Why I started IndoorAirLab

I'm Will, and I run IndoorAirLab.

A wildfire in Colorado took my family's home of more than 30 years. Losing a place like that changes how you see fire season. And it didn't end with the fire: in the summers since, smoke from fires in the Rockies, from Canada, and from places hundreds of miles away has drifted in again and again.

I have asthma, so smoke days aren't just an inconvenience for me. I started looking into air purifiers and filters to protect my own lungs and my family's health, and I ran into the same problem a lot of people do: every box promises clean air, every ranking says something different, and it's hard to tell what is backed by evidence and what is marketing.

What I learned digging in

• Staying inside with the windows shut isn't enough on its own. In a study of Seattle homes during the 2020 fires, smoke still got in, and portable HEPA purifiers made a real difference. (See the research.)
• The room size printed on a box isn't the number that matters. The certified smoke CADR is. (How to size a purifier.)
• A lot of claims, especially about removing smoke gases and odors, have far less evidence behind them than the marketing suggests. (HEPA vs. carbon.)

What IndoorAirLab is for

I want to give people a clear lens on air purifiers, filters, and indoor air, so you can make your own educated decisions and purchases. That means:

• Plain-language guides built on published research and official guidance, with every source linked.
• An honest rating of how strong the evidence is for each main claim, including when it's weak.
• Certified ratings and manufacturer claims kept clearly separate.
• No paid rankings, ever.

What's next

I'm setting up my own testing in an ordinary room in an ordinary house, the way most people actually live. When results are ready, I'll publish the method and the raw data alongside them.

I'm not a doctor, and nothing here is medical advice. If you have asthma or another lung or heart condition, talk with your doctor about a plan for smoke days.

Questions, corrections, or your own smoke-season story? Email me at hello@indoorairlab.org.