The fan in upper left represents indoor carbon dioxide levels. Numbers by boys represent AQI levels. Green for good.
In January, Los Angeles experienced a Covid spike, upon a spike. As the disaster worsened, my air quality thoughts expanded to contemplate indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. The gas we exhale after inhaling oxygen. If too many people exhale in shared indoor space, during an active pandemic, without good ventilation, well, that stagnant air may portend a potential problem for some unlucky person(s).
Reading Covid air quality articles, I understood ventilation was necessary to ensure better shared air, and CO2 levels was an indicator whether a shared space may be safer than otherwise during a pandemic, especially during a spike upon a spike. I read about high concentrations of carbon dioxide in places like grocery stores when they're crowded (or recently crowded) with suggestions to return when less people are present, or recently present, especially if one is at high risk for complications from Covid.
It got me thinking.
How would I know when the ventilation was optimal where I am? Or whether it's time to open the windows, turn on an air purifier, or walk outside? Since vaccinated people may start visiting one another indoors, I decided an air quality monitor may make me feel safer given talk of variants and fact that vaccines aren't 100% effective.
Enter the AirVisual Pro Air Quality Monitor
As it turns out, I got much more than I bargained for with IQ Air's smart air quality monitor. It is a wonderful, helpful addition to my IQ Air HealthPro Plus Air Purifier. When alerted about unhealthful indoor and outdoor air, in essence, the monitor and purifier work in tandem. The monitor also saves me money, in that it lets me know when my indoor air quality is good. Therefore, I don't need to turn on the air purifier, which utilizes replaceable filters.
The monitor measures the Air Quality Index (AQI), a system with a range of 0-500 for reporting the severity of air quality levels. The monitor includes measurements for temperature and humidity, PM2.5, and CO2.
CO2 is a naturally occurring gas that is often in rural concentrations around 380 and city concentrations 500. High CO2 means you need fresh air. There's rarely long term health effects but in the short term, it can contribute to headaches, sluggishness, brain fog. More importantly, according to IQAir literature, "... high CO2 is an indication of stagnant air which tends to have less oxygen, and more bacteria, mold and other harmful particles like VOCs."
The monitor recommends when to open or close your windows or turn on an air purifier, depending on pollution and CO2 levels. As well, it measures outdoor air quality nearby and will let you know if it's safe to exercise outside or if you should wear a mask. (In Los Angeles, we are told to wear a mask outside whenever near others and I do.)
While the air quality monitor has a battery, which I surmise I may be able to take for a quick ride to the grocery story, it is meant to run on electricity for home use and will integrate with a smart home system. The air quality monitor integrates its information wirelessly via a mobile App that constantly updates air quality information at home and nearby outdoors, where the closest air monitors are located. In my case, Beverly Hills, which is approximately 20 miles away.
I have used the monitor for two months now.
One morning, I woke with a headache. I looked at the air quality monitor and it showed that my CO2 and pollution levels were high indoors. I'd left my gas heater on all night by mistake. The monitor alerted me to open the windows because air quality was poor indoors and good outdoors.
One afternoon, I had all my windows open when a neighbor decided to run his motorcycle for the sake of running it stationary within feet of my windows! My monitor registered elevated poor indoor air quality; it alerted me to close the windows. I turned on the air purifier and watched my levels come down promptly. That was interesting how fast the air shifted and improved given air purifier use.
Another time, both the outdoor and indoor air quality wasn't great, and the monitor said to close the windows. I did and I turned on my IQ Air air purifier, and watched the monitor quickly show my indoor air improve.
The air quality monitor works with the AirVisual Pro Air Quality App. After initially pairing my devices - the monitor and my iPhone - I was able to check my phone in order to be informed about my air quality levels before arriving home. It told me whether my windows should be opened or closed, if the air purifier was needed, and what my indoor and outdoor air temperatures were. It shows previous and predicts future air quality and temps. The App is a great resource for air quality information from around the world, which you can also find on the IQ Air website. It lists real time air quality from major cities, which is interesting. Turns out, due to the pandemic, Los Angeles has rated some of the best air quality in the world. As things reopen, we'll see how long that lasts. People do like working from home, so I am hopeful.
According to the IQ Air website:
IQAir AirVisual is a proud air quality monitoring partner of the United Nations Environment Programme. The IQAir AirVisual Platform brings together data collected by governments, companies, and individuals around the world to support the UNEP's global health policies and to help us bring air quality data to the 9 out of 10 people worldwide who still need clean air to breathe.
Track key air pollutants including: PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, NO2, CO2, & SO2 in a beautiful, simple display.
Actually I'm not sure about PM10, NO2 and SO2, those elements aren't on my monitor's display though the system may account for them in the AQI.
Overall, I'm extremely happy with my air quality monitor, and appreciate the soundness of mind it gives me. I'm looking forward to hosting my first indoor dinner and music jam in over a year--after my friends and I are fully vaccinated--and rest assured I'll check my air quality and CO2 levels for added safety given, as of this writing, Fauci still warns about variants.
For more information or to purchase an air quality monitor for yourself, check out IQ Air.
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