Guide · Safety and emergencies

Indoor Air Quality

A friendly, practical guide to fresh air, clean filters, healthy humidity and getting through smoky days comfortably.

5 pages · PDF · 261 KB · free forever, no sign up needed

Where to start

CO alarm sounding, or smell gas?
Leave the home for fresh air right away and call 911. See signs worth sharing.
Smoky or poor air day?
See on smoky or poor air days.
Breathing easier every day?
Tick through fresh air habits.

The short version

Healthy indoor air comes from simple habits: bring fresh air in, use exhaust fans when cooking and showering, and keep filters clean.

Keep humidity between about 30 and 50 percent, fix leaks quickly, and share any musty smells or signs of mold.

Never mix cleaning products, store chemicals closed, and keep smoking and vaping outside the home.

On smoky days, check AirNow.gov, close windows, set the HVAC to recirculate, and run a HEPA air cleaner in one clean-air room.

Rules about air quality and repairs differ from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at your local rules. If you ever have questions, we would love to help.

Four simple rules

1
Bring fresh air in
Open windows when outdoor air is clean, and use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans every time you cook or shower.
2
Keep filters clean
Change or clean HVAC and air cleaner filters on the schedule the manufacturer suggests, often about every one to three months.
3
Keep humidity balanced
Indoor humidity generally feels and works best between about 30 and 50 percent. Too much moisture invites mold and dust mites.
4
Remove sources first
Smoking outdoors, storing chemicals safely and fixing leaks quickly do more for the air than any gadget.

Try it

Fresh air habits

From the guide’s own habits. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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Run the kitchen range hood while cooking, especially on a gas stove, and for a few minutes afterward.
Run the bathroom fan during showers and for about 20 to 30 minutes after, or crack a window.
Open windows for a few minutes when outdoor air is clean and the weather allows.
Change or clean filters on the schedule the manufacturer suggests, or share when they need replacing.
Vacuum and dust regularly, ideally with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.
Store paints, solvents and cleaning products tightly closed, ideally outside the living space.
Wipe up condensation on windows and share any leaks or musty smells right away.

On smoky or poor air days

Check local air quality at AirNow.gov or a local weather app, and follow advice from local officials.
Close windows and doors, and set the HVAC system to recirculate if it has that option.
Run a portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter, and choose one room to be your clean air room.
Skip activities that add smoke or particles indoors, like candles, frying, smoking and vacuuming without a HEPA filter.
Watch for symptoms, especially in children, older adults and anyone with asthma or heart or lung conditions, and call a doctor if needed.
When the air outside improves, open windows to air the home out, and check whether filters need changing.

On a smoky day, choose the bedroom as your clean air room. Close the window, run a portable HEPA air cleaner, and you’ll breathe easier through the night.

A few things to avoid

Please don’t smoke or vape indoors. Smoke lingers in the air, carpet and walls long after.
Please don’t mix cleaning products, especially bleach with ammonia or acids. They can create dangerous gases.
Please don’t block supply or return vents with furniture, rugs or curtains.
Please don’t use ozone generating “air purifiers.” Ozone can irritate the lungs.

Signs worth sharing

Please share musty or moldy smells, visible mold, water stains, heavy condensation, or a smell of gas or exhaust as soon as you notice them.

If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or anyone feels dizzy, nauseous or confused, leave the home for fresh air right away and call 911. If you smell gas, leave first, then call.

Write the filter size and change date on the filter frame with a marker. It makes the next change quick, and everyone can see when it was last done.

For owners

Before anyone moves in

From the guide’s list for caring for the home’s air. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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Make sure kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans work and vent to the outside where possible.
Install a fresh HVAC filter, using a higher efficiency filter, such as MERV 13, if the system can handle it.
Fix leaks and dry any damp areas, and look for signs of mold in bathrooms, basements and under sinks.
Test and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and have fuel burning appliances checked by a professional.
Consider a radon test. The EPA recommends testing homes, and simple test kits are widely available.
Share kindly how to change filters, where they are and how often.

When air concerns come up

Treat reports of musty smells, visible mold, persistent condensation or exhaust smells as important, and respond promptly.
Find and fix the moisture source first. Cleaning mold without fixing the leak only brings it back.
Dry wet materials within about 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold growth.
Call a qualified professional for large mold areas, fuel burning appliance concerns or ventilation problems.
Keep notes, photos and invoices of what was found and fixed.
Follow up kindly to make sure the air feels better and everyone is comfortable.

For more, see EPA: Introduction to Indoor Air Quality and EPA: Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality.

Printable checklist

Like it on paper?

The printable checklist for this guide is fillable, with a screen version and an ink saver print version. Keep it on your phone or pin it to the fridge.

Get the printable checklist

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Test yourself

How much do you remember?

4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.

From The Perfect Series

Go deeper with The Perfect Seasonal Home Care Checklist Workbook

Simple, step by step checklists you can write in, one topic at a time, to help any home stay warm, safe and dry through every season.

See The Perfect Seasonal Home Care Checklist Workbook All books in The Perfect Series

Keep the full guide handy

The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.

Download the PDF

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