RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Hazy skies and health concerns are driving people to places like Home Depot.

Manager at the store located in Northtowne, Bob Osborne told KOLO8 News Now that air purifiers are a top item people are looking for.

“We made this emergency order just yesterday and we’re in stock on this today,” he said, while pointing at a new pallet of air purifiers. “So, Home Depot is able to act quickly to help out the community.”

According to Osborne, by Wednesday afternoon they had sold 170 units.

When buying an air purifier, one thing to look for are the words ‘HEPA Filter’. Also make sure that the square footage is going to cover what you need.

“In the product line it will tell you how quickly it will purify the air based off of room size,” said Osborne.

Another step you can take to keep the smoke outside is to change your air filters.

“People usually don’t think about it until smoke hits their house,” said Robert Barkley, general manager at Filter Connection in Sparks.

Barkley recommends the use of Merv8 filters, and for those more susceptible like the elderly, those with asthma, emphysema, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), try a Merv11 or 13.

“You don’t need to go anything higher than that, just replace your Merv8,” he said. “The smoke smell is particularly bad around your house, swap with a carbon Merv8.”

With the current air quality, Berkley said it’s better to check your filter once a month. The first step is to take it out and hold it up to any light.

“If you can still see plenty of light through it, your filter is totally fine,” he said. “But if you hold it up there and you can’t see anything, you got stuff growing on it. It’s probably time to change your filter.”

One filter that’s often overlooked, is the one in your car cabin.

“Not only your AC will run more efficiently, it can also help catch the particulates in the air,” said Santini Santiago, commercial sales manager at the Carquest on S Rock Blvd.

The rule of thumb is to change it every year, but if you live in a dusty area you may want to check it every six months.

“A lot of times it’s just a flip of the glove box, right between there, there might be a fuse box that will pop up with a couple of tabs, just insert the cartridge,” said Santiago.

Places that offer oil change, usually offer this service.

The costs of filters vary widely. Large air purifiers range from $20 to more than $200. Filters with odor-removing carbon can cost as much as $50, according to consumerreports.org.

All three mentioned stores have enough supply.

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