Carbon Dioxide – Indoor Air Quality
Carbon Dioxide – Indoor Air Quality
Carbon Dioxide – Indoor Air Quality: Did you ever wonder what dry ice is made of or that cloud of fog that’s floating across the stage at a concert? Well it is carbon dioxide it’s also found in our bodies and even the fizz in your soda pop.
Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odourless gas found in our atmosphere, it is essential to life on earth. Humans breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide, plants do the opposite and breathe in carbon dioxide to make food and release oxygen, this is the process of photosynthesis.
Carbon Dioxide – Indoor Air Quality | A Waste Product As We Use Oxygen
Carbon dioxide is a waste product in the human body as we use up oxygen. It is released from our body every time we breathe out, we release approximately 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide every day. If you are exposed to large amounts of this gas or your breathing is compromised you can have some very dangerous side effects including permanent injury or even death.
Carbon dioxide is an asphyxiant that can take the place of breathable oxygen and can cause you to suffocate without any visible abnormalities in your breathing.
What are safe and normal levels of carbon dioxide in your home?
Carbon dioxide – Indoor Air Quality levels of 350–1000 ppm are typical safe indoor levels of carbon dioxide.
When the level of carbon dioxide is elevated to 1000–2000 ppm you’ll start to hear complaints of drowsiness or poor air quality.
When carbon dioxide levels reach 2000–5000 ppm occupants will start to complain of headaches, sleepiness, poor Air quality loss of attention and increased heart rate.
5000 ppm is a workplace exposure limit for carbon dioxide
If concentrations of carbon dioxide reach 40,000 it can result in brain damage, Comas or even death.
If the building is under ventilated the carbon dioxide in it will build up. If the building is over ventilated the carbon dioxide will be quickly diluted.
- CO2 should be measured when a space is fully occupied, measuring when the building is empty will not give an accurate measurement.
- Always measure for CO2 when outdoor air is at a minimum, this will give a worst case scenario.
- Lastly make sure you measure for CO2 after you’ve given adequate time for the levels to rise, and example of this would be filling a room with people and taking the measurement right away. The CO2 levels will rise as people are breathing in and out in that room.
Contact Home Pros Group at 780-455-1188 for indoor air quality check ups including carbon dioxide.