Manage your lung condition well
If you’re affected by indoor air pollution, it’s important to continue to manage your condition well to reduce your chances of having an asthma attack or flare-up of your lung condition.
How to manage your lung condition well
- Take all of your medicines as prescribed.
- Use a self-management plan to record your lung condition triggers and how to deal with them. We have asthma action plans, a COPD self-management plan and a pulmonary fibrosis self-management plan available to download for free.
- If indoor air pollution makes the symptoms of your lung condition worse, speak to your GP or nurse. If you’re renting, your GP can write a letter to your landlord if they believe the home you’re living in is harmful to your health. We have advice to help you get a GP appointment.
Prevent condensation and keep rooms well-aired
Keeping your rooms well aired by opening windows when you can, can help to protect you against different types of indoor air pollution.
How to keep your home well-aired and prevent condensation
- Open your windows to ventilate your home. You do not have to have your windows open all the time, you could just open them for a couple of minutes throughout the day. Check the air pollution and pollen levels before opening windows if these are triggers for you.
- You can also use extractor fans to ventilate your home. Make sure you clean extractor fans in your bathroom and kitchen regularly so they work effectively.
- If you have trickle vents, keep them open as much as possible. A trickle vent is a small opening in a window or door that lets fresh air in even when the window is closed.
- If you can, dry washing outside. If you can’t do that, try a well-aired room, airing cupboard or tumble dryer.
- Fix any leaks or water damage in your home, as this will help to prevent humidity that causes condensation. If you rent, tell your landlord as soon as you notice any leaks or water damage. Citizens Advice have more information about reporting damage to your landlord.
- De-humidifiers can also help to prevent condensation. However, they can make the air too dry and cause you to cough. A good de-humidifier will allow you to set a well-balanced humidity level.
Use sprays and aerosols safely
Using sprays and aerosols safely
- Where possible, use spray and aerosol products with the window open or in a well-aired space.
- Read the labels and instructions on cleaning products before you buy them. If possible, try to buy products with an Air Label certification.
- Try to choose products with pump sprays instead of aerosols, because aerosols give out more VOCs.
- Pick unscented products or products without added scents where possible.
Keep your home warm
By heating your home to at least 18°C in colder months, you can prevent condensation, damp, and mould.
Help with heating costs
We know that the cost of living crisis is affecting people across the UK. Find out how to get help with heating costs.
Keep your home smoke-free
Do not smoke indoors and don’t allow others to smoke in your home. If you smoke, the best thing to do to improve your health is to quit smoking. We have advice to help if you or someone in your home smokes.
We also have advice about dealing with vaping indoors and smoke drift.
Use electric or gas heating
If you can, cook and heat your home with electric instead of burning wood and coal. We have more advice about:
Vacuum regularly
Vacuuming your home regularly could help if you have allergies. You may even want to replace, or ask your landlord about replacing, carpets and rugs with wood or laminate flooring. Dusting with a damp cloth will help stop dust getting into your mouth and nose.
Vacuum cleaners with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters can trap more house dust mites than normal vacuum cleaners.
We have more advice about managing dust mites and pet allergies in your home.