Reducing air pollution in your home

We spend much of our time indoors. Indoor air quality also impacts on our exposure to pollutants.

Here are just some of sources of air pollution in your home:

• Heating and cooking.
• Mould.
• Burning items in the home, such as wood-burning stoves or open fires and candles.
• Chemicals found in items such as paints, varnishes, chipboard furniture, carpets and sofas.
• Fumes from cleaning and personal care products.
  

Below are some tips to help you reduce pollutants in your home

Open windows when you're cooking or using cleaning products.

Good ventilation will help to avoid air pollution in your home. It will also help stop the build up of moulds too.

Keep dust levels low, by using fragrance-free or naturally-scented products, switch to mild cleaning products and avoid aerosols.

Conserve energy at home to reduce pollution (and your bills) created by gas and electricity.

• Switch off your lights.
• Only fill the kettle with what you need.
• Try running your washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load.
• Consider switching to green energy supplier by visiting the Green Energy UK website.
• Find out more about home energy grants on our website.

Get your boiler serviced regularly

Carbon Monoxide from faulty boilers and heaters can be fatal so make sure you get your boiler serviced regularly.

If you're thinking of replacing your boiler consider installing an ultra-low Nox model.

Recycle your compostables

• Rather than burning your garden waste, compost it and turn it into food for your vegetable patch.
• You could even order a compost bin by visiting Hampshire County Council's website.

Burn smokeless fuels or dry, well-seasoned wood on your barbecue or stove

Wood-burning stoves have grown in popularity. Domestic burning contributes 38% of particulate matter pollution, compared with 16% from industrial combustion and only 12% from road transport. If you’re installing a new wood burning stove, buy a Defra-approved stove, only burn dry wood and only light it when really needed.

If you are thinking of, or are currently burning wood in a wood burning stove or open fire, visit our domestic biomass and solid fuel heating appliances page.

Find out more about using your stoves properly by visiting the Burn Right website.

For more help and information on indoor air pollution, visit the British Lung Foundation's website.