You keep your home clean, vacuum regularly, and wipe down surfaces every day. There’s no visible mold or leaks anywhere. Yet, you still deal with frequent allergies, headaches, or breathing discomfort.  

That’s because a spotless, clean-looking home doesn’t always mean a safe, healthy home. Invisible pollutants can quietly build up in the air inside your home, affecting your and your family’s health without any obvious signs.

 That’s why you need an indoor air quality checklist. Our air safety guide will help you understand exactly what to look for and how to improve the air in your home so that it’s truly safe and healthy for your family. 

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters More Than You Think?

Did you know that indoor air pollution can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels?

What’s more is that, on average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors. This means what’s inside your home is affecting your health just as much (if not more) than what’s outside. 

Here are a few common sources of indoor air pollution:

• Dust mites
• Pet dander
• Fuel-burning heat sources
• Smoke from cooking, burning candles, and cigarettes 
• Paints
• Scented home cleaners and air fresheners
• Cosmetics, perfumes, and hair sprays
• Radon and ozone
  

Dust particles, fine particles from cooking, and chemical fumes from cleaners can linger in the air without any obvious signs. You may not be able to see or smell them. But over time, these pollutants can trigger allergies, asthma, headaches, and long-term respiratory issues. 

So, what’s the solution? Improving indoor air quality with the right proactive steps. As one Reddit user shared, their allergies kept getting worse at home, no matter how much they cleaned. Once they started using an air purifier, the air finally felt fresher, and their symptoms eased.

That’s exactly what you need as well - a comprehensive indoor air quality checklist that tells you how to improve and maintain indoor air quality. This checklist serves as an air safety guide, clearly outlining the steps you should take to address the invisible pollutants that are jeopardizing your and your family's health.

Your Indoor Air Quality Checklist: 10 Essential Steps to Improve Your Home’s Air Safety 

Let’s look at the 10 essential steps that should be on your indoor air quality checklist:

Step 1: Improve Ventilation

One of the simplest and cost-effective ways of indoor air maintenance is ventilation. Yes, that’s right. You just need to open the windows so that fresh outdoor air can come in and the toxins built up indoors can be flushed out. 

According to the EPA, here’s what you can do:

• Open windows and doors
• Use ceiling and attic fans (when weather permits)
• Run a window AC (with the vent control open)
• Use exhaust fans in your bathrooms, kitchen, and any other moisture-prone area 

In addition to these steps, you can also install a mechanical ventilation system at home to improve air exchange. 

Step 2: Monitor Indoor Humidity Levels

Next on the indoor air quality checklist is maintaining optimal humidity levels. When moisture builds up inside your home, so do mites, mold, and mildew, which can cause (or worsen) allergies and asthma. 

So what is the optimal humidity level for your home? The U.S. EPA says 30%-50%. Anything below 30% can make your skin dry and itchy and cause eye irritation. Similarly, levels above 50% can lead to mold growth. 

Here’s what you can do to stay within the recommended limits:

• Try using a humidity gauge to monitor levels
• Use dehumidifiers in damp areas
• Install exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchen (places where steam and moisture can build up)
• Inspect the roof, foundation, and basement once a year to check for leaks or moisture that can contribute to humidity buildup

Step 3: Choose Low-Emission Cleaning Products

According to the American Lung Association, indoor concentrations of VOCs can be up to 10 times higher than outdoor levels. And, your cleaning products may be contributing to these levels. 

Many cleaning products, such as floor polishes, disinfectants, and detergents, release VOCs and other hazardous chemicals into the air. These can cause chronic respiratory problems, headaches, and allergies.

Here’s what you can do:

• Read labels on your cleaning products before buying them
• Consider choosing products from the EPA’s Safer Choice list
• Avoid using air fresheners, scented candles, and other fragrant products
• Open windows and doors when using cleaning products 
• Try using safer alternatives like warm water and soap, baking powder, vinegar, and water for cleaning

Step 4: Keep Dust Away - The Right Way

Dusting regularly doesn’t always mean you’re doing it right. Pet dander, dust, and other allergens may still be accumulating on your carpets, upholstery, and furniture. That’s why the next item on our indoor air quality checklist is dusting the right way. 

Here’s how you can do this:

• Don’t hit the pillows, carpet, or other items to dust as this will just scatter the dust
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter that can trap 99.97% of particles
• Change and wash your bedsheets, pillow cases, and curtains frequently, especially if you have pets
• Declutter your home to avoid dust build-up (and save space!)

Step 5: Use Non-Toxic Paint

The next step in our air safety guide is choosing the right type of paint for your home. Paint fumes can linger on for days and weeks after the painting process is done. They can release VOCs, heavy metals, and other chemicals into the air, causing symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and headaches. 

So, what’s the solution? It’s simple:

• Use non-toxic paints labeled ‘low odor’ or ‘zero VOC’
• Open windows and doors while painting to allow fumes to dissipate
• When handling paint, try to wear protective gear
• Dispose of the used paint cans responsibly 

Step 6: Don’t Smoke Inside

According to a Berkeley Lab study, toxic airborne pollutants linger long after tobacco smoke clears. That’s because the smoke isn’t just floating in the air. Rather, noxious smoke residue starts clinging to walls, furniture, carpets, and dust particles. 

