Keep pollution out of your home

 Keep your indoor air quality at healthy levels, follow these simple steps recommended by American Lung Association.

• Declare your home a smokefree zone.  Never let anyone smoke indoors. Ask smokers to go outside.
• Test your home for radon, an invisible gas that causes lung cancer.  Every home should be tested since radon may be found in any home.  If your home has high radon, it can be fixed.
• Keep humidity levels under 50 percent.  Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner, as needed. Clean equipment regularly so they don't become a source of pollution themselves. Open windows or use the ventilator in the kitchen when boiling liquids.
• Be sure to replace filters on heaters and purifiers as often as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Fix all leaks and drips in the home. Standing water and high humidity encourage the growth of mold and other pollutants.
• Put away food, cover trash and use baits for pest control and not pesticides.
• Avoid burning wood because it adds pollution indoors and out.  Don't use outdoor wood boilers, also called hydronic heaters, to heat your home's water. They add unhealthy soot to the air in your neighborhood. 
• Install a carbon monoxide detector in any room with a fireplace, gas heater, gas dryer, or gas stoves. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and is called the silent killer. The first signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are headaches and flue-like symptoms without a fever.
• Don't use scented candles or fragrances to hide odors. Figure out what is causing the odor, then clean that up and ventilate to add fresh air.
• Use cleaning, household and hobby products that are less toxic. Don't store hazardous chemicals in your home.