Many of us are susceptible to the health effects of indoor pollutants. These include infants and the elderly, those with heart and lung diseases, people with asthma, and individuals who have developed extreme sensitivity to chemicals.

The most effective way to protect your family and yourself from indoor air pollution is to prevent or minimize the release of pollutants indoors in the first place.
Use Products Safely.Products such as cleaning agents, paints, and glues should be used outdoors whenever possible. Directions on the label should be followed carefully. If the product must be used indoors, lots of ventilation should be provided. Also, it may be possible to use safer consumer products, such as baking soda instead of harsher cleaners, or products in solid or liquid form rather than aerosol sprays.
Restrict Smoking. Restricting cigarette smoking to outdoor areas is especially important because cigarette smoke contains many toxic pollutants. It is harmful to both smokers and nonsmokers.
Use Appliances Properly Use gas appliances, wood stoves, and fireplaces only as intended. Gas stoves should never be used to heat the house since high pollutant levels can result. Wood stoves and fireplaces should only be used to burn properly sized and aged wood, since other types of fuel may emit toxic compounds. These combustion devices pollute less when properly maintained. Annual inspections and cleaning by your gas company's service personnel or by other qualified individuals will help reduce pollution and save energy.
Select Building Materials and Furniture Carefully Many products, including some types of plywood and particleboard, emit significant amounts of formaldehyde or other gaseous pollutants. Try to avoid those products if possible. You might request that new carpets or furniture be aired out by the manufacturer or distributor prior to delivery. Otherwise, you may want to air them in your garage or yard before bringing them inside.
Practice Good Housekeeping Proper storage of solvents and frequent housecleaning to remove dust and molds are necessary steps in maintaining good indoor air quality.
Provide Adequate Ventilation Adequate ventilation is another easy and effective way to maintain good indoor air quality, although it may not completely remove all pollutants. Increase ventilation by opening windows and doors when the weather permits. This is particularly important when using products or engaging in activities that may generate pollutants. Kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans that are properly vented to the outdoors are very effective at removing pollutants generated during cooking and showering. For effective ventilation while conserving energy during extreme weather, consider installing a heat recovery ventilator.

Additional Factors To Consider
1. Ion generators and electronic air cleaners may produce ozone, particularly if they are not properly installed and maintained.
2. Ozone can be a lung irritant.
3. Gases and odors from particles collected by the devices may be re-dispersed into the air.
4. The odor of tobacco smoke is largely due to gases in the smoke, rather than particles. Thus, you may smell a tobacco odor even when the smoke particles have been removed.
5. Some devices scent the air to mask odors, which may lead you to believe that the odor-causing pollutants have been removed.
6. Ion generators, especially those that do not contain a collector, may cause soiling of walls and other surfaces.
7. You may be bothered by noise from portable air cleaners, even at low speeds.
8. Maintenance costs, such as costs for the replacement of filters, may be significant. You should consider these costs in addition to the initial cost of purchase. In general, the most effective units are also the most costly.

Comparing Air Cleaners
One common method of rating high efficiency filters uses a procedure in Military Standard 282. This procedure measures how well small particles of a specific chemical are removed by the filter.

The Federal government has not published guidelines or standards that can be used to determine how well low to medium efficiency air cleaners work. However, standards have been developed by private standard-setting trade associations. These standards may be useful in comparing air cleaners.

Obtaining Adequate Performance
Proper installation, use, and care. Follow the manufacturer's directions to assure that the air cleaner works properly. To avoid any electrical or mechanical hazards, be sure the unit is listed with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or another recognized independent safety testing laboratory.
Perform routine maintenance, as required. Generally speaking, air cleaners rigor frequent cleaning and filter replacement to function properly.
Proper placement. Place portable air cleaners so that:
- They are near a specific pollutant source, if one exists.
- They force the cleaned air into occupied areas.
- The inlet and outlet are not blocked by walls, furniture, or other obstructions.
- For in-duct devices, assure that the inlets and outlets of the heating or cooling system are not blocked by furniture and other obstructions.