Peter C. Foller, Ph.D.
Ecosense, Inc.
Have you ever considered purchasing a general-purpose indoor air quality (IAQ) monitor? Surviving “COVID Period” --This too shall pass!-- has motivated many to question whether their indoor air quality is as healthy as it can be. Around 20 mostly attractively designed electronic monitors are on the market, some with smartphone reporting, and some claimed to be ready for smart home integration. But, do they really focus on the most important things that influence our long-term health? If we are concerned with our indoor air quality, where is money best spent?
Is Radon Trending the Single Best Proxy for Comprehensive Monitoring of Indoor Air Quality?
Essential air monitoring
Fire deaths average 3,000 - 4,000 per year in the U.S. [Ref. 1] Quite rightly, most North American homes are mandated to monitor
their indoor air for acute events that have the potential to be lethal: smoke detectors are required to monitor for fire and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are required mainly to monitor for faulty furnaces, but will also trigger on events such as fire, cars running in garages, and improper indoor use of charcoal briquettes. These are best mounted on ceilings to intercept the rise of hot air. There is no question but this is money well spent. Japan even goes so far as to mandate monitoring for natural gas leaks (90+% CH4), and has led the way in developing battery operated technology to alert occupants well prior to potentially explosive conditions.
Monitoring desired, but unavailable
There are other airborne contaminants we rightly worry about: micro- organisms like bacteria, viruses, and mold. Bacterial and viral pathogens range widely in the severity of their
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