To help you improve your indoor air quality and fight asthma at home, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has a number of tips on how you can eliminate many of the triggers in your house, including:

• Stop smoking, or make sure to smoke outside.
• If you have pets, house them outside, or consider finding them another home.
• Avoid using pesticides, harsh chemical or scented cleaners, air fresheners and deodorizers, and encourage your family members to be perfume-free.
• Seal all leaks between the garage and house, and don't idle your car in the garage.
• Use an electric rather than gas stove, and be aware of contaminants from fireplaces and wood stoves.
• Maintain your furnace filters regularly, and consider upgrading to at least pleated-paper filters. Have your return air ducts cleaned, and your furnace and chimney serviced by a heating contractor.
• Control dust mites and mold by vacuuming thoroughly and often, changing the bedding frequently, replacing pillows at least once a year and using as little carpeting as possible.
• Dust mites also need humidity of above 55% to grow, so to help prevent dust mites, reduce the humidity in your house to less than 45% and let the bathroom fan run for 15 minutes or longer when you shower or bathe.
• Run a dehumidifier in your basement even if you have an air conditioner, and don't humidify unless absolutely necessary. Measure the relative humidity with a hygrometer, and remember that readings of 25% to 35% humidity in the winter are acceptable.
• When painting, use only new, low-odour paint, and test it first to make sure it doesn't leave a residual odour.
• Remove sources of chemical odours from your bedroom, and don't store paints, lacquers, solvents, firewood or unused clothes or materials in your house.