Healthy home: How to improve indoor air quality

This story was originally titled "35 Tips for a Healthier Home," in the March 2008 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

1. Check shingles for signs of wear and look for water damage in your attic. Water leaking through the roof can cause serious mould infestations.

2. Homes built before 1960 were often painted with lead paint, which is found in household dust. Remove a paint chip to have it tested. If you have lead, keep your home dust-free to protect against lead poisoning and hire an experienced contractor to sand or remove wall and ceiling materials contaminated with lead.

3. Replace blinds with washable drapes and you'll have a window covering that's friendlier to those with dust allergies.

4. Air out your dry cleaning or choose a company that doesn't use perchloroethylene, or "perc," a dry-cleaning solvent that's a probable carcinogen.

5. Use an exhaust fan to expel moisture and gases from cooking that can build up and support mould growth, causing or irritating allergies and respiratory conditions.

6. Brush pets outdoors often, wash their bedding and vacuum your home regularly to control hair.

7. Soil in urban areas can be contaminated with lead from emissions of leaded gasoline. Have your soil tested, and replaced, if necessary.

8. Keep your basement dry and mould-free by ensuring gutters and downspouts aren't blocked, and that they direct water away from the home.

9. Use a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter to pick up fine particles that could irritate asthma and other respiratory ailments.

10. Mount carbon monoxide detectors at knee height to detect leaks from your gas or oil furnace or ill-maintained appliances. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause brain damage or death.

11. Use dehumidifiers in summer to prevent mould and mildew growth in fabrics and furnishings.

12. Formaldehyde, a carcinogen, is found in many products including the adhesives used in plywood manufacturing. Avoid it by buying furniture made of low-emission or solid wood materials.

13. Choose natural materials, such as solid wood, bamboo or cork for flooring; where flooring is adhered to the subfloor, choose low-emission adhesives. Avoid vinyl floor and wall coverings – these products, and the adhesives used with them, can emit carcinogens such as vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride.

14. Wear a dust mask and use a dust collection system, including an ambient air filter, in your workshop. Some sawdust is carcinogenic and can irritate respiratory conditions.

15. Cover the soil in an unfinished, dirt-floor basement with six-mil polyethylene to prevent moisture from seeping into the house.

16. Install a 0.3 micron or smaller air filter in your forced air system to stop the circulation of dust and other particles through your home.