10x
Many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors, up to ten times higher.
U.S. EPA, Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality
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Indoor air · Particulates and VOCs
VOCs from new furniture and indoor PM2.5: what your readings mean
VOCs from new furniture and fresh paint can linger for weeks. Your air monitor may show high VOC readings or PM2.5 spikes. I analyze your data, compare it with recognized benchmarks, and show you where the problem likely comes from and how fast it fades.
Where VOCs and indoor PM2.5 come from
VOCs from new furniture are common. Particleboard, paint, adhesives, and flooring release volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde is the best known. Indoor PM2.5 mostly comes from cooking, candles, printers, and vacuuming, or from outdoor air like wildfire smoke. These fine particles reach deep into the lungs.
Low-cost monitors show these numbers, but a single reading says little. Most VOC sensors report a total or an index, not a specific chemical. PM2.5 jumps with whatever happens in the room. Only data over several days shows if levels drop, if they track cooking or HVAC, and if there's a lasting source.
0.1 mg/m³
WHO guideline for formaldehyde in indoor air, about 0.08 ppm, as a 30-minute average.
WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality, 2010
9 µg/m³
EPA's annual standard for outdoor PM2.5 since 2024. The WHO guideline is stricter at 5 µg/m³.
U.S. EPA, PM NAAQS (2024); WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines 2021
How I analyze VOC and PM2.5 data
Plan the measurement
Not measuring yet? I help you choose sensors and placement. For formaldehyde or specific chemicals, a lab test may be needed, and I'll tell you when.
Find patterns and sources
I look at when levels rise and fall and how much ventilation helps. I also check which patterns match cooking, HVAC, new furniture, or renovation.
Get context and next steps
Within 1–2 weeks you get a report that puts your readings next to recognized benchmarks. No scare tactics and no downplaying, just clear next steps.
Thought about it but never got around to it? Getting started takes two minutes.
- 01
Tell me what's going on
Use the inquiry form to tell me which room it is and what bothers you. It takes two minutes.
- 02
Send data or start measuring
If you already have a monitor, send me the export through a secure upload link. If not, I'll tell you which device is enough and where to put it.
- 03
Get your answer
Within one to two weeks, you get a short report: what's going on, why, and what to do first. No site visit needed.
Questions
Can my low-cost monitor measure VOCs accurately?
It usually reports a total or an index, not specific chemicals. But it tracks trends well, and trends are what I analyze. If you need specific compounds, I'll tell you when a lab test makes sense.
Will you tell me if the air is unhealthy?
I'm not a doctor, and I don't make health claims. I show what your data says compared with EPA and WHO benchmarks.
Is one room enough?
Yes. A newly furnished nursery or home office is often exactly the right scope.
What does it cost?
It depends on the number of rooms, how long you measured, and your sensors. You get a clear quote first.