After discovering that we spend 80 to 90% of our lives indoors, I decided it was time. Improve the air quality in my home With an air purifier. What I found out really shocked me and even changed some of the habits I had previously held onto.
For this experiment, I tested Vitesy Portable Air Purifier (Available on Amazon)which measures VOCs, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity. As a reference, VOC levels measure the amount of chemical vapors in the air and should ideally be below 1 mg/m³. A perfect carbon dioxide level is around 400 ppm, but anything below 1,000 ppm is best.
To find out what I learned and what I’ll change going forward, keep reading.
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1. Candles are bad news for my indoor air quality
Lighting a candle is one of my favorite evening rituals, so I was disappointed to learn that it can reduce your indoor air quality.
While my soy wax candles are certainly cleaner to burn than paraffin, they still release traces of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein, as well as other compounds found in fragrance oils. From now on, I will switch to wax, which is cleaner, and burn candles less often – Or at least with the window open.
“Candles would be classified as VOCs, and therefore have a negative impact on air quality,” confirms Chris Michael, co-founder. Miko.
Chris and his partner Michelle started Meaco in 1991. Meaco is now recognized as a major player in the dehumidifier industry selling in 20+ countries across Europe, North America and South Africa. Meaco sets the benchmark for quality and development in its sector, leading by example and reducing the energy consumption of its devices.
2. My bedroom needs better ventilation
As someone prone to colds, I generally avoid opening windows at all costs in the winter and spring. However, after noticing how much the carbon dioxide level rises overnight in my bedroom, I’ve started opening it while I sleep.
My air purifier revealed that carbon dioxide had reached as high as 4,408ppm, which, for reference, is eleven times the absolute level. To find out if this is normal, I asked ventilation expert Michael Zahouri Pyramid Eco.
“It’s very common and something people usually notice when they start using air quality monitors. CO2 rises overnight because people are breathing in confined spaces for several hours,” he assures.
“Every time we exhale, we release carbon dioxide. At night, there’s less ventilation because the windows and doors are closed, so it builds up. That means the room doesn’t get as much fresh air as you sleep, which is very common in modern homes that are more airtight.”
Unfortunately, one air purifier Carbon dioxide levels won’t help, so I’ll have to settle for a cool bedroom until summer.
Michael Zohoury is the founder of Pyramid Eco, bringing over a decade of experience to the company. His expertise spans energy-efficient retrofitting projects, including insulation, solar and heat pump installations.
3. I need to run the air purifier constantly
Before using an air purifier, I naively thought that I could just turn it on and off when needed, but that’s not the case. According to Chris Michael, you need to run your air purifier continuously throughout the day to reap the benefits – Something I was not aware of.
Thankfully, my air purifier has a ‘Quiet’ mode, which means it doesn’t disturb me during focused work or bedtime. If you’re as sensitive to noise as I am, this is something to consider before buying.
When I turned off my air purifier, I noticed that the indoor air quality score dropped, so now I keep it running in the background.
Philips Air Purifier 600 Series
This whisper-quiet air purifier removes 99.97% of particles and can be controlled via an app.
4. My VOC levels rise at night
I thought the VOC levels would stay relatively the same if the room didn’t change, so I was surprised when I saw them peak at night. – Especially since everything remains the same.
Michael Zahouri explains, “VOC levels rise at night because the room isn’t freshened up. When the room is closed, whatever chemicals are released in small amounts builds up over time. You get VOCs from furniture, carpets, paint, cleaning products, or even bedding. The bedroom usually shows the biggest change because the doors and windows are closed for hours.”
I never thought I would dim my beloved candles or resort to keeping the windows open on cold nights, but my air purifier has highlighted the importance of air quality. – And it now looks like a competitive challenge to achieve the best possible conditions.
To learn more about improving your indoor air quality, read our guide How to reduce toxins during renovations And what a one Eco paint is
