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Installed a CO2 monitor in my home two days ago. Already changed my life. It warns me when I need additional ventilation and even beeps if CO2 levels raise to
by maxk42 8y ago
Installed a CO2 monitor in my home two days ago. Already changed my life. It warns me when I need additional ventilation and even beeps if CO2 levels raise too high.
It sounds silly but it's scary how quickly levels rise when the windows are closed.
- llampx 8y agoWhich one did you get? I'm interested in getting one as well.
- maxk42 8y agoThis one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PDGFR8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PDGFR8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... Looks like they're out of stock now, but it has a big label on the front that says co2meter.com, so you might want to check there. I am not affiliated with that company.
- coldtea 8y ago>It sounds silly but it's scary how quickly levels rise when the windows are closed. It might be scary, but is it actually dangerous? It could just be that the levels shown, even if raised, are inconsequential. Basically wondering about the "Already changed my life" line. Are we all without one risk certain CO2 death every day, or is the parent overly worried over nothing (and opens windows without really a need for it).
- z3t4 8y agoIt could be dangerous if the room is completely sealed, as the oxygen would eventually run out.
- rimliu 8y agoFun fact: humans do not have oxygen levels detection, but do have CO2 levels detection. Your body would ring all kinds of the alarm bells if CO2 levels rise above the norm, even if there is enough oxygen.
- stackmad 8y agoIts not that I'm afraid to die here :) Its more about improving the quality of the air. And the body is pretty bad at recognizing higher than norm CO2 level unless it gets to life threatening levels. ( https://youtu.be/1Nh_vxpycEA?t=45 https://youtu.be/1Nh_vxpycEA?t=45 )
- WilliamEdward 8y agoOn top of everything else, try putting a plant in your room too. Works wonders for air quality and is fun to take care of.
- jakobegger 8y agoHow much CO2 does a plant really turn into O2? I can't imagine that a few plants make much of a difference, or do they?
- SketchySeaBeast 8y agoAt night plants start to produce CO2 as well - when you're sleeping and most vulnerable! If the amount of CO2 they scrub is significant, the amount of CO2 they produce in the evening should be as well, no?
- WilliamEdward 8y agoPlants produce a net deficit of CO2, so you're correct but over a 24 hour period with proper lighting they will produce more oxygen than CO2. The important thing, however, is that they produce this CO2 at night at such an unbelievably slow rate that you wont be choking to death in your sleep, that's silly. If you fill a room with plants and cut out the lights, most CO2 produced will be from your cat sleeping on the floor than from the plants. Either way I was referring to other chemicals that plants remove from the air, not CO2.
- 8y ago
- AdrianB1 8y agoThe "changed my life" is probably "I have one more thing to focus on for a while". As humans emit CO2 and your lungs are full of it, the danger exists if you run out of oxygen and get too much CO2, the kind of situation where you can get indoors only if you tape all your doors and windows creating an airproof seal.
- maxk42 8y agoIt solved a chronic lethargy problem that resulted in me falling asleep randomly at inappropriate hours at home. Literally -- not figuratively -- changed my life.
- bemmu 8y agoHigher ppm decreases cognitive function even at pretty low levels, so being alerted to open your window might improve your work / study. There's at least this study: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1510037 https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1510037 And this video has the quote "At 1000ppm there is a 15% decrease in cognitive function". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nh_vxpycEA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nh_vxpycEA
- Reason077 8y ago"At 1000ppm there is a 15% decrease in cognitive function" In a century or so we could be looking at similar CO2 levels in the atmosphere if we don’t significantly cut emissions. Will our decencents be made stupider by higher CO2 levels? Or will they be able to adapt?
- drankula3 8y agoMy wife is a respiratory therapist. When asked, she said higher-than-average CO2 is seen in COPD patients, and is compensated through an increase in metabolic bicarbonate production, countering the acidic properties of CO2. We are still entering unknown territories with such large populations getting exposed to higher CO2 levels, but she thinks we'll be fine.
- thinkcontext 8y agoI'm having trouble recounciling that with the study that shows cognitive decline, can you explain your wife's thinking?
- TremendousJudge 8y agoMaybe it means that if you are _always_ exposed to high CO2 your body adjusts, but if you are sporadically exposed it does not? Kind of like living in the mountains vs going there occasionally
- 8y ago
- maxk42 8y agoIt was causing a narcolepsy-like condition which caused me to experience extreme drowsiness and lethargy and fall asleep at inappropriate hours in my apartment. My doctors couldn't figure out what it was because every time I'd go get bloodwork done, I'd be out of the house and the symptoms would clear up. I thought it was due to age and that I was simply getting tired when I got home. It took me nearly two years to realize the fatigue didn't happen when I was spending the night somewhere else. I read an article on CO2 levels affecting quality of sleep a few days ago here on HN and it dawned on me that the symptoms weren't happening when I was out of my own apartment and I'd sealed and weather-stripped the apartment shortly before the symptoms began.
- kiba 8y agoHow do you know this isn't placebo?
- AdrianB1 8y agoWhy is it so scary? There is no danger for you to get sick or die.
- stackmad 8y agoI saw some study that suggests that higher CO2 levels decrease cognitive abilities. You wont die, but I do tend to get headaches when the air gets worse.
- yoodenvranx 8y agoFor those who are wondering about 'changed my life': Tom Scott uploaded a video about CO2 and its influences a few days ago. it's a good palce to start research: https://youtu.be/1Nh_vxpycEA https://youtu.be/1Nh_vxpycEA
- electriclove 8y agoWhich monitor did you install?
- slantyyz 8y agoI've had a CO2Meter monitor for about a year now, and I have mine connected to a Raspberry Pi. I use a node script to push readings to a database on my NAS, and to fire an IFTTT webhook to my Nest to turn on the fan when CO2 levels hit a certain threshold.