Month: April 2025

Indoor Air Quality Concerns Caused by Wildfire Smoke

Apr 08, 2025

Indoor Air Quality Concerns Caused by Wildfire Smoke

Smoke from wildfires can have a profound impact on your Sacramento, CA home’s indoor air quality. If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, it’s important to understand how this smoke affects your health and well-being so you can take steps to improve your indoor air quality.

Why Is Wildfire Smoke Dangerous?

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulates and gases that are produced when wood and vegetation burn. These contaminants can find their way into your home. The particulate matter is small enough (approximately 2.5 micrometers) that you can breathe it in, leading to shortness of breath, asthma attacks, and cardiovascular issues. It can be absorbed into your bloodstream, causing inflammation, hormone disruption, and potentially raising your risk of certain health conditions with prolonged exposure.

Carbon monoxide is prevalent in wildfire smoke and is produced when wood and vegetation burn incompletely from a lack of oxygen. If you have high concentrations of carbon monoxide in your home, this can cause headaches, dizziness, and even death.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may come from organic materials like trees, plants, and other vegetation as they burn. Exposure to VOCs from smoke can lead to long-term health problems and respiratory issues.

Other pollutants may be present in your indoor air if wildfire smoke is infiltrating your home. This includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrogen oxides.

Indoor Air Quality Impact

Wildfire will cause your home to smell unpleasant. This odor can linger on your clothing, furniture, bedding, and curtains. It’s often hard to get the smell out by washing the items or airing them out. The air in your home may also feel stuffy and oppressive when wildfire smoke is present.

It’s possible to notice a haze in your home or see visible particles in the air if smoke is coming inside. You may see large amounts of dust accumulating on surfaces.

You may notice that your eyes are burning, your throat feels scratchy, and you’re coughing frequently. These health effects can make it difficult for you to function throughout the day and sleep well at night.

You may attempt to run your HVAC system more frequently to compensate. However, this may just circulate particulates around your home if you’re not taking appropriate steps to filter the particulate matter out.

How Does Wildfire Smoke Come Inside?

You don’t have to leave your windows and doors open for wildfire smoke to impact your IAQ. Enough smoke can sneak through small cracks and gaps to have serious consequences on your air quality. It can also come through your HVAC system if you have a fresh air intake. In this situation, you can switch your HVAC settings to recirculate the air in your home rather than bring in air from outside.

Protecting Against Wildfire Smoke

There are steps you can take to mitigate the risks associated with wildfire smoke. It’s not always possible or necessary to leave your home, especially if the fire isn’t close by. That doesn’t mean your local air quality isn’t a problem. If you do evacuate, several methods can protect the inside of your home from smoke while you’re gone.

Seal Up Your Home

It’s important to maintain a tight seal against the outside. You should keep your windows and doors closed when smoke is present in the area. Seal gaps and cracks around windows, your foundation, and in your attic. You can use products like weatherstripping, caulk, and expanding spray foam.

You can also upgrade your insulation. Insulation with a high R-value promotes a strong barrier between the outdoors and the inside of your home. R-value refers to the thermal resistance of a material. As R-value increases, better resistance is present.

You can add insulation to your attic, basement, inside the walls throughout your home, crawl spaces, around windows and doors, and under flooring. There are several types of insulation available. If you’re looking to protect your indoor air quality from wildfire smoke, consider using something like spray foam insulation. This product is made from isocyanate and polyol resin. The foam will expand and harden once applied, creating a very tight barrier. Closed-cell spray foam is very dense and can provide an R-value of approximately R-6 to R-7 per inch of thickness.

Air Filtration

The filter in your furnace can trap some of the large particulates that circulate through your air and into your HVAC system. You can upgrade this filter by referring to the minimum-efficiency reporting value (MERV) scale. A MERV-rated filter that is between eight and 12 will be somewhat effective against wildfire smoke, especially if it contains activated carbon. Don’t use anything that has a higher rating than your heating and cooling equipment can handle. Airflow restrictions can lead to equipment issues.

