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Quick answer
A clean-air room is one room where you focus your smoke-reduction efforts. Pick a room where people sleep or spend the most time, then size the purifier properly and reduce outdoor air leaks as much as practical.
Setup checklist
- Choose a bedroom or main living room.
- Close windows and doors during smoke events.
- Use a properly sized portable air cleaner.
- Run it continuously when smoke is a concern.
- Keep the filter changed.
- Avoid candles, smoking, frying, and other indoor particle sources.
- Use weather stripping or towels for obvious gaps if needed.
Official sources used
Wildfire smoke: health effects of exposure
Health Canada
PM2.5 risk framing and vulnerable household context.
Using a portable air cleaner to filter wildfire smoke
Health Canada
CADR sizing, clean-air-room guidance, HEPA/carbon distinctions.
Wildfire smoke, air quality and your health: Protecting your physical and mental health
Health Canada
Wildfire smoke protection guidance, including high-quality HVAC filters, certified portable air cleaners, DIY air cleaner caveats, newer certified box fans, filter changes, and not leaving DIY fans unattended or running while sleeping.
Guidance for cleaner air spaces during wildfire smoke events
Health Canada
Cleaner-air-space guidance for wildfire smoke, including highest MERV rating the system can handle, MERV 13+ for fine particulate matter, and pressure-drop/system-capability caveats.