Temperatures are rising, and residents living near Lineage are grappling with how best to stay cool indoors as rotting odors permeate their neighborhoods during the cleanup of the fire site.
Opening windows is off the table to keep the stench from coming in, so residents without air conditioning are relying on fans. People with AC units are running them at all hours, but many with window air conditioners say putrid odors enter through vents and gaps of the units.
“The smell is so bad it wakes me from a deep sleep. I have to decide whether to turn off my unit and cut off airflow from my house or to leave the air on and just let the smell completely take over my home,” one person told Boyle Heights Beat through an Instagram callout.
Gabriel Rico — who operates GR Air Conditioning in Boyle Heights — estimates that 70% of residents in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights with access to AC systems have window air conditioners, which can leave them exposed to outdoor air and odors coming into their homes.
“Those units leave a gap,” said Rico, who advised residents to cover openings that are not completely sealed.
Here’s what we found about filling window AC voids, requesting an AC unit from Lineage and using deodorizers to help combat odors.
Sealing air conditioner gaps
Rico, with GR Air Conditioning, advised residents to purchase side panels from Lowe’s or Home Depot to seal gaps from their window air conditioner units.
Most people, Rico noted, have sliding window AC units that are about a foot long. Meanwhile, the windows measure about 3 or 4 feet in height. “They have to cover the remaining opening,” he said. Adhering rubber gaskets to window gaps before placing the panel would help make a tighter seal, Rico said.
The panel should fill the whole window, he said. Panels typically range from $19.99 to about $23 and do not require professional tools or drilling.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t have particular guidance on odors, but it advises households with window air conditioners to close the outdoor damper to protect indoor air quality during wildfires. “If you cannot close the damper, do not use the window air conditioner. Make sure that the seal between the air conditioner and the window is as tight as possible,” according to the guide.
Rico also recommended residents, even those with central air, to change their filters. And they should watch out for open doors and windows.
“A lot of times people open windows and doors and the AC is running. It’s going to draw outside air in,” he said.
Need an AC unit?
Lineage released a community contact form for residents to fill out to receive air purifiers, N95 masks and air conditioner units. The form asks for name, email, telephone number and street address.
In the form, the company notes that the direct support is “for those located closest to the warehouse.”
“If you are outside of the immediate zones of support from Lineage, please be aware we are only able to connect you with city and county resources available to you at this time,” Lineage said.
A Lineage spokesperson told The LA Local outreach teams are going door-to-door distributing air conditioners, cash assistance and grocery and housing vouchers.
In addition, several community organizations, including Proyecto Pastoral and Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA, as well as local elected leaders, have been offering resources.
Masking odors
Some residents reported using car air fresheners or spraying Febreze to help with the odors.
mark! Lopez with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice urged caution in using deodorizers.
“We have been telling people that masking the odors with deodorizers isn’t the solution. Our body’s response to odors is a good thing. It is our body telling us the current condition is not okay. Deodorizers often contain harmful chemicals themselves, complicating the situation further,” Lopez said.
For people who are eligible for resources to relocate, Lopez said they should consider it. “We encourage taking advantage of that to escape the smell for a couple weeks.”
To get away for a few hours, free transportation to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area swim beach will be available this week for East LA families seeking relief from another heat wave and the aftermath of the Lineage warehouse fire.
Los Angeles County is offering complimentary transportation Wednesday through Saturday at select Eastside parks so residents can enjoy a day at the lake at no cost.
