A California tech reporter shares how to make a DIY air filter to fight the smoke from Canadian wildfires
A California tech reporter has demonstrated how to make an inexpensive air filter using a box fan as thick smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the East Coast.
Jacob Ward, an NBC News correspondent and author based in San Francisco, increased TikTok on Wednesday to share his hack for fighting poor air quality as health experts warn millions of people to stay indoors to avoid exposure.
New York friends, this is how we deal with bad, smoky air in California. You don’t need an expensive air filter,” he explained. “What you need is this: your box fan.”
Ward assumed many viewers had fans in their homes and encouraged them to get them out of storage. Then he took his fan and turned it so that the cord was facing him.
Jacob Ward, an NBC News correspondent and author based in San Francisco, demonstrated how to make a DIY air filter on TikTok
Thick smoke from the Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the East Coast, including New York City (pictured Wednesday), triggering air quality alerts
“Put one of those on,” he said, holding up a furnace filter.
The journalist noted that the filters are available at most local hardware stores for those who don’t have them lying around.
To assemble them, simply poke a hole in the center of the filter and pull the fan cord through.
Then you attach the filter to the back of the fan using string, tape or large rubber bands. Ward chose fan filter handles that he bought on Amazon.
“You keep all your windows closed in your house, and you blow this thing so all the air in your apartment comes through here periodically,” he advised. “Eventually this filter turns gray and then black.”
Ware explained that the DIY air filter doesn’t cost much to make, and he keeps a stack of furnace filters in his basement to pull out when there’s smoke from wildfires.
‘You’ll be fine. You don’t even need to replace this for a week or more, and by then your air will be fine. So it will be fine, he assured viewers.
‘Smoking air? A box fan, a furnace filter and some string is all you need. Love, California,” he added in the caption.
The tech reporter explained that all you need to do is attach a furnace filter to the back of a fan using string, tape, or large rubber bands.
“You keep all your windows closed in your house, and you blow this thing so all the air in your apartment is periodically drawn through here,” he advised
Ward’s video has gone viral and hundreds of people have taken to the comments section to thank him for the helpful tip
Ward’s video has been viewed more than 460,000 times in less than 24 hours, and hundreds of commenters thanked him for the tip.
“This is literally the most reassuring thing I’ve seen in days. Thanks West Coast! NY, we have to send him a pie,” one person commented.
‘Yes! Research shows this is literally as good as fancy air filter systems – I just tape the filter to the back,” someone else added.
“This really works,” shared another. “I used blue painter’s tape to secure mine.”
However, one TikTok user couldn’t resist pointing out that most New Yorkers don’t have “storage space in the basement.”
“As a former New Yorker, I regretted it the moment I said it, but I have a policy of recording only once, no edits,” Ward replied.
New York City has become one of the most polluted cities in the world due to smoke from more than 400 untamed wildfires burning over the Canadian border.
The smoke consists of dangerous nanoparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream, and people have reported side effects, including eye and throat irritation and difficulty breathing.
A map of the impact wildfire smoke has had on air quality on the East Coast. Purple sections are considered ‘dangerous’, red is ‘unhealthy’, orange is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ and yellow is ‘moderate’
Due to the level of air pollution, some Americans breathe air equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. Figures saw 64 AQI points equivalent to one cigarette, correct as of Thursday morning
A jogger braved New York’s poor air quality Thursday morning as health experts warned people to stay indoors to avoid smoke exposure
A study of University of Berkeley found that elevated levels of air pollution can be catastrophic, with some residents of the Northeast currently breathing air equivalent to smoking an entire pack of cigarettes during the day.
After the smoke first settled in New York City Wednesday morning, smoke spread throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania throughout the evening.
Meteorologists predict the smoke, which has reached at least 16 states, could last into the weekend in some places.
During a state visit by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, President Joe Biden said he is sending more than 600 firefighters and personnel to Canada to help fight the wildfires.
“Yesterday I spoke with Prime Minister Trudeau and offered any additional assistance Canada needs to rapidly accelerate efforts to put out these fires, especially those in Quebec, where the fires are having the most direct impact on American communities,” he said in a statement. a statement. .
“I have directed the National Interagency Fire Center to respond quickly to Canadian requests for additional firefighters and firefighting equipment such as air tankers.
“I have asked Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to update me on his progress to ensure we are proactively addressing the air traffic implications of deteriorating air quality based on lessons learned from previous incidents.
“Stay safe and follow the guidance of your local officials.”