Could your indoor air quality be hazardous to your health?

The best thing is to put the sick person in a separate room to sleep, preventing the spread of germs, as well as preserving your precious sleep. If you must share the same bed, wash your sheets frequently in hot water. It even helps to wash just the pillowcases every few days, Forte says. Bath towels should be washed every day or two.

Paper towels and paper cups can be your friends when germs are an issue. Give the sick person a roll of paper towels to use when washing hands in the bathroom, instead of using a communal towel. There is usually a lot of waterdrinking and pill-taking, so instead of having to wash glasses in hot water, switch to paper for the duration of the illness. If you are washing the sick individual’s plates or flatware in your dishwasher, select a sanitizing cycle if that is an option on your model, as it bumps up the temperature of the final rinse. Humidifiers help soothe sinuses and nasal passages, especially when you have coughing and chest congestion. They’re also great for your furniture and wood floors. But if you are using your humidifier daily to make your patient feel better, you should empty the tank daily and then wipe it down until it’s dry. Clean it thoroughly at least weekly, following the directions provided for your particular model. “You don’t want germs breeding in there and spewing out into the room,” Forte says.

Flu sufferers are likely to spend long hours on the couch sniffling and feeling sorry for themselves, clicking through Netflix and HBO offerings. So all those remotes will be covered in germs. Keep a container of antibacterial wipes around so you can clean the remotes daily; clean light switches and doorknobs with them too. Put a small wastebasket in the TV room with a plastic liner for all the wet tissues and used wipes, and empty it once or twice a day.

We all know that outdoor air pollution can be hazardous to our health, but indoor air quality presents several risks that we should keep top of mind as well. Sources such as heating systems, certain building materials and even nature itself can release harmful gases or particles into the air inside our homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. And inadequate ventilation can lead to increased concentra- tions and exposure.

Here’s a look at three common indoor air pollutants and what you can do to avoid unsafe levels in your home:

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas. Common sources of carbon monoxide include improperly vented gas appliances, poorly maintained boilers and furnaces, and clogged or leaking chimneys. Carbon monoxide can be fatal at high concentrations. And at lower concentrations, it may cause fatigue, nausea, headaches, impaired vision and reduced brain function, among other symptoms.

To prevent high concentrations of carbon monoxide, it’s important to properly maintain all combustion equipment and ensure proper ventilation. (The EPA recommends having a trained professional inspect chimneys, water heaters, gas furnaces, and gas ranges and ovens annually.) It’s also important to keep a carbon monoxide detector in good working order in your home.

Radon is a radioactive gas that results from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. Like carbon monoxide, it is both odorless and colorless. All homes, new and old, are susceptible to radon. The gas typically enters a home by rising up through the soil and seeping into the cracks and crevices of a home’s foundation, but it may also enter the home through wall cracks, construction joints and water supply sources, among other areas. The EPA estimates that 1 in 15 homes in the United States is affected by high levels of radon.

Exposure to elevated radon levels is known to cause lung cancer and serious respiratory health issues. The best way to ensure that your home is safe is to administer a radon test. You may either hire a qualified testing professional or purchase a home kit to test your home for radon. There are both short- and long-term tests available. The EPA recommends starting with a short-term test. The results of this test will indicate whether you should follow up with another short-term test or a long-term test. The higher the results, the greater the likelihood that you’ll need to hire a radon mitigation specialist to address the problem.

Volatile organic compounds are emitted as gases from a variety of household paints, disinfectants and solvents, as well as some building materials — including certain carpets and flooring. The health effects of VOC exposure will depend on the level of exposure and the amount of time exposed, but VOCs are known to cause eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches; nausea; damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system; and, in some cases, even cancer.

To decrease exposure to VOCs in your home, the EPA recommends carefully following label instructions, increasing ventilation when using VOC-emitting products, and safely storing and disposing of unneeded chemicals. Many products offer low-VOC or zeroVOC options; it’s best to choose these whenever possible.

To evaluate your risk for poor indoor air quality, take a survey of your home. Identify where combustion systems are located, inventory how chemicals are stored and assess whether ventilation is adequate.