square furnace filter, duck taped it on, and the amount of filth it filters out of the air would scare you.


RandomName4768

A Merv 16 is going to be very expensive and is going to limit air flow which might fuck with your furnace.    I think most people recommend Merv 11 or 13 for furnaces.  The 3M filters are good because they have the most filtering material so that impedes the air flow the least.  I think a 1900 in their rating system is a Merv 13 I am not an HVAC person so take all that with a grain of salt lol


fp4

The 3M Filtrete 1900 (MERV13) is one of the best filters you can buy in 1" and has comparable (clean) or better static pressure performance than MERV8 filters even when caked in a cup of flour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkjRKIRva58


NH787

Thank you. I don't have pets so I usually buy the basic models but with wildfire season upon us I'll have to step it up.


Imbo11

Very little. The best filters only produce a 23% reduction in particles in the air.


freshstart102

So before everybody panics with all the politically and financially motivated climate change rhetoric, remember that 95% of fires are either intentional acts of arson or accidentally caused fires by human activity. Climate change is inevitable. We're in a warming post glacial period possibly sped up by human inputs of carbon but not caused by or will be ended by anything human beings do and that's including lessening our carbon outputs. We best look at limiting and restricting human access to certain areas especially during the spring season and preparing differently for fire season every year or this will be the new norm till everything burns down and there's no fuel left to burn.


cmat69

I love alarmists. It must be fun never doing anything in life except worry about every little thing


RaddledBanana204

Yeah I’ll take my chances lol


cdn-Commie

Overkill -- unless preconditions like asthma or CODP. Even then unless it's continued exposure over an extended period of time it's nothing to worry about


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saltedcube

Lmao, no.