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Welcome to the Airthings Home
Discover and fix indoor air quality issues room by room for a healthy, happy home
Start here
Choose your concern
Featured contaminants:
Radon
Humidity
Temperature
VOCs
What would you like to improve?
Explore now
Sleep and comfort
Asthma & allergies
Family health
Did you know radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers? Colorless, odorless and naturally occurring, radon can build up to harmful levels in your home. Luckily, there are ways to detect and deal with it. Let’s go to the basement to find out more.
Basement
Basement / Radon
Next steps
When radon enters your home, it gets trapped inside, and long term exposure can cause lung cancer.
Every year, cancer caused by radon gas kills 21,000 people in the US and 20,000 in Europe.
Track radon levels in your home using a monitor for peace of mind. Radon is measured in Bq/m or pCi/L. Radon should be kept below recommended maximum levels:
148 Bq/m (4 pCi/L)
US Environmental Protection Agency
100 Bq/m (2.7 pCi/L)
World Health Organization
Radon comes from the ground and makes its way into your home through holes in your foundation, often alongside piping.
Featured contaminant:
3
Radon should be kept below recommended maximum levels:
Tip
Fact
Radon causes up to 14% of all lung cancers by country
Seal cracks, holes and crawl spaces, so less radon can enter the home.
1/3
Ventilate regularly to reduce radon buildup especially in rooms where people spend time.
2/3
If levels remain higher than is recommended for over 3 months, speak to a professional about installing a radon mitigation system.
3/3
Radon finds anyway to get into your home—including through tiny cracks in your foundation. Radon levels are often higher in basements and ground-floor rooms.
14%
(World Health Organization)
Tips
Measure radon concentrations for at least 1 month to get an accurate picture
Seal off lower levels if they are not used regularly.
Ventilate regularly and track trends to better understand your radon levels. Remember, air pressure, weather and temperature also affect radon levels.
Persistent high levels? Contact a professional to install a radon mitigation system or a radon sump.
It is a myth that radon is only found in the basement. Radon moves upward from the basements and crawl spaces to living spaces on the main levels.
1 month
See how we can help
Ready to track radon?
Keep a close watch on levels of radon gas indoors, and you’ll know when it’s time to take action and protect your home.
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Choose another issue to explore:
Sleep & comfort
If you or a loved one live with asthma or allergies, you know symptoms can come and go. Sometimes the triggers are obvious, but other times it’s less clear. Let’s go to the living room and see how addressing indoor air quality issues helps.
Living room
Living room / Temperature
Living room / Humidity
Bathroom / Mold & damp
1 in 13 people are living with asthma
Keep chimney flues clear and use central heating rather than open fires whenever possible.
Minimize use of scented candles and wood-burning fires.
Avoid making rapid changes in temperature.
Factors affecting asthma & allergies
1 in 13
Coal and wood-burning stoves give off tiny particles that can inflame airways and trigger allergies.
1/2
Extremes in temperature and sudden changes are triggers for asthma.
2/2
Facts
Mold & damp
Living room / VOCs
humidity is recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency
Regularly ventilate rooms.
If you have high humidity, avoid drying clothes indoors: the humidity triggers allergies and nurtures bacterial growth.
Use a humidifier/dehumidifier to control and optimize moisture in the air.
30-50%
High humidity (too much moisture in the air) encourages mold and dust mite growth, a major cause of asthma worldwide.
Low humidity (too much dryness in the air) makes us more vulnerable to flu, colds and infections.
of homes have unhealthily high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Keep rooms well-aired, especially when you buy new furniture or install new flooring.
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Choose low-VOC products, furniture and flooring - check the label or talk to the vendor.
2/4
Buy used furniture: it takes 1-3 years for off gassing of VOCs, so when you buy used, you avoid that “new car smell” aka VOCs.
3/4
45%
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are fumes released by an array of household items including carpets, chemical products, plastic toys and furniture.
They cause eye, nose and throat irritation, triggering asthma and allergies.
Worse yet, they can go on to cause liver and kidney damage.
Furniture is also a source of dust, which can trigger asthma.
4/4
Hypoallergenic soft furnishings and covers can help to reduce the impact of dust.
Mold and damp in the home make people 40% more likely to have asthma.
Kitchen
Mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs.
Excess humidity leads to dampness and mold.
Mold grows faster on certain materials, such as wood, textiles, cardboard, and paper.
40%
To prevent and control mold growth indoors, the best method is to control the humidity level.
