Clean Air Rooms

Our 2024 Clean Air Rooms Program is Now Available!

Please note - on Sunday, April 28 planned website maintenance will be happening and it could possibly interrupt the functionality of the Clean Air Room form between 11am and 3pm. If it does, please try again outside of that window. 

Our Clean Air Rooms Program is here! This program provides FREE air purifiers to eligible low-income households across SLO County! Supplies are limited, we are providing approximately 390 free air purifiers on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants, so act quickly to get signed up for yours. Applicants for the program will need to complete an online application (link below) and submit the required documentation. Once your application is submitted, staff will quickly review your application and submitted documentation and an email will be sent to you, letting you know if your application is approved. Once approved, a new device will be shipped right to your home within a couple weeks!

To qualify applicants will need to do the following: 

1. Complete the online application form (less than 5 minutes). 
2. Upload documents proving income eligibility*.
3. Upload documents showing proof of residency in SLO County. 

For specific questions, you can email us at [email protected]. 

*Proof of low-income qualifiying documents could include, but are not limited to: 

• Low-income home energy assitance program;
• PG&E Care Program;
• Southern California Gas Company Care Program;
• SNAP food benefits;
• Welfare statements or TANF participation;
• Medicaid and/or Childrens Health Insurance Program;
• Medi-cal card matching applicants name; 
• Women, Infant's and Children (WIC);
• Section 8 or HASLO Participation; or, 
• 2022 or 2023 income tax statements**. 

**If you do not participate in any of the above listed low-income assistance programs, you may also qualify if adjusted gross income of your household for 2022 or 2023 did not exceed the low-income limits, asdefined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.  Please see the table below to determine if you qualify. If you believe you qualify, provide a completed copy of the summary of your Tax Return Transcripts or federal income tax form 1040 (Pages 1 & 2) for tax year 2022 for all members of the household who filed taxes. You can obtain a free Tax Return Transcript at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.   

Staff will maintain the utmost security measures when reviewing low-income eligibility and will not retain documents after review and approval. 

Thank you to our partner agencies for helping get the word out on this program in the community. 

Get ready for wildfire smoke - deveop a clean air room in your home!

Protect Your Health from Wildfire Smoke & Blowing Dust

Wildfires have become more prevalent and consistent across California in the last decade and Impacts are more sustained and not just isolated to the regions in which they occur. The best protection when wildfire smoke or blowing dust is present is to stay indoors as much as possible. We want to ensure that you and your home are ready for wildfire smoke and know how to create a Clean Air Room in your home to protect you from the harmful effects of particulate matter pollution. 

Smoke, ash, and blowing dust all contain very small particles known as particulate matter. These particles can be harmful to everyone, but in particular can be especially harmful for young children, elderly, pregnant women and those with pre-existing conditions like heart and lung disease. The fine particles found in smoke and dust can harm the lungs and hearth, and can cause short-term impacts like coughing, itchy or burning eyes, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, nausea and in severe instances, premature mortality. 

Creating a Clean Air Room in Your Home

How to choose an air purifier

• Local hardware stores sell air purifiers that can reduce particulate matter by 90% - ask to see their line of HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) purifiers. 
• Make sure the device you selected doesn't reduce particulate but increase ozone! To find a list of options approved by the California Air Resources Board, click here.
• Make sure you understand how frequently the filter on your device needs to be replaced by reading your owner's manual. Particularly during a wildfire, or blowing dust season, filters may need to be replaced more regularly. 

How to make your own air purifier

Assembling a DIY version of an air purifier can be a more affordable option, with materials costing approximately $40. This DIY version has been shown to reduce harmful particulate matter indoors similarly to a HEPA purifier, but be sure to take precaution when making a device like this. It should never be left unattended and should be turned off while sleeping. When the fan is modified this way, it should be used for your clean air room, not as a fan to cool your home. 

Here’s how to make your own:

• Use tape to attach a 20×20 MERV-rated air filter — like what you would use for your HVAC system — to the back of a 20×20 box fan. Attaching to the back of the fan creates a better seal.
• Use a filter with a MERV rating of 13.
• Check the filter for the direction of the air flow, marked on the side of the filter.
• Check your windows and doors and make sure the room is sealed tightly so smoke from the outdoors does not get pulled inside.
• Replace the filter more frequently if used during a wildfire.
• As needed, disassemble the box fan to wipe away any accumulated dirt.

Minimize Sources of Indoor Air Pollution