any tips for measuring indoor air quality?

[mattkime]

I've written previous threads about my adventure getting a wood burning stove installed inside my fireplace (and a chimney liner). Its installed and works well. That said, the house does smell a bit like campfire when I use it. I don't mind the smell, even find it kind of pleasant but I am concerned about exposure to particulate matter - particularly since my wife has determined that using the fireplace is an every day sort of thing.

My parents also have a wood burning stove and no such smell.

I'd like to find a way to measure the air quality in my home. The good news is that there are a number of consumer devices on the market that do this - the bad news is that its very difficult to be certain the numbers you're getting are accurate. At least this is what I'm seeing via the wirecutter and amazon reviews.

Yes, at some point I should contact the company that did the install. I was hoping to produce some data before I do that.

I'd like to verify that there aren't significant long term health consequences from using the fireplace. At least beyond normal. Any advice?

[C(-)ris]

Plenty of people in rural areas heat their entire house with a woodburner all winter. You really shouldn't smell it, something isn't right. Typically if you can smell the combustion, whether it be wood, propane, NG, pellets then you need a fresh air supply when you are running it.

[srf1957]

Or you have the damper closed on flue .

[davester]

Get a purpleair pm2.5 station

[NewtonMP2100]

....it's a long way to tip........perary.......

[testcase]

BEANO....... 8-)

[voodoopenguin]

Paul

[space-time]

I think this topic is smoked.

[Dennis S]

These 20" box fan filters have been discussed here before. One of the videos shows a graph of how fast and how clean the air gets. It's pretty impressive.

https://m.youtube.com/results?search_que...air+filter

[pqrst]

Since you are asking about health effects, I suggest contacting an industrial hygiene (the’s the term) company to see If they can do a report. Presumably they will test for a wide range of things, toxic and otherwise. The suggestion of a purple air is a good one but only for particles , not for chemicals or gases in the air. I’ve got one.