I've been looking at picking up an outdoor air quality monitor from PurpleAir. Can anyone vouch for them?
I've found their air quality map the most helpful: https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p604800/cC0#5.16/41.047...
I've found their air quality map the most helpful: https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p604800/cC0#5.16/41.047...
The EPA published a paper calibrating the sensors PurpleAir uses with their much more expensive sensors and found it was fairly close after applying a correction factor (which I also used in my implementation). https://github.com/shanet/ClearAir/blob/master/docs/PurpleAi...
I recommend limiting time outside as much as possible when the levels are high, like over 100. You might not notice it at first, but over time it can start to make you feel pretty bad--coughing, itchy eyes, fatigue, etc. Especially avoid doing any kind of vigorous exercise like running or cycling that makes you breathe hard. I learned that the hard way.
Also, if it's anything like smoke season in CA, air filters are probably back-ordered and sold out at stores, but I recommend getting at least one so you have it for next time. They are so worth the cost. We have one for each room in our home, but we have a young child so we go a bit overboard.
One of the monitors is an outdoor monitor similar to the Purple Air that uses dual PM sensors for enhanced accuracy. You can find more information of the kits here [1] and the built instructions including files for schematics, enclosure here [2].
[1] https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/kits/
[2] https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/instructions/di...
Other than telling you not to cook inside and not to open the windows they didn't say much. AQI inside didn't change much with ac on or off... or when I quickly went outside.
The purples were usually good but also not way off in a few cases. I drove to one that had crazy high readings and it was actually the lowest reading I found on 2 different devices.
Basically all the monitor is going to have you do is fret. Like watching pandemic case load statuses. Take a bunch of anti-histamines, don't go outside, drink water, wear a respirator. Run in house hepas if you have em. Hope/cross fingers/pray for rain.
Spend your money on a real respirator or filter. Work from the office, they yusuallly have good filters.
I haven’t had time to play with it yet, but they have an API for the Home Assistant types out there.