What Can Families and Communities Do to Lower their Exposure to Unhealthy Air Quality Inside?  

The best way to protect your family and yourself from indoor air pollution is to prevent or minimize the release of pollutants indoors.

• Switching from indoor appliances that run on electricity, instead of using gas, may reduce indoor air pollution up to 50% (Stanford, 2022).
•  If your kitchen range hood vents to the outdoors, always turn on range hoods.Use the back burners and set the fan to the highest fan speed when possible. This helps the fan capture more of the polluted air. If there is no range hood, open a window to the outdoors and use a fan to blow air out the window if possible.
• Use an electric heater instead of a wood stove or fireplace. Gas heaters are not as healthy as electric heaters but are still healthier than wood. If you do burn wood, use “seasoned” (dry) wood, and make sure that your fireplace or woodstove drafts properly.  Never use gas stoves to heat the house as this can lead to a build-up of deadly carbon monoxide and other air pollutants.  Never use hibachis, charcoal grills, unvented space heaters, or portable generators indoors that can also lead to build-up of deadly carbon monoxide. Have gas heaters and stoves checked annually by a professional before the heating season to assure that they are functioning properly and vent to the outdoors. 
• Avoid burning candles and incense indoors and get rid of scented air fresheners.
• Quit smoking! If you can’t quit, keep cigarette smoking, vaping, and marijuana smoking to outdoor areas and away from doors and windows. Wash hands after use.
• Use unscented cleaning products. Or, make your own DIY products!
• For construction or renovation, use formaldehyde-free products such as solid wood, gypsum board, stainless steel, adobe, bricks, and tile when possible. Choose “low VOC” paints.
• Use paint, glue, and caulk outdoors when possible. 
• Air out new carpets, furniture, or freshly dry-cleaned clothes for as long as possible before bringing them indoors.
• Choose “3 Free” nail polish that does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, acetone, or dibutyl phthalate (DBP). If you choose to use nail polish do so in a well-ventilated area.

Families can also reduce existing indoor pollution:

• On good air days, open windows and doors as weather permits especially if using products that may generate pollutants.
• If you have a central heating and cooling system, “HVAC”, use high efficiency filters. Take extra precautions if you live near heavy industry or busy shipping routes like train tracks, warehouses or near seaports.
  • Filters rated as MERV 13 or higher are best for reducing small particles that may impact health.
  • Change air filters more often when there’s more smoke or pollen in the air.
• Consider using portable indoor air purifier/filter with a HEPA filter in the rooms you spend the most time in. Avoid those with “ionizers” as these can create more pollutants.