• Prevent water intrusion into your home: Unwanted water is a sure sign of potential health problems, Mitchell warns, inviting mold and mildew. The resulting impact can be particularly dire for people with respiratory problems. Keeping gutters clean and sloping dirt away from the house are two easy ways to discourage water seepage. Fix leaky pipes quickly and install exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms to prevent moisture build-up. Water and moisture encourages these and other biological pollutants.
• Think before starting remodeling projects: Whether it's painting a room, knocking out a wall or undertaking a host of other projects, educate yourself to possible risks to you and your family. Homes built before the late 1970s are likely to contain cancer causing lead-based paint and asbestos. Left alone you'll be all right; disturbing them creates potential problems. Hire only contractors that employ lead safe or asbestos safe practices if your home is deemed at risk.
• Know when to hire an expert: Even the most capable do-it-yourselfers should defer to professionals when checking gas and heating appliances. Let experts seal duct work as this impacts ventilation and can acerbate chimney problems. "If done wrong," Bower says, "you could be dead by morning."
• Consider what you clean your home with: Look at the cleaning products under your kitchen sink. "Many contain hazardous wastes," Bower warns, "legally you can't put them in a landfill, but we use them throughout the house." There are organic cleaners, but they are harder to find and in some cases may not work as well.

"We all fit under a Bell-shaped Curve," Bower says. "Some of us are more sensitive than others." There should be a reason to take action to clean up indoor air, instead of just doing it willy nilly, Vogel suggests. Telltale signs to undertake changes include presence of a constant odor, stuffy air, dampness or water seepage or a family member consistently feeling ill inside or feeling better outside. For those with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, emphysema and other respiratory conditions, taking quick action is imperative for health reasons.

Finally, experts say there's an industry developing to take advantage of people's fears in this area. Don't be taken. "Is some cases, the fix is worse then the problem," Mitchell cautions.