Health problems from indoor air pollutants may be experienced from “right away” to years down the road. Somebody may feel irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, plus headaches, dizziness, or fatigue. These immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable.

Sometimes the treatment simply eliminates the person’s exposure to the pollutant’s surce, if it can be identified. Here’s what you can do to reduce common problems.

Inspect your indoor space

What is your indoor space like? Big or small? Are there multiple floors? Are separate “air spaces” sealed off from others, or do you have an open-plan kitchen and living area? Where do you and your family spend most of your time?

The answers to these questions will determine what strategies you could use to improve the air quality in that space.

Assess your risk

Do you live with people who are at high risk of respiratory distress or have a history of asthma? Does the air pollution level cause sore throats or headaches?

One quick and easy way is to buy the biggest, most expensive air purifiers and place one in each room. However, such an approach may be too pricy. Here are some other methods to achieve similar results.

Reduce the polluted air

This one is pretty simple. If you have old or leaky doors and windows, invest in window & door insulation foam tape. It’s about $10 a roll and easy to apply. You can find it at your local home improvement store or on Amazon.

Before sealing openings, look for outside light streaming in or feel the air leaking into your home. Apply insulation tape to make the door or window seal more seamlessly.