How Indoor Air Quality Monitors Help Measure Air Purifier Effectiveness

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can have serious health implications, ranging from allergies and headaches to respiratory problems and heart disease. In order to tackle this significant problem, air purifiers have become increasingly popular, but are they providing accurate air quality data?

This is where stationary indoor air quality monitors come in. These devices help measure the effectiveness of air purifiers by providing accurate real-time data and enabling building and facility managers, sustainability consultants, and air purifier manufacturers to make informed decisions about their air quality solutions.

Should You Trust Air Quality Data from Air Purifiers?

Upgrading HVAC systems can be challenging and expensive. As a result, portable air purifiers are becoming increasingly important in modern buildings and retrofit projects. Not only do they reduce indoor air pollution and improve tenant well-being, but they can also lower operating costs when combined with accurate air quality data.

While installing air purifiers is an crucial step in improving IAQ, the air quality data from their built-in sensors should be viewed with caution for the following reasons:

• Built-in air quality sensors may not be of the highest quality as they are not the primary technology of air purification devices.
• Built-in sensors usually only measure the air immediately surrounding the device.

This can lead to incorrect readings and a false sense of security about the overall air quality of a building or space.

Area covered by built-in sensors in an air purifier vs by a stationary air quality monitor

So, how can building managers, facility managers, and air purifier manufacturers ensure that they are making informed decisions about air quality

The answer lies in using stationary indoor air quality monitors. These devices provide real-time data on the levels of various pollutants in the air, including Particulate Matter (PM), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), temperature, and humidity.

Air purifier and air cleaning solution manufacturers can showcase the effectiveness of their solutions against PM2.5 using real-time, accurate indoor air quality data. For example, in AirLife’s pilot study at Clemenceau Medical Center, Dubai, indoor air quality monitors were installed in five hospital rooms where their in-duct filtration system was active and indicated a 50-60% decrease in the PM and TVOC levels in those rooms.

Choosing Your Indoor Air Quality Monitor

When it comes to choosing an indoor air quality monitor, it is important to select one that is accurate, reliable, and provides real-time data. You may want to consider monitors which have met RESET Performance Standard for Commercial Grade (B) monitors and are accredited for use in projects pursuing RESET and WELL Certifications, such as the Atmocube monitor. The RESET® AIR Accreditation process is rigorous and is intended to ensure that air quality monitoring systems are reliable, accurate and easy to use. It is recognized globally and is the first of its kind for air quality monitoring solutions.

Atmocube has been recognized for sensor accuracy and design excellence

Atmocube is the go-to indoor air quality monitor for residential, commercial, and public buildings. It has 12 sensors that measure all the parameters contributing to indoor comfort, including PM1, PM2.5, PM10, TVOC, CO2, temperature, humidity, light, and noise levels. All sensor data is available in real-time, one-minute intervals. The historical data of all connected devices is stored in the cloud and available to help you make informed decisions about the indoor air quality of your space.

The monitor can connect with air purification solutions to help control and improve your indoor air quality, save energy, as well as inform you when filters are due for replacement. Atmocube can be mounted on the wall or placed horizontally and measure air quality in open spaces up to 100 sqm on the levels of human activity.

Atmocube’s dashboard with advanced air quality data

Indoor air quality monitors play a crucial role in measuring the effectiveness of air purifiers. By continuously monitoring the air quality, these devices provide valuable data that helps in understanding the efficacy of air purifiers. By using an indoor air quality monitor such as Atmocube, building and facility managers, sustainability consultants, and air purifier manufacturers can assess the impact of their air purification systems and take necessary measures to improve air quality.