Wildfire smoke can spike the Air Quality Index to 500 + in minutes-turning the air inside an ordinary house into a slow-motion health hazard. Breathe Easy at AQI 500 is architect and asthmatic-mom Emily Cho's field manual for sealing, cleaning, and monitoring the air in regular stick-built homes without gut renovations or five-figure budgets.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
One-Weekend Envelope Fix - pinpoint leaks with incense & box-fan tests, then stop them cold with $40 of tape, gaskets, and caulk. HVAC Hack, Not Overhaul - convert any forced-air system into an MERV-13 scrubber; add a low-draw inline fan for ""panic mode"" filtration. Room-by-Room Shields - sliding-window insert plans, DIY door sweeps, and a no-tools method for attic hatch sealing. Filter Math Made Easy - choose HEPA vs. Corsi-Rosenthal, size purifiers by cubic footage, and calculate filter life with a two-minute QR worksheet. Kid-Proof Clean-Air Zones - create a 90 sq ft ""safe haven"" nursery that stays under AQI 20 even when outside hits 600. Retrofit Cost Roadmaps - menu-style tables: $250 starter kit, $900 whole-house package, or $2,500 pro-grade overhaul. Smart-Sensor Playbook - best low-cost PM 2.5 monitors, automation scripts for Home Assistant & Alexa, and alert thresholds that matter. Respiratory First-Aid - physician-reviewed checklists, inhaler storage tips, and when to evacuate vs. shelter-in-place.
""A lifesaver for parents and renters who can't spring for fancy ERV systems but refuse to breathe ash.""-Dr. Lisa Ferrell, Pulmonologist & Wildfire-Health Researcher
TABLE OF CONTENTS SNAPSHOT
- AQI science in plain English - Airtightness vs. ventilation balance - Choosing filters & purifiers - Behavior tweaks that double indoor air life - Comprehensive retrofit checklists - Future tech & community solutions-and much more (see full TOC below).
By:
Emily Cho Imprint: Telephasic Workshop, Ltd. Hawaii Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 39mm
Weight: 1.012kg ISBN:9781998545025 ISBN 10: 1998545024 Pages: 772 Publication Date:12 June 2025 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