Relative humidity should be kept between 30 and 60%.
Asthma and allergies?
Monitor temperature, humidity and TVOCs, so you can take action before asthma and allergies are triggered.
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When it comes to your family, there’s no room for compromise. Their health and wellbeing is number one. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on the full range of indoor air quality issues. Let’s step into the kitchen for a closer look.
Indoor air contains up to 5x more VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than outdoor air.
Always air the room when using cleaning fluids, and use extractor fans while cooking.
Choose low VOC or natural cleaning products at home.
Store DIY products like paints, paint stripper and wood varnish outside the house.
5x more
Kitchen / VOCs
Kitchen / Temperature
Bathroom / Humidity
VOCs are fumes given off by cleaning products (as well as cooking stoves, DIY products, new carpets, and furniture).
They can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, making asthma and allergies worse.
VOCs are a good indication of poorly ventilated air that is unhealthy for your family.
Factors affecting family health
Temperature has a major impact on our concentration and comfort levels
Avoid making rapid changes in temperature: keep levels as constant as possible.
Use a timer to control heating automatically, optimizing temperatures to match your daily schedules.
Minimize exposure to cold air.
Extremes of temperature make it hard to concentrate and relax.
High temperatures can make us feel groggy and lethargic.
Cold air can make us more vulnerable to coughs, colds and asthma attacks.
Humidity levels indoors should be 30-50%, recommends the US Environmental Protection Agency.
For low humidity:
Humidity is the level of moisture in the air. Too much or too little can both be bad news.
High humidity encourages mold and dust mite growth, which triggers asthma and allergies.
Low humidity makes us more vulnerable to flu, colds and viruses.
Air dry clothing indoors and leave the bathroom door open when showering.
Use a humidifier or set a large pot of water on the stove to boil for an hour or so.
For high humidity:
Use air vents and open windows to remove excess humidity in bathrooms, laundry room and kitchen.
Use central air conditioning, or if necessary, use a dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity levels.
Radon is the number 1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Bathroom
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the ground and gets trapped on lower levels like basements and ground-floor rooms.
You can’t see or smell radon, but it increases the risk of lung cancer and has a greater effect on children and elderly.
Ventilate the house (especially lower floors) thoroughly to reduce radon buildup.
Seal floors and walls to prevent radon from seeping into living spaces.
Install underfloor ventilation, an HRV system or a radon sump to fix persistently high radon levels.
Get complete peace of mind by tracking radon, VOCs, temperature and humidity, plus CO and air pressure.
Family health is top priority with Wave Plus
2
These days, it can feel like a good night’s sleep is the ultimate luxury. But we believe everyone should sleep well. Did you know the air you breathe is crucial to helping you get the sleep you deserve? Let’s look at indoor air quality in the bedroom.
CO
Bedroom
Carbon dioxide (CO ) builds up in the room as we breathe out, affecting our sleep and comfort.
Keep the bedroom door open at night to reduce that ‘stale air’ feeling.
If you can, keep a window slightly open to ensure the flow of fresh air.
If you have a central air system, make sure vents are open and at least the fan is on throughout the night to ensure movement of air.
Even in a large room with only one person, CO levels rise to uncomfortable levels rapidly, causing restlessness and difficulty breathing at night.
Excess CO initially makes us drowsy, but results in poor sleep quality and can wake us up in the middle of the night.
Bedroom / CO
Bedroom / Temperature
Bedroom / VOCs
Factors affecting sleep & comfort
Around 16-18°C (60-65°F) is the ideal temperature for sleeping.
Keep the temperature in your bedroom over 12°C (53°F) and below 24°C (71°F).
Measure the temperature in different rooms, not just near your thermostat. You will find different cold or hot spots throughout your home.
High temperatures cause restlessness and prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep.
In a bedroom that’s too cold, you’ll be too busy shivering to get properly rested.
16-18°C
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are chemical fumes given off by foam mattresses and other household products.
VOCs can affect our breathing and comfort levels negatively.
Our eyes, noses and throats can become irritated, making breathing difficult.
Chemicals like acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and benzene are released from some mattresses at night.
Always air out new mattresses and other furniture thoroughly before using.
Ensure a supply of fresh air into the bedroom at night.
Look for low-VOC products, furniture and flooring - check the label or talk to the vendor.
Monitor temperature, humidity and VOCs with Wave Mini. For radon and CO as well, go for Wave Plus.
Sleep and comfort rule with Wave Plus and Wave Mini