Managing Environmental Asthma Triggers

Asthma is a serious, sometimes life-threatening respiratory disease that affects the quality of life for millions of Americans. In Weld County, about 1 in 6 adults reported having asthma per our 2025 Community Health Survey results.

Asthma triggers are commonly found in homes, schools and offices and include mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke and pet dander. A home may have mold growing on a shower curtain, dust mites on pillows, blankets or stuffed animals, secondhand smoke in the air, and cat and dog dander on the carpet or floors. Other common asthma triggers include some foods and pollutants in the air [link to Learn About Pollutants page].

Eliminating Environmental Asthma Triggers Around the Home

  • Don’t allow smoking in your home or car. [link to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and E-cigarette Vapors page] Children are especially sensitive to secondhand smoke! If someone in your home smokes, encourage them to smoke outdoors until they can quit.
  • Dust often with a damp cloth and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter [link to Cleaning and Personal Habits page].
  • Clean up mold and fix water leaks. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold. Maintain low indoor humidity (between 30-50%). [link to Mold page]
  • Use allergen-proof covers on pillows and mattresses. Wash sheets and blankets and dry completely once a week. [link to Dust Mites page]
  • Choose stuffed toys for children that can be washed. Wash and dry completely.
  • If your symptoms gets worse when you use a particular cleaning product, consider trying different products or unscented products. If you must use a particular product, ventilate with open windows, doors, exhaust fans. Check out EPA’s Safer Choice program to learn more about cleaning and other products with safer ingredients to protect human health and the environment.
  • Keep pets out of the bedroom and off soft furniture. [link to Pet Dander page]
  • If you have a gas cooking stove, use the exhaust fan when you cook. Only use fuel-burning appliances that are vented to the outdoors.
  • Control pests—close up cracks and crevices and seal leaks; don’t leave food out [link to Integrated Pest Management page]

Additionally, it’s important to stay informed about outdoor air quality and pollen count by checking local weather reports. Check out the Air Quality Decision Tree (available in English and Spanish) to help with making decisions when air quality outside is unhealthy.

Asthma triggers cause symptoms including coughing, chest tightness, wheezing and breathing problems. An asthma attack occurs when symptoms keep getting worse or are suddenly very severe. Asthma attacks can be life threatening. However, asthma is controllable with the right medicines and by reducing asthma triggers. Work with a healthcare provider to identify your asthma triggers and develop an asthma action plan to reduce triggers in your home.

 

Back to top