Indoor Air Quality Monitor for Homes and Businesses

Indoor air quality has always been a focus at CO2Meter.

Almost two decades ago the company started with a single product: the TIM-8 Indoor Air Quality Monitor. Back then, it seemed like every country in the world except the U.S. monitored indoor CO2 levels for personal health, well-being and energy savings. We set up booths at dozens of tradeshows in the U.S. where we explained to visitors that IAQ was "the next big thing." A survey conducted in April 1999 by the American Lung Association revealed that 87% of homeowners were not aware that indoor air pollution may be more hazardous to their health than that found outdoors.

So much has changed.

Today, there are hundreds of companies offering indoor air quality monitors. Since COVID, millions have been sold. Some states began mandating them in the classrooms, hospitals, and government offices. But less than half of households monitor or take any steps to mitigate indoor air quality issues and protect their well-being.

Because air quality monitoring solutions have always been a passion for us, we were excited to interview Amanda Klecker at Healthy House on The Block. She is a passionate advocate of IAQ as well as a certified building biology practitioner. She has created an online space focused on keeping indoor environments healthier and free of toxins and contaminants. CO2Meter was fortunate to work with Amanda and utilize her expertise in the healthy home space by gaining her feedback on our very own Aranet4 PRO Indoor Air Quality Monitor.

We became quickly fascinated with Amanda's comments on indoor air quality monitors (she's tried dozens!) and her real mission towards creating the healthiest living environments possible. Not only did we gather some new and creative home habits, but we gained further understanding on how to maintain this new "healthy home" style of living.

Does an Indoor Air Quality Monitor really work?

When it comes to indoor air quality monitoring, it's important to keep in mind that one product can't detect everything. However, air quality monitors can provide information to help individuals identify specific sources and activities that cause pollutant levels to change for the worse.

What are the symptoms of poor air quality in a house?

Indoor air quality monitors can help identify issues that can lead to illnesses or diagnose the well researched "sick building syndrome." For environments with poor air quality individuals could have symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dry Throat
• Sinus Congestion
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Illness

How can I Monitor Air Quality in My Home?

Monitoring indoor air quality in your home is crucial for ensuring a healthy and comfortable living environment. There are various methods and devices available for this purpose. However, an indoor air quality monitor like the Aranet4 PRO is one of the most accurate options and can indicate instantly if poor air quality is present and ventilation be required.

Where is the Best Place to put an Indoor Air Quality Monitor?

These monitors ideally should be placed away from air pollution sources and in a visible location to instantly view levels that could be hazardous to ones health.

Read the Full Interview

Amanda decided to give us a full interview on her use of the Aranet4 PRO Indoor Air Quality Monitor in her home and provide further insight to air quality and removing contaminants. 

CO2Meter: Amanda, Tell us a little bit about your blog? How did you get started, and what is the main mission or focus?

Amanda: "I have always had a love of houses and an interest in holistic health. I melded these two interests together to create Healthy House on the Block, where I help families create healthy indoor spaces to support their own health and wellness. We work together to eliminate toxins from their home and then move forward creating a system of healthy habits to support their indoor space."

CO2Meter: That's fascinating. What are your specialty areas?

Amanda: "The main focus of creating a healthy home is to eliminate as many toxins from the indoor space as possible. The main avenue I teach is to improve the indoor air quality through natural and mechanical ventilation. Another focus is in whole house inspections and all of the home’s systems and structure."

CO2Meter: In your experience what has been the biggest advent/change in your industry recently?

Amanda: "I feel like just the simple fact that people are becoming more knowledgeable about their indoor air and toxins is a HUGE change to our industry. While I still think that there’s a lot of educating that needs to be done, it takes a little focus off of educating so more emphasis can be put on changing the indoor space for the better."

CO2Meter: What has been the most important need or service you provide for your customers?

Amanda: "I think the most needed service that I offer has been guiding families to choose healthier building materials that won’t off-gas as much into their living spaces. Often times they find me in the midst of a remodel and need help choosing finishes that are low toxin and healthy."

CO2Meter: Tell us about your experience with the Aranet4 PRO Indoor Air Quality Monitor?

Amanda: "I have worked with many different indoor air quality devices and I think the Aranet4 PRO offers a good view into our indoor air, without being overly-complex. Families don’t have time to try to figure out what their device is telling them each time they’re curious about their indoor air quality. Being able to see quickly that the indoor air quality is good or bad is a huge benefit for them."

 

CO2Meter: In terms of overall operation, configuration, and ease of use, could you describe your experience of using the device and what it has provided to you so far?

Amanda: "The set up was a breeze for me. After turning it on I downloaded the app and was ready to go. I feel like the instructions that came with the product were incredibly user friendly and easy to understand. So far I’ve been able to track my indoor CO2 levels, humidity and air pressure throughout the day to determine what I need to make some adjustments on at home."

CO2Meter: Are your customers concerned more about compliance, safety, analysis, or indoor air quality regarding CO2?

Amanda: "Definitely indoor air quality first as it relates to the health and wellness of their family. Second is analysis to see what can be improved upon at home as far as habits go."

CO2Meter: Have you compared other indoor air quality devices, like the Aranet4 PRO Indoor Air Quality Monitor and how have they compared to this product?

Amanda: "I haven’t compared them side by side, but I know that I really love indoor air quality monitors that also look at radon, VOCs and particulate matter as well as the things that the Aranet4 PRO monitors specifically like temperature, relative humidity, and pressure."

CO2Meter: With the upcoming trends and technologies emerging, what are a few trends that have become more abundant in your industry as it pertains to Air Quality?

Amanda: "Obviously monitoring indoor air in residential homes is a huge one.  I also think the addition of air exchangers in new construction is another important trend that will help improve indoor air quality in homes across the board."

CO2Meter: Would you recommend the Aranet4 PRO Indoor Air Quality monitor to other readers? Why or Why Not?

Amanda: "Yes! I think sometimes indoor air quality monitors can get really complex and be overwhelming and cumbersome to try to use and analyze the results. I like the simplicity of the device as well as the detail that it can provide if you want to know that. Most people just want to be able to look at the indoor air quality and know that it’s good. But there are definitely other families, like mine, that want to know what it was over the past few hours and see if there’s any way they could have improved the indoor air."