Focus on Ventilation: Keeping Schools Safe
Keep school staff and students safe by monitoring indoor air and, when necessary, acting quickly to improve air quality.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), CO2 levels can be used as a proxy to measure how clean indoor air is. Every time someone exhales, speaks, sings etc., CO2 is released into the air. Research has shown that as the levels of CO2 rise, there are greater levels of “shared air” and increased risks of transmission of airborne viruses (e.g. COVID-19, influenza, whooping cough).
Measuring CO2 levels allows school administrators and staff to get an objective, data-based measure of indoor airflow in classrooms or other shared spaces.
SCHOOLS: Eligible for ESSER funds. See a sample ESSER funds grant application here.
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How does the CO2 Check™ device work?The CO2 Check™ device is equipped with an industry-leading Senseair CO2 sensor and uses nondispersive infrared technology (NDIR). The device constantly draws in air, measures the CO2 levels in the air, and updates the readings on the OLED display every 2 seconds. The device has a range up to 10,000 ppm. To accurately measure the CO2 levels in a room, the device should be placed at least 3 feet off the ground and at least 6 feet from windows or doors. Optimal placement is generally on a table, desk or wall in either the middle or perimeter of a room. We also recommend not postitioning the device too closely to one's body or face as this will result in high readings as a result of the device measuring the user's own personal exhaled air and not the mixed air in the indoor environment.
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Why is it important to monitor indoor air quality?The vast majority of virus transmission, including COVID-19, occurs indoors. Since COVID-19 is spread via airborne and droplet particles, most transmission occurs from the inhalation of particles that contain COVID-19. The safest indoor space is one that constantly has lots of outdoor air replacing indoor air. Bringing in outdoor air dilutes any containment in an indoor space and reduces the exposure of anyone inside.
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Why is it important to monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) levels?Every time someone exhales, speaks, sings etc., CO2 is released into the air. As CO2 levels rise in closed spaces with poor ventilation, so does the “shared air,” air which has been exhaled by someone else in the room. At 4,000 parts per million (ppm), 10% of the air has been breathed out by someone else. With COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, the more air you share, the higher the risk of inhaling and potentially becoming sick from an infectious virus. Since COVID-19 is most often spread by breathing, coughing, or talking, you can use CO2 levels to see if the room is filling up with potentially infectious exhalations. The CO2 level lets you estimate if enough fresh outside air is getting in. Outdoors, CO2 levels are just above 400 ppm. At 800 ppm, 1% of your air is “shared.” A well-ventilated room indoors will have less than 1,000 ppm of CO2. CO2 levels any higher than 1000 ppm is a sign the room might need more ventilation as there are elevated risks of virus transmission for everyone in the room. Above 3,000 ppm, and your brain is affected, concentration levels go down, and drowsiness increases.
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What if my CO2 levels are too high?The good news is that if your CO2 levels are too high it's easy to get them down. Bring outdoor air inside (open windows or doors) Use a box or exhaust fans to circulate air (Note: this will only decrease the CO2 levels if the fan is pulling in "fresher" air) Decrease number of people in room Move to another room (or better yet, outside) Increase ventilation
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How can I let customers know I am monitoring the CO2 levels in my building?As part of our CO2 monitoring solution, every CO2 Check™ customer receives a decal to affix to the door or window of your place of business to let customers know you are taking their health and well-being seriously and are monitoring your indoor air quality 24/7.
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How much do CO2 Check™ devices cost?CO2 Check™ devices cost $169 and can be purchased online at www.co2check.com.
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Do you have a product manual?Yes! The product manual can be found here.
Designed Specifically for Schools
• Remotely monitor your CO2 levels: CO2 Check™ includes remote trend monitoring via a mobile app without any additional devices required. Just plug in your device, connect to the Wi-Fi, and your device will start transmitting data seamlessly to a mobile app and dashboard.
• Mobile app and dashboard: Designed for facility managers, administrators, and staff to be able to monitor their school’s air quality from any location at any time. And, with push notifications, when acceptable CO2 levels are surpassed, staff is alerted so they can take actions to improve air quality.
• Simple, easy-to-use design: Visual display with simple graphics to help in the classroom to prompt actions to improve air quality.
• Included lesson plans to teach staff and students about CO2 monitoring and improving indoor air quality: Train staff and students about the importance of indoor air quality and staying safe using our CO2 monitoring lesson plans.
Sample Mesh Network Configuration to Cover Whole School
Devices eligible for ARP/ESSER funds
School-wide Coverage
No need to rely on a school's WiFi network or connect devices via a school's guest network
By utilizing cellular service and mesh networking technology, all of a school's classrooms can have monitors that measure CO2 levels at all times. The devices are set up separate of a school's WiFi network, so there is no need to clog a school's network or to connect devices via a school's guest network. When levels get too high, our remote monitoring allows a staff member (facilities manager, school administrator, etc.) to get alerts that levels are too high in a classroom.