{"id":2933,"date":"2022-08-24T11:38:09","date_gmt":"2022-08-24T15:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sickoftired.com\/?page_id=2933"},"modified":"2023-01-31T23:59:26","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T04:59:26","slug":"co2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sickoftired.com\/co2\/","title":{"rendered":"Yay, I found another problem! Indoor CO2 levels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
There is a lot of focus on CO2 lately. But we’re missing something insanely important, again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lot of us have heard of the idea that indoor air quality is not the best, and most of us spend the majority of our time indoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But how many times have you heard of, or focused on indoor co2 levels?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Common indoor CO2 levels are associated with negative health effects.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n CO2 levels that most of us are breathing at various points of our day are associated with a bunch of common health ailments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These symptoms and ailments include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that these conditions I’ve listed are the only things I’m able to find some sort of solid data on. There are likely dozens and dozens of ailments that co2 contributes to in some way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means some of the health ailments a lot of us experience on a daily basis might be due to, or amplified by the co2 levels we experience on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is potentially insanely important. I think indoor co2 levels of our homes, vehicles, and workplaces are making people dumb. Unless, you think drowsiness, confusion, lack of focus, and elevated blood pressure makes people.. smarter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think the indoor co2 levels in our vehicles are adding to or causing fatigue, drowsiness, lack of focus, elevated blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you starting to piece this together like I have? Is indoor air poop causing us to mess up, be cranky, or have chronic health issues? I’m not sure how a person could argue otherwise. Sure, the effects might be minor, but they are never positive impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What happens when a person already has a hard time harnessing oxygen from the atmosphere? What happens if someone has respiratory issues? What if we add mold or other toxins to this air? What if a person is constantly exposed to elevated co2 levels all day long?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are co2 levels a major contributor to the 60% chronic illness rate in the US?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We’re not running any long term tests of co2’s contribution to other ailments, so it’s impossible to say no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we exist, we breathe oxygen and turn it into co2. Depending on the size of the enclosed area we’re in, the oxygen in this space can be converted to co2 rather quickly. And then depending on the rate that fresh air is being exchanged into that space, the co2 levels may continue climbing while the oxygen level continues to drop. This eventually leads to suffocation if the oxygen levels drop enough. Suffocation would require a very small space with no air exchange, but I am just mentioning this to help show how smaller and smaller spaces fill up with co2 much more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I purchased a co2 meter and started testing the indoor air of my home, vehicle and other people’s homes. The results eventually started blowing my mind. We’re all breathing our own air poop at various amounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First I bought this meter for $130 after doing some research https:\/\/amzn.to\/3pH1wJJ<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then as I write this, I ordered this one for $30 https:\/\/amzn.to\/3TciDR6<\/a> and this one for $40 https:\/\/amzn.to\/3R2gcP8<\/a> (the $40 one never showed up and was refunded)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I purchased the second and third one so I can compare their ability a bit while also keeping an eye on more areas of the house at the same time. I also plan on experimenting with several of them very close to where I am breathing as I sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also grabbed a blood oxygen meter that snaps on my finger for $12 https:\/\/amzn.to\/3KlKni7<\/a> so I can see if various co2 levels influence my oxygen levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not long after seeing some readouts from my co2 meter, I gave up the idea of sealing the house tight in order to minimize energy usage. I used to spend a good bit of time putting that plastic wrap stuff over the windows to help with energy costs. Now I would rather spend more on energy in an attempt to breathe cleaner air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My house is 50 years old with windows that don’t seal well. If my house can cause the meter to elevate, a more modern house that is sealed better is likely going to have a bigger issue with this. My house is 1,000sq ft with two adults and two small dogs. But larger homes with similar occupants is reading about the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOk we’re breathing our own air poop, now what?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
CO2 levels are elevated when the windows are closed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n