These fine smoke particles can irritate your lungs, causing coughing, wheezing, and even difficulty breathing. That’s why it’s important to stop any kind of smoking indoors to maintain indoor air quality. 

Step 7: Keep Houseplants

What if we said there was a way to possibly improve your indoor air quality while enhancing your home’s aesthetics? Yes, that may just be possible with indoor plants!

According to NASA’s Clean Air study of 1989, indoor plants could purify air by removing pollutants such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and ammonia. So, in theory, you could add some of these plants to different rooms in your home to improve IAQ. 

Here’s a list of plants you can consider:

• Peace lilies
• Boston fern
• Bamboo palms
• Snake plant

But remember, while indoor plants may help you with indoor air maintenance to a degree (and contribute to oxygen production), you should not view them as an alternative to the other steps mentioned in this air safety guide.

Step 8: Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance 

Scheduling regular HVAC maintenance is one of the most common air inspection tips you’ll see on the internet, and it’s indeed an important one! 

So how often should you schedule maintenance? That depends on your manufacturer’s guidance. But typically, scheduling one every 3 months is a good idea to ensure your HVAC system is up-to-mark and not housing mold or other pollutants.

When you schedule maintenance for your HVAC system, professionals come in and: 

• Inspect, clean, or repair air filters 
• Clean HVAC air intakes, ducts, and vents regularly
• Clean the condenser coil and heating elements

This comprehensive check ensures that your system is working well to filter contaminants and keep your air fresh and safe.

Step 9:  Use Air Purifiers or Portable Air Cleaners

Air purifiers with HEPA filters are the next option on our air safety guide. They can capture dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, helping reduce your exposure indoors. 

According to the EPA’s guidance: 

• The portable air cleaner’s clean delivery rate (CADR) should be adequate for the size of your room
• Portable air cleaners with activated carbon filters can be effective in removing invisible gases like VOCs
• Use the cleaner at a higher fan speed and for longer times to filter larger amounts of air

Here’s a chart to estimate appropriate CADRs in a portable air purifier for your home:

Note: This chart is for estimation purposes only. The CADR values are calculated by the EPA based on an 8-foot ceiling. If your ceilings are higher, consider choosing a portable air cleaner with a higher CADR for effective particle removal.

Step 10: Conduct Regular IAQ Testing

The last step in our air safety guide is probably one of the most important ones you shouldn’t miss: regular IAQ testing. You can use DIY indoor air quality testing kits that measure CO2, humidity, and PM 2.5. 

But professional testing service is definitely most reliable. It follows verified and scientific home testing steps to uncover hidden and invisible air quality issues and provide accurate results you can act on.

Professional air quality testing service is better because:

• It includes comprehensive testing (air, surface, etc.)
• Measure wide range of pollutants like formaldehyde and VOCs
• Identify underlying moisture and ventilation issues that might be the causing problems
• Provide clear, science-backed recommendations for remediation 

With clear test results, you can take the right steps to improve indoor air quality rather than just guessing what the problem might be.

Suspect poor IAQ at home? Call InHaus Lab and get a quote in 30 minutes

Implement the Indoor Air Quality Checklist for Your Home: Start With Testing 

Our air safety guide for your home has clearly outlined why good IAQ is important and how you can achieve it. But since most indoor air pollutants are invisible, how do you know if this indoor air quality checklist is for you?

Well, the answer is simple: call a professional for testing. And, when it comes to home assessments, there’s simply no one better than InHaus Lab. We will:

• Walk you through all the home testing steps
• Comprehensively test your indoor air quality (among other things)
• Give you a comprehensive and science-backed Home Health Score

So, if you’re currently living in Minneapolis or Aspen, give us a call for indoor air quality testing so that you don’t have to worry or guess anymore.

Indoor Air Quality Checklist FAQs

1. What to do if the air quality is bad?

If your indoor air quality is poor, start by improving ventilation, changing HVAC filters regularly, dusting and cleaning with HEPA vacuums, controlling humidity, and limiting chemical pollutants at home.

 2. How can I tell if I have poor air quality at home?

Some common signs of poor air quality at home include:

• Frequent allergies
• Headaches
• Breathing discomfort
• Musty odors
• Dust build-up

If you have any of these signs, your home may need proper indoor air maintenance.

3. How to test indoor air quality at home in 2026?

You can use DIY air quality monitors that track humidity levels and particle levels. You’ll find them at the nearest hardware store. 

However, for comprehensive testing of mold spores, VOCs, and other chemical pollutants, you should have your indoor air quality tested by a professional, such as InHaus Lab. 

4. What should my indoor air quality checklist include?

An effective indoor air quality checklist should include the following:

• Ventilation
• Effective cleaning and dusting methods
• Regular HVAC maintenance
• Humidity control
• Chemical pollution management
• Scheduling a professional air inspection

5. What are the home testing steps included in indoor air quality testing?

Home testing steps typically include collecting air samples, checking humidity levels, reviewing HVAC systems, measuring pollutants like VOCs, and assessing ventilation. But the specific steps can vary based on the testing provider you pick.

6. What are some air inspection tips I can use?

Some handy air inspection tips include:

• Paying attention to musty odors
• Checking for leaks or peeling paint
• Noticing levels of dust build-up 
• Monitoring allergy-like symptoms and respiratory issues 

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References:

• EPA
• Berkeley Lab
• NASA
• EPA, “Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home”