After discovering that we spend 80 to 90% of our lives indoors, I decided it was time to improve my home’s air quality with an air purifier. What I found out really shocked me and even changed a couple of habits I had previously been firm on.
For this experiment, I tested the 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 vapours in the air and should ideally be under 1 mg/m³. A perfect carbon dioxide level is around 400 ppm, but anything under 1,000 ppm is optimal.
To find out what I learned and what I'll be changing going forwards, keep on reading.
Article continues below1. Candles are bad news for my indoor air quality
Lighting a candle is one of my favourite evening rituals, so I was disappointed to discover that they can reduce the quality of your indoor air.
While my soy wax candles are definitely cleaner to burn compared to paraffin, they still release traces of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein, as well as other compounds found in fragrance oils. From now on, I'll be switching to beeswax, which is even cleaner, and burning candles less often – or at least with the window open.
"Candles would be classed as a VOC, and therefore there would be a negative impact on air quality," confirms Chris Michael, co-founder of Meaco.
Chris and his partner Michelle started Meaco in 1991. Meaco is now regarded internationally as a major player in the dehumidifier industry selling to 20+ countries throughout 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 appliances.
2. My bedroom needs better ventilation
As someone who is prone to feeling the cold, I would usually avoid opening windows at all costs during the winter and spring. However, after noticing how much carbon dioxide levels rise in my bedroom overnight, I’ve started cracking them open while I sleep.
My air purifier revealed that carbon dioxide has reached as high as 4,408ppm, which for context, is eleven times higher than perfect levels. To find out whether this was normal, I asked Michael Zahouri, a ventilation expert from Pyramid Eco.
"That’s very normal 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 breathe out, we release carbon dioxide. At night, there’s less ventilation because the windows and doors are closed, so it builds up. It just means the room isn’t getting much fresh air while you sleep, which is very common in modern homes that are more airtight."
Unfortunately, an air purifier won't help with reducing carbon dioxide levels, so I'll just have to settle for a colder bedroom until the summer.
Michael Zohouri 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
Prior to using an air purifier, I naively thought I could simply 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 wasn’t aware of.
Thankfully, my air purifier has a ‘quiet’ mode, which means it doesn’t disturb me during focused work or at bedtime. This is something to consider before buying one if you’re as sensitive to noise as I am.
When I turned my air purifier off, I noticed that the indoor air quality score dropped, so I now keep it running in the background.
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 that VOC levels would stay relatively similar if there were no changes in the room, so it took me by surprise when I saw them peak during the night – especially since everything appeared to stay the same.
Michael Zahouri explains, "VOC levels tend to rise at night simply because the air in the room is not being refreshed. When the room is closed up, anything that gives off small amounts of chemicals will build up over time. You get VOCs from furniture, carpets, paint, cleaning products or even bedding. Bedrooms usually show the biggest change because the door and windows stay closed for hours."
I never thought I’d reduce my beloved candles or resort to keeping the window open on cold nights, but my air purifier has highlighted the importance of air quality – and it now feels like a competitive challenge to achieve the best conditions possible.
To learn more about improving your indoor air quality, read our guide on how to reduce toxins during a renovation and what an eco paint is.
