Our homes provide shelter to keep us safe, but they can't protect us from everything -- especially the air we breathe when inside. Yet, knowing when your air quality is poor can be particularly challenging because it's something you can't see, hear or (usually) smell, but it can have a significant impact on your health.
To learn more about why air quality can be poor and the health effects it can cause, three CNET wellness and smart home experts began monitoring air quality in different locations across the US. These are the most surprising facts about air quality we learned, and what experts taught us about how to improve the air we breathe.
The air quality monitors and locations
Aly lives in Reno, Nevada, and has been using the Blueair Classic Pro CP7i air purifier, which has sensors to monitor air quality, for the past 2 months. Tyler resides in Bend, Oregon, and has been testing the Switchbot Meter Pro, a simple, affordable air quality monitor, for 8 months. As for Anna, who lives in Los Angeles and has been monitoring her air quality with the Airthings View Plus, Wave Enhance and Renew air purifier for over 2 months.
1. Humidity impacts PM2.5 particles
The Wave Enhance turns red when air quality is poor. Anna Gragert/CNET
As someone with frequent sinus issues, Anna often depends on her humidifier to relieve congestion and prevent dryness. However, whenever her humidifier turned on, she noticed that her air quality monitor (on both the Wave Enhance and Renew air purifier) would turn red. Upon checking her app, she realized that PM2.5 particles specifically increased.
"While there is no direct causation between one and the other, PM2.5 particles (like dust or smoke) are often hygroscopic, meaning they absorb water from humid air," says Joakim Lindh, head of strategic growth at Airthings. "When humidity rises, these particles swell up, so a particulate matter monitor may then read them as more numerous or larger, skewing the PM2.5 value upward."
Lindh adds that it's also important to note that dust mites can't survive without humidity from the air. They like moderate temperatures and high humidity, since they can absorb water from the moisture in the air. "The microscopic creatures can worsen allergies and asthma, so making sure that humidity levels are not too high is key to minimizing them and their effects," he explains.
Airthings recommends a humidity range of 40% to 60%, especially in summer, because warm air can absorb more moisture than cool air.
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