Breathe Easy at AQI 500

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

1. One-Weekend Envelope Fix - pinpoint leaks with incense & box-fan tests, then stop them cold with $40 of tape, gaskets, and caulk.
2. HVAC Hack, Not Overhaul - convert any forced-air system into an MERV-13 scrubber; add a low-draw inline fan for "panic mode" filtration.
3. Room-by-Room Shields - sliding-window insert plans, DIY door sweeps, and a no-tools method for attic hatch sealing.
4. Filter Math Made Easy - choose HEPA vs. Corsi-Rosenthal, size purifiers by cubic footage, and calculate filter life with a two-minute QR worksheet.
5. Kid-Proof Clean-Air Zones - create a 90 sq ft "safe haven" nursery that stays under AQI 20 even when outside hits 600.
6. Retrofit Cost Roadmaps - menu-style tables: $250 starter kit, $900 whole-house package, or $2,500 pro-grade overhaul.
7. Smart-Sensor Playbook - best low-cost PM 2.5 monitors, automation scripts for Home Assistant & Alexa, and alert thresholds that matter.
8. Respiratory First-Aid - physician-reviewed checklists, inhaler storage tips, and when to evacuate vs. shelter-in-place.

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).