Wildfire smoke is likely clogging up your car's cabin air filter

Smoke from B.C wildfires has been irritating Albertanslungs for days, and it also might be causing problems for their vehicles.

Ryan Rankine of South Pro Automotive says sales of cabin air filters have increased dramatically recently.

This year is Calgary's smokiest on record, according to one amateur weather sleuth, who says the city hit 322 hours of smoke on Monday.

• 322 hours of smoke makes 2018 Calgary's smokiest year on record

The city got a brief respite on Tuesday, but on Wednesday Environment Canada once again warned that air quality had shot up to high risk.

• Calgary's air quality rockets up to high risk again, as B.C. wildfire smoke drifts east

A clogged air filter will not only slow your air conditioner down, but it will pushsmoky air throughout your car.

"It'll deal with the smoke, it deals with the dust. This filter is all the air coming in through your heater, so it filters your air for your heater, your air conditioning, for inside the car period," said Rankine.

He said if your filter is very dark in colour and filled with ash or dust, you should take it in to be replaced right away. But if it's only lightly smelling of smoke, hold off.

"If it's not plugged I'd probably wait a couple weeks, let the smoke die down, replace it then, he said."

Normally, cabin air filters should be changed every year or so, depending on how much you drive.

Smoke is expected to linger in Calgary until Friday or Saturday.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Calgary chef, son killed after their vehicle hits moose in northern Ontario
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |Judge says she's too emotional, postpones sentencing for repeat animal abuser
• Read more articles byCBC Calgary, like us onFacebookfor updates and subscribe to ourCBC Calgary newsletterfor the day's news at a glance.

With files from Elissa Carpenter