Anyone, if you can, would love your input on this graph of the VOC index from a
@sensirion
SGP-40.
The rise corresponds to me starting the oven and putting 5 meat-pie in...
Started my #CorsiRosenthalBox box, but it has no effect... Stove is now off...
Really strange...
Could be quite a few things, but most likely you're seeing oils/fats being heated. I'm not personally familiar with that exact IAQ monitor(some monitors actually monitor proxies and not exactly what they say they're monitoring), but that's what I'd guess.
@BE What is interesting is that the monitor I use (my co2.click Model E) does not show any spike on PM 0.1um up to 10um). Only the VOC index raised and is maxing out during that period.
I see where you're coming from. The data sheet on the Sensation SGP-40 seems to go to a broken link on their site("This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it") but I can see it's an MOx sensor and this article has some good info about what they measure:
https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/12/1441/2019/
I know I always seem PMs when I cook, so you not seeing a spike of them when cooking might just mean they hadn't accumulated at your sensor yet? PMs are generally associated with the combustion of VOCs(smoke).
Here's another article on VOCs in cooking oils:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S135223101930264X
Honestly, getting a little out of my expertise range here, but an interesting case study there. I've watched PM numbers when cooking a few times, but I do have a VOC sensor that I'm not sure I've ever looked at while cooking and now I feel like I have to.
Oh, and I just noticed you mentioned a CR box. Sorry, I missed that part. So, perhaps you were filtering out the PMs and recirculating your VOCs.
Just as an FYI, I appreciate you mentioning it. I know that cooking can raise VOC levels, but I never really thought too deeply about it. Checked my VOC monitor and sure enough, VOCs often show the highest point each day when I'd be cooking dinner. They generally seem to dissipate pretty rapidly, but I'm also usually running a window fan blowing out a few feet from the stove. I always kind of enjoy looking at these things. The science nerd in me coming out.
I haven't hit 500 ppb, though. Looks like 153 Friday, 174 yesterday and 244 today.
@BE At 21F today in Canada with wind and snow, opening windows is out of the question.
Will see how it evolves over the night. I'm not really concerned, just making observation on what my Model E can do/show.
I totally understand. I became a bit of an IAQ nerd over the last year or two. I always had a passing interest in it, especially when the kids were babies, but I started really watching our CO2, and what it meant, more recently.
There's an interesting trade-off between insulation and air quality, for sure. Modern super energy efficient homes usually have crappy air quality. I started learning about how bathroom fans can make a significant difference in home air quality if run on a cycle throughout the whole day and installed smart switches on both of ours that took data from a CO2 monitor and turned them on and off automatically.
Then I ended up installing a full-time fan in the center of the house(kitchen) that I can turn in or out, or completely seal up without taking it out, and now we keep the CO2 around 400-700 all of the time, but we definitely sacrifice some energy efficiency to do it(I did have it blowing out when it was ~25F outside yesterday).
If I had to do it all again I'd have a whole home ventilation system, but, that's a whole other level.
@BE Yeah my house is circa 1960... Installing an air exchange system would be ideal but almost impossible.
@IndianaTux Yup. It's interesting how we're cycling back around to the idea, though. We previously lived in a 100-year old super drafty place for a while. It was only after we moved out that we realized it was designed that way after 1918 and the lessons learned about air quality during that pandemic.
@BE Yeah the balance between energy efficiency and air quality is hard.
We spend $$$ to do proper insulation and then we open holed for proper ventilation lol
@BE Possible. I just turned-off the CR box. Will see if VOC Index drops.