Things You Should Know
 
All information on this page is from the Health Canada web site.
 
As Canadians, we spend over 90% of our time indoors, so the quality of our indoor air should be a concern to all of us.
This section offers suggestions for how to reduce the risk associated with the sources of indoor pollutants.
 
General Tips for Reducing Indoor Air Pollutants.
  • Don't permit smoking in your home;
  • Ensure that fuel-burning appliances are well maintained and inspected yearly;
  • Ensure adequate ventilation, especially in rooms with excess water vapour-like bathrooms;
  • Monitor and control humidity levels;
  • Ensure leaks and cracks in walls, floors, roofs and basements are fixed;
  • Immediately clean any mould found growing in your home;
  • Keep your home clean: dust and vacuum regularly;
  • Don't idle your car or run other fuel-burning engines in an attached garage;
  • Keep the door between your garage and home closed;
  • Do not store paints, solvents or varnishes inside your home; and
  • Ensure furnishings made from particle-board or medium density fibre-board are coated or sealed.
Indoor Air Polutants

This section highlights key sources of air pollutants and the possible related health risks, and gives tips for how to reduce their presence in indoor environments.

  • Biological pollutants are living organisms like mould, bacteria and dust mites.
  • Chemical pollutants are gases and particles that come from combustion appliances, tobacco smoke, household and personal care products, various building materials and outdoor air.

A lack of ventilation, especially in air-tight buildings, is a key factor that impacts the quality of indoor air.