For much more effective air quality improvements, you can also invest in a whole-house filtration system to trap more, larger, and a higher volume of airborne particulates. This equipment is installed onto your HVAC system and uses enhanced filtration to trap particulate matter. Most purification units can handle MERV-rated filters of 13 and above.

Home Improvements

There are several home improvements you can make to protect you and your family from wildfire smoke. If your windows are old, consider upgrading them. A design with double panes can reduce the amount of air that comes inside. Make sure your doors have weatherstripping around them. Door sweeps can also be beneficial.

Monitoring Air Quality

It’s not always obvious that the air quality in your home is poor because of nearby wildfires. There are online tools you can use to stay informed. This data allows you to make important changes like closing your windows and running your purification equipment.

If you’re concerned about the presence of particulate matter and other contaminants in your home, you can have an indoor air quality test performed by a professional. Several samples will be taken throughout your home to get an idea of what’s contaminating your indoor air quality. Periodic testing can ensure that you’re making positive improvements that are supporting healthy and safe indoor air quality.

Addressing Humidity

It’s important to pay attention to the level of relative humidity in your home. When indoor air is very humid (above 50% RH), this can cause more particulates to be present in your home. You can remove excess moisture using a whole-house dehumidifier. A smart thermostat can allow you to easily monitor your indoor humidity level so you can adjust accordingly. If there is not enough moisture in your air (under 35% RH), this can irritate your sinuses and airways. The negative health effects of wildfire smoke may be more noticeable.

Our team at Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air can help you make improvements to your home that will protect you and your family from wildfire smoke. This includes whole-house air purification equipment. We can also perform routine maintenance and repairs on your heating and cooling equipment to ensure everything works efficiently and protects your indoor air quality. Contact Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air in Sacramento today to schedule an appointment with our team.

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Water Shutoff 101: What to Do in a Plumbing Crisis

Apr 01, 2025

Water Shutoff 101: What to Do in a Plumbing Crisis

As a homeowner, it’s very important that you know what to do during a plumbing emergency. Depending on the problem, you may need to turn off your home’s main water supply. You may also need to adjust settings on water-using appliances (e.g., dishwasher, refrigerator, washing machine, water heater, etc.). Here at Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air, we help homeowners like you every day with their plumbing issues. We know emergencies can happen at any time, so we’ve put together a helpful guide on what to do in a plumbing crisis.

What Qualifies as a Plumbing Emergency?

There are lots of things that can go wrong with your plumbing. If you don’t address them quickly, your home might experience major water damage. Plumbing crises also cause frustrating disruptions to your daily routine as you struggle with leaks, flooding, or lack of access to water. Some problems may even pose health and safety risks.

Failing Water Heater

A lot of plumbing emergencies stem from leaky fixtures or appliances. A failing water heater, for example, can lead to flooding and also increase the risk of scalding water exposure.

Overflowing Toilet

An overflowing toilet will leave behind a slippery and unsanitary mess in the bathroom. If not cleaned up immediately, the water may seep into the walls and flooring, leading to expensive damage and mold growth. Shutting off the home’s main water supply is key in these situations to avoid widespread flooding and costly repairs.

Sewer Backups

Sewer backups are another type of plumbing emergency that will require immediate attention. When wastewater fails to drain properly from your home, it can back up into sinks, bathtubs, and toilets. The longer this problem goes unaddressed, the more harmful bacteria will start building up in your house. This issue can also cause foul odors to spread throughout your home, making it uncomfortable and unsanitary. Clogged sewer lines, tree root intrusions, and municipal sewer system problems are the usual culprits behind sewer backups.

