It is very important to take as many of these steps as possible while involved in short-term activities that generate high levels of pollutants (for example, painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene, cooking, welding, soldering, and sanding).

Advanced designs of new homes are starting to feature mechanical systems that bring outdoor air into the home. Some of these designs include energy-efficient heat-recovery ventilators (also known as air-to-air heat exchangers).

There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, ranging from relatively economical tabletop models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems. Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal while others, including most tabletop models, are much less so. Air cleaners are generally not designed to remove gaseous pollutants and bacteria.

The efficiency of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute). A unit that's good at collecting but has a low air-circulation rate will not be effective, nor will a cleaner with a high air-circulation rate but a less efficient collector.

Another important factor in determining the effectiveness of an air cleaner is the strength of the pollutant source. Tabletop air cleaners in particular may not remove satisfactory amounts of pollutants or particles from strong nearby sources. People with a sensitivity to specific sources may find that air cleaners are helpful only in conjunction with concerted efforts to remove the source. As with most products, the long-term performance of any air cleaner depends on maintaining it according to the manufacturer's requirements.

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