Found not only in tainted lakes and urban smog, pollution also occurs in many homes, often insidiously, because it can be hard to detect.

Indoor air pollution problems have increased recently due to zealous energy conservation, especially in cold climates. Buttoning up a house tightly with insulation invites contamination to a degree unknown in drafty old houses with a plentiful circulation of fresh, outdoor air.

Luckily, most kinds of indoor pollution can be reversed by improved ventilation and cleanup, or by calling in expert help.

1. Household and personal products. Such common products as aerosol hair spray, laundry bleach, paint, and dozens of others add their chemical taint to indoor air.

Besides keeping all such products out of children’s reach, read the fine print on the products’ labels. Follow manufacturers’ directions to the letter and use in areas that are well ventilated and only when little ones are not around.

A powerful polluter of indoor air is smoke. Small children are especially susceptible to second-hand smoke. Either allow no smoking in your home or reduce the pollution by using an air cleaner or exhaust fan, or opening windows.

2. Combustion emissions. Nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are introduced into houses by poorly maintained and inadequately vented ranges, water heaters, dryers, and other gas appliances; fireplaces; unvented kerosene stoves; and wood or coal stoves. To prevent the same kind of pollution, never leave a car or other gasoline engine running in a closed garage or shed.

Make sure that your gas range has a hood fan or other exhaust fan that vents fumes outdoors. Never use a gas oven to heat your rooms. Have gas appliances and gas or oil furnaces inspected regularly by your local utility company. Convert to spark ignition in place of pilot lights, if possible. Check that all heaters are without cracks and are vented to the outside. Never cook with charcoal indoors. Be sure your fireplace or wood stove draws its combustion air from outdoors through a special duct. Keep microwave ovens clean, and do not operate one if it is not in top condition and especially if the door doesn’t close tightly.

3. Lead-based paint. Check that none of your house’s walls (nor its furnishings) are painted with lead-based paint. This danger could be present if exterior paint was used on anything in the room or if any furniture is a hand-me-down or an antique (safety regulation of lead paint became effective in 1978). Remove any suspect paint completely before repainting with a nontoxic paint. Wear protective clothing and a face mask during the stripping and repainting process, and keep all other family members and pets well away from dust, chips, vapors, and fumes.

4. Asbestos. A group of noncombustible minerals with harmful fibers, asbestos was used in housing in the 1940s and 1950s in the form of fire-resistant ceiling and floor tiles, wallboard, and insulation around heating ducts. The material becomes hazardous when it crumbles, which releases the fibers. If your home was built after 1972, you’re not likely to have this problem.

Wearing a safety mask and gloves, cover any exposed but intact asbestos completely with plastic and seal it with duct tape. Under no circumstances try to remove it yourself. If you suspect loose asbestos, call your local building inspector or the nearest office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get a referral for a professional cleanup.

5. Formaldehyde. It is usually found in homes in the form of urea formaldehyde foam insulation, whose use has been widespread. It also exists in the resins of particleboard, fiber board, and plywood paneling, which does not pose problems unless hot and humid weather draws emissions from newly installed materials. It may also come in some carpet, upholstery, and drapery fabrics.

Your best defense is plenty of fresh air. Improve circulation and install a good air cleaner (electronic ones are the most effective). Or block access to sources like particleboard with sealers and paint.

6. Other pollutants. Common bacteria and fungi are introduced into the home environment by people and pets on a daily basis. Keep air conditioners, air ducts, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and heat exchangers clean. Replace filters on a regular basis. Vacuum frequently and thoroughly.

Radon gas, a radioactive gas given off by rocks and soil that contain traces of uranium or radium, has been found to be a severe pollutant in certain geographical areas. To inquire about local conditions and testing for radon, call the nearest field office of the EPA; also visit www.epa.gov for a publication about radon that the agency makes available.

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