Dust Containment, Control
Before any work starts one should be aware what 
dust from sawing and finishing machines can do to your indoor air quality. Even more important in cases when some family members may suffer from allergies.
During the installation, most professional installers will do the cutting of hardwood away from the home's interior. Places are typically garages or outdoors with weather permitting. Patios and or lanais are a popular spot. In cases where this may not be possible, an alternative is tenting the work areas with plastic sheathing to be used as a dust barrier. These items can be found in practically any hardwood store or home improvement store.
Sealing Kitchen Cabinets & Under Doors
Not only is it important to keep larger open areas protected with plastic sheathing, but dust can find its way inside kitchen cabinets, through doors and their casings. Using 3M blue painters tape or the purplish stuff is an ideal temporary dust mask. Scrap carpet padding can be used under the doors. Of importance would be removing the tape in time wise fashion, or not allowing it to be exposed to direct sunlight most of the day. Prolonged exposure to heat and or sun can allow the tape's adhesive to bake into the trim work. The consensus calls for purple tape as a safer alternative. Fresh paint can also have a tendency to peel off if not cured properly.
Other areas of protection should include HVAC intake units, should a lot of dust be raised during this period. Failure to protect this area could force dust into your heating or cooling system that could be noticeable for months and years to come, unless a thorough cleaning is done. Again, taping off with sheathing is the best solution.
In some cases grinding or sanding of the subfloor may be required to insure a flat subfloor; critical for any 
successful installation. Tools with vacuum attachments will cut down on 95% of the dust that would otherwise become airborne.
Dirty Carpeting Being Removed
Other activities that will raise dust prior to the installation will be removal of carpet and padding. These materials are a dirt magnet. After years and years of vacuuming you will be surprised how much dirt, grit, and sand gets through carpet and padding.
If you're fond of gadgets and other cool stuff, there is a company that deals exclusively with dust control named Zip Wall (above). It's really the ultimate in containing dust to the working area.
The same procedures for maintaining dust control if floor sanders are being used should also be taken into account for those contractors that do not have portable dust control systems. It's also a good idea to insert fans in window openings, drawing the potential airborne dust out of the home.