Pipe Leaks

Pipe leaks not only cause water pressure problems but also increase mold growth. The spreading of mold throughout a home can translate into worse allergy and asthma symptoms for people who have these illnesses. There are lots of possible reasons for water leaks, including corrosion, high water pressure, poor pipe installation, and physical damage. Shutting off the water supply and contacting a professional emergency plumber is the best thing to do in any plumbing crisis.

Step-by-Step Guide for Shutting Off the Main Water Supply

Shutting off the main water supply to your house doesn’t have to be hassle. You can follow the four steps listed below to ensure you safely turn off the water until a plumber arrives.

Locate the Main Shutoff Valve

The first step is to find the main water valve, which is usually close to the water meter. In some older homes, the valve may be in a basement, crawl space, or garage. It is likely to be along an external wall. Those living in warmer regions like the Sacramento area may find the valve outside under a shed or next to the hone’s foundation. A wise homeowner will locate this valve well in advance when nothing is wrong so they know precisely where to go in an urgent situation.

Turn Off the Valve

Once you locate the valve, you’ll need to turn it off. The best way to do this depends on the type of valve. For a wheel valve, you’ll rotate it clockwise until it stops. For ball valves, you’ll need to turn the handle 90 degrees until it sits perpendicular to the pipe.

Drain the Pipes

Once you have the main water supply turned off, it’s a good idea to drain the pipes, which is easy. Just turn on a faucet and let any remaining water run out. This relieves pressure in the system and prevents water from spilling out everywhere once an expert begins the plumbing repair process.

Verify the Water Is Off

Once you drain the pipes, you can then turn off the faucet you’ve been using, go to another faucet in the home, and turn it on. If no water comes out, the pipes are fully drained.

Appliance Shutoff Process

Turning off the home’s main water supply during a plumbing crisis is a great way to prevent damage and minimize the cost of repairs. However, you may also need to turn off the water supply at the affected appliance itself to stop further water flow and limit additional damage. Here are some tips to help you safely shut off the water supply for different appliances.

Water Heater

On most water heaters, you can usually find the cold-water supply valve toward the top. Switch it to the “Off” position to disconnect the water supply. It typically comes in the form of a ball valve or a gate valve. Just make sure to be very careful since hot water heaters can be dangerous to work on and around.

Toilet

You can find the water shutoff valve for a toilet either behind or next to it, usually on the wall but sometimes on the floor. This valve regulates the flow of water into the tank. Turning the valve clockwise will stop the flow of water. A plumber will make sure to turn the valve back on once the repair process is over.

Dishwasher

You can usually find the water shutoff valve for a dishwasher either beneath the sink or close to the appliance. On the water pipe that goes to the dishwasher, you should see a valve. To shut off the water, turn the valve clockwise.

Refrigerator

If your fridge has an ice maker or water dispenser, the water line shutoff valve is probably underneath the sink or behind the appliance. In most cases, you’ll find the valve near the point where the water main connects to the wall. Simply turn the valve clockwise to stop the flow of water.

Washing Machine

There are usually two shutoff valves on a washing machine: one for the hot water and one for the cold water. In the majority of setups, you’ll find these valves at the point where the hoses attach to the wall, which is normally behind the washing machine. Turning both valves clockwise will switch off the water supply.

Sprinkler System

There is usually a separate valve for the sprinkler system that regulates the water flow. You’ll most likely find this valve in an easily accessible outside spot or next to the water meter. To turn off the water supply, find the valve and crank it clockwise until it closes.

Whole-Home Humidifiers

Many whole-home humidifiers connect directly to a home’s main water supply. You’ll need to find the water line valve that supplies the humidifier; it’s usually near the furnace or air handler. Once you find it, turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water supply.

Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air has over 40 years of industry experience helping homeowners in plumbing crises. Our professional plumbing services include drain and sewer services, backflow prevention, slab leak repairs, and much more. Our number one goal is to ensure you have access to professional plumbing services when you need them most. Call us at Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air in Loomis, CA for emergency plumbing services anywhere in the Sacramento area.