Find air pollution and other environmental information near you with AreaHub
Did you know that we spend over 90% of our time indoors?
While we often think of air pollution as occurring outdoors, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. EPA studies show that some pollutant levels can be two to five times higher indoors than outdoors. Even more importantly, those most susceptible to pollution (such as the very young, the elderly, and people with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases) spend more time indoors.
Smoke, radon, and lead dust are all common indoor air pollutants. Indoor air can also be contaminated by carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning furnace, mold from damp walls, or volatile organic compounds from freshly painted rooms. Our health is also affected by pollutants such as fine particles from candles and fireplaces. In the U.S., radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Breathing problems, allergic symptoms, and asthma attacks may be triggered by biological pollutants, including mold, pollen, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroaches. In addition to formaldehyde and carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke contains at least 60 chemicals known to cause cancer.
The CDC also reports that on average 8% of Americans will get the flu each year with the peak time being in January and February. In light of this, holiday gift-giving is the ideal time to give your friends and family clean home air before flu season begins.
If you are looking for the perfect gift, something that everyone in the household can enjoy, you can give the gift of clean home air.
TIP: Your friends and family may also be interested in our AreaHub Reports for reviewing climate and environmental risks near them so they may better understand their potential exposure to emergency or natural disasters.
This is an essential gift for people with allergies and anyone who suffers from asthma. Air purifiers help remove particles, gasses, and other pollutants from indoor air.
To help you select your best product for improving indoor air quality at home, we chose the following products based on high ratings, filtering capacity, noise levels, pricing, and room size.
For a full breakdown of these selections, visit our comprehensive guides on Air Purifiers.
Levoit Core Mini
This air purifier is ideal for small rooms and traps smoke, odors, fumes, and at least 97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns in size, such as fine dust, pollen, and pet dander. You can also add aromatherapy oils to the unit.
Germ Guardian Air Purifier
The Germ Guardian is ideal for medium/small rooms, has a true HEPA filter, and traps at least 97% of particles down to 0.3-micron level.
Levoit Core 300
The Levoit Core 300 is ideal for medium/small rooms, has a true HEPA filter, and traps at least 97% of particles down to 0.3-micron level.
Medify MA-112
The Medify MA-112 cleans spaces up to 2,500 sq. ft. every 30 minutes. It has a H13 True HEPA filter that traps at least 99.9% of particles down to 0.1-micron level
BlueAir 211
The BlueAir 211 cleans spaces from 540 sq. ft. in about 12.5 min up to 2,592 sq. ft. in 60 minutes. It has a HEPASilent filter that traps at least 99.9% of particles down to 0.1- micron level.
BlueAir Classic 605
The BlueAir Classic cleans spaces up to 698 sq. ft. every 12.5 minutes. It has a HEPASilent filter that traps at least 99.9% of particles down to 0.1- micron level.
Does the techie in your life want to know more about their indoor air quality and check if it is improving? Here’s some help on picking the right air monitor for your loved ones.
A room's air quality monitor can measure everything from temperature and humidity to CO2 levels, radon levels, and volatile organic compounds. Some of them include built-in apps that allow users to send results to their smartphones or computers.
To help ensure your loved ones are breathing clean air at home, we chose the following products based on high ratings, pricing and room size. While indoor air quality monitors don't filter the air, they help you decide what sources of indoor air pollution you can eliminate at the source and what air purifiers can do to help improve some indoor air quality issues.
Temtop M10
The Temtop M10 air quality monitor helps you to know the air around you in real time. The easy-to-use monitor has a color-coded LED light to indicate good, fair, or poor air quality. This model measures PM2.5, AQI, TVOC and HCHO (formaldehyde).
AirThings 2930 Wave Plus
The Airthings 2930 Wave Plus monitors six indoor air factors: Radon, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), toxins and chemicals (Total VOCs), humidity, temperature, and air pressure. Users can wave their hand in front of the device to get a color-coded visual response or review more detailed insights via the app or online dashboard.
AirThings 2960 View Plus
The AirThings 2960 View Plus monitors seven indoor air factors: Particulate Matter (PM2.5), Radon, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), toxins and chemicals (Total VOCs), humidity, temperature, and air pressure. It is WIFI connected, integrates with voice assistant devices, and users can access data online from anywhere. Users can also check local pollen forecasts.
AirThings 4200 House Kit
The Airthings 4200 House Kit contains three devices (Wave Radon, Wave Mini, AirThings Hub) that collectively monitor five indoor air factors: Radon, toxins and chemicals (Total VOCs), humidity, temperature, and mold risk. It is WIFI connected, integrates with voice assistant devices, and users can access data online from anywhere. Users can also check local pollen forecasts.
Are your loved ones living with elevated radon levels? Radon is a naturally occurring invisible gas that can cause lung cancer. Help protect your loved ones with the gift of a radon test kit or monitor. Additionally, you can provide them with the option to learn about their area with an AreaHub Pro Report (which includes average indoor radon levels and many other environmental topics for their area or their specific location). According to the American Lung Association, one in 15 homes across the country tests positive for dangerous levels of radon. This gift can not only save lives, but it also gives your loved ones peace of mind.
To help you select the best product to check your home, work, or other spaces for dangerous radon gas we chose the following highly rated products based on important consumer concerns about accuracy, usability, and ease of installation. All products have 4+ star reviews on Amazon, and where indicated also include top-performing ratings from housefresh, safewise, and bobvila.
This test monitors your radon levels for 2-7 days and is the most common type of test. If a single short-term test reveals levels of 4 pCi/L or more, you should conduct the test again (with another kit) and average the results for a more accurate estimate of radon levels. For this reason, short-term kits provide a good indicator of whether additional testing is warranted.
First Alert Radon Test Kit
Health Metric Radon Test Kit
A long-term test of 3-12 months will provide your best estimate of average exposure over time, since radon levels fluctuate daily and by season. The US EPA defines long-term as 91 days or longer.
RSSI Long-Term Alpha Track Radon Detector Kit
Long-Term (AT) Radon Test Kit
PRO-LAB Long-Term Radon Test Kit
Radonova Radtrak³
These radon monitors electronically check radon levels on a continuous, daily or weekly basis.
AirThings Corentium Home
EcoSense Radon Eye RD200
Wave Radon
Disclaimer: These products are not endorsed by AreaHub. AreaHub will not be liable for using the product if you purchase it. If you buy something through any of these links, AreaHub will be compensated by the seller or the product platform.