How to prepare your home and protect indoor air during haze season

Haze season in Malaysia usually occurs between July and October, when smoke from forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan can affect air quality across the country, although northern areas may also experience a smaller haze episode around February and March.

As haze levels rise, fine PM2.5 particles can make their way indoors through small gaps even when your home seems fully closed. Preparing your home for haze season before air quality worsens can help reduce exposure and keep your family more comfortable.

In this guide, we’ll cover practical steps to help you monitor air quality, limit haze from entering your home and maintain cleaner indoor air throughout the season.

Why preparing your home for haze season matters

When haze settles over Malaysia, staying indoors can reduce your exposure, but it does not completely separate you from the outdoor air. Fine PM2.5 particles can enter through gaps around windows and doors, as well as air-conditioning systems that draw in outside air, allowing pollution to build up indoors over time.

Prolonged exposure may cause eye, nose and throat irritation or aggravate conditions such as asthma and sinusitis. Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with existing respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to poor air quality.

Getting your home haze-ready before API readings climb gives you more control over your indoor environment. Sealing potential entry points, preparing your air-conditioning and air purifier, and keeping essential supplies on hand can help maintain cleaner indoor air, improve everyday comfort and give your household greater peace of mind when haze conditions worsen.

8 practical tips to prepare your home for haze season

Preparing before the haze arrives means you won’t have to scramble for supplies or make changes to your home once API readings start climbing. Here are eight practical ways to get ready.

1. Track air quality readings daily

During haze season, check the Department of Environment’s APIMS portal regularly for the latest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in your area. As conditions can differ between locations across Malaysia, use your nearest monitoring station rather than relying on how hazy it looks outside. Pay particular attention when API readings exceed 100, which falls within the Unhealthy range and calls for greater caution with outdoor activities.

2. Seal gaps around windows and doors

Check around window frames, entrance doors and balcony doors for gaps where outdoor air could enter. Weatherstripping can provide a more lasting seal, while a door snake can help block the gap beneath your main door. If haze arrives before you have these measures in place, placing damp towels along obvious window or door gaps can serve as a temporary measure.

3. Stock up on masks and haze essentials

Keep a supply of properly fitting N95 or KN95 masks at home before demand increases during a haze episode. Unlike cloth or standard surgical masks, these respirators are designed to filter fine airborne particles when fitted and worn correctly. Eye drops and moisturiser can also be useful to have on hand if dry, smoky conditions cause discomfort.

4. Set up an air purifier in the right spot

Choose a HEPA-filter air purifier with a room coverage suitable for the space where you plan to use it. You can consider Electrolux air purifiers with HEPA filtration designed to capture fine airborne particles, including PM2.5.

Placement matters too. Keep the purifier near the area where your family spends significant time, such as the living room seating area or beside the bed, without blocking its air intake or outlet with furniture.

Smart sensors available on Electrolux air purifiers can also detect changes in indoor air quality and adjust operation accordingly. For bedrooms or nurseries, quiet operation is another useful consideration for overnight use.

>> These 5 tips will help you use the air purifier more effectively.

5. Prepare your air-conditioning before haze arrives

Clean or replace your air-conditioning filters and arrange servicing before the main haze period rather than waiting until the system is working harder every day. If you use a window air-conditioning unit, check whether it has an outdoor air intake and learn how to close it during hazy conditions.

6. Cut down indoor pollution sources

Your home can generate particles of its own, so reducing these sources becomes especially important when outdoor air is already polluted. Avoid smoking indoors and minimise activities that produce smoke or fine particles, such as burning incense or frequent high-heat frying, when haze conditions are poor.

7. Pack a haze-ready kit for vulnerable family members

Put together a small kit with spare masks, regularly used medication and other essentials for household members with asthma, sinusitis or other respiratory conditions. Contact lens wearers may also want to keep their glasses accessible, as haze can make already-irritated eyes more uncomfortable.

8. Switch to wet-cleaning and adopt a post-outdoor routine

Fine particles brought indoors can settle on floors and other surfaces. Mop floors and wipe furniture with a damp cloth or wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner rather than dry-dusting, which can stir settled particles back into the air. After returning home on a hazy day, change out of exposed clothing and rinse your face and hands before settling in. If your nose feels irritated after being outdoors, follow appropriate personal-care advice rather than allowing discomfort to build.

How to maintain good indoor air quality during haze season

When haze affects outdoor air quality, a few simple changes can help keep your indoor environment cleaner and more comfortable. Focus on maintaining your air-cleaning appliances, limiting outdoor air from entering your home, and checking local air-quality readings before ventilating.

Check your air purifier filters regularly

Higher concentrations of fine particles can cause air purifier filters to clog faster during haze season. Check the filter regularly and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning or replacement. Electrolux air purifiers with a filter-change indicator can also help you keep track of when you need to buy a new filter.

Inspect the pre-filter yourself as well. If it looks noticeably dark or grey, or you detect an unusual burnt smell, check whether it needs cleaning or replacing.

Keep windows and doors closed when API levels are elevated

Keep windows and external doors closed while API levels remain elevated to reduce the amount of haze entering your home. Check your local reading on the Department of Environment’s APIMS portal before opening windows for ventilation.

Ventilate when outdoor air quality improves

When outdoor air quality improves, open your windows and doors briefly to allow fresh air to circulate. Avoid ventilating during periods when haze levels are high, as this can allow more fine particles to enter your home.

Service your air conditioner after prolonged haze

After an extended haze episode, arrange a thorough air-conditioning service to clear accumulated dust and pollutants. Regular servicing can also help prepare the system for continued use and support better indoor air quality.

Common mistakes that allow haze into your home

Even a well-prepared home can be exposed to more haze than necessary if a few everyday habits are overlooked. Avoid these common mistakes during periods of poor air quality:

• Leaving windows open when the API is above 100: Fresh air is usually welcome, but opening windows during unhealthy conditions can allow more fine particles indoors. Check your local API reading before ventilating.
• Using an undersized air purifier: A purifier designed for a small bedroom may not clean the air effectively in a large living area. Always check the recommended room coverage before choosing where to use it. Read the buying guide to choose the right air purifier for your home here.
• Overlooking outdoor air intakes: Some window air-conditioning units can draw outdoor air inside. Check your unit and close the intake during haze if applicable.
• Ignoring filters until performance drops: Haze particles can clog air purifier and air-conditioning filters more quickly, so inspect them regularly throughout the season.
• Missing school closure advisories: If you have school-age children, keep an eye on official announcements when API readings approach or exceed 200, as closures may be announced during severe haze conditions.

FAQs about preparing your home for haze season in Malaysia