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Camp Fire: How to get better air quality in your home

If you are using a high-quality mask to filter out the smoke in the air outside, you may want to think about updating the air filter inside your home.

If you are using a high-quality mask to filter out the smoke in the air outside, you may want to think about updating the air filter inside your home.

Not all home air filters are created equal. In the world of air filters bigger is generally better. Darren Gilmore from Gilmore Heating Solar and Air suggests homeowners check their current filter.

"Because of the abnormal smoke, I suggest checking the filter every week," Gilmore told ABC10.

If you have central heating or air in your home, you have a filter and you should check it. If you are using the standard $3 or $4 air filter, you are getting what you pay for.

"It cleans, but really it's more protection for your equipment. But if you go to a bigger 3 inch filter, you get more protection. You are cleaning the air significantly more," Gilmore explained.

RELATED STORY: Wildfire smoke: 5 things parents need to know about poor air quality

Only select filters, like a carbon coated air filter, will actually pull the smoke smell out of the house. These filters can cost hundreds of dollars to install. Another option is to purchase a portable HEPA filter.

"They won't clean the air in the entire house, but they are good for smaller areas," Gilmore said.

If you are looking for a quick fix, or temporary solution to the smoke in your home, you should replace your filter and keep the fan running in your central heating and air unit. Circulating the air inside your home helps run that smoke throughout the filter and clean the air.

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RELATED: "California Wildfires: The New Normal" is ABC10's new 9-part series on how wildfires are changing lives across Northern California.

Watch Now: Episode 7: "Fighting to Rebuild." Even with insurance, the road to recovery from losing everything to a wildfire can be a long one. Over a year later, residents of the Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa are still fighting to rebuild their lives.

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