Particulate matter/Dust sensor options

[ear3]

I'm continuing to do some home renovation, and also getting a bit more cautious about the consequences of particulate matter and dust generated in these sorts of projects, particularly in a house that is almost a century old at this point. That's a big reason why I got the Sys-Air, as I continue to work on stabilizing and repairing the plaster, which can produce a lot of nasty dust. I'll also be working in the basement area, some of the spaces in which have years of accumulated dust and dirt that I will have to disturb. I've been thinking about purchasing something to measure the air quality for those spaces in which I'll be working, particularly the basement area, where I will eventually have to rip up wood tile surface and subfloor to expose the underlying concrete. I was wondering if anyone can recommend a dust/particulate matter monitor. Lots of options online, and I don't really know how to distinguish quality from trash.

 

[leakyroof]

I went in on a Group buy some years ago with the now gone talkFestool forum for this exact issue. I have the unit at home in my basement shop- I believe it's the Dylos DC1100 or similar model from them. Works very well, hasn't gone bad in all these years, so that's something. Reaction time seems correct, but I'm no Air Quality expert, so others with more knowledge in that dept can chime in.

 

[Cheese]

I purchased a Dylos DC1700 and it seems to work well. There is an outdoor air monitoring station a few blocks away from the house and I'll put the Dylos outside for a couple of minutes every so often just to compare values. The Dylos values have always been similar to the air monitoring station especially a few years back when we had all of the wildfires in Canada...Eh?

 

[MikeGE]

I use the Dylos DC1700 in my basement shop. Some days during the spring and summer, there are days when the air quality in my shop is much better than the air quality in the rest of the house due to the pollen.

 

[ChuckM]

Mine is the economical Temtop Model S1. https://temtopus.com/products/temto...e-humidity-detector-for-home-office-or-school

Its AQI, temp and moisture readings have always been accurate based on comparisons with the AQI reported by external sources and readings from other temp/humidity monitors I own. I have no reasons to believe its PM2.5 readings -- the ones I use to monitor my shop air quality -- would be off.

Someone has posed a YouTube about fake monitors that produced their own pre-programmed readings.

 

[mrFinpgh]

I think the Dylos with the small particle measurements is your best bet. There are lots of possibilities for lead or asbestos in a 100 year old home. My house has it in the base coat of the plaster.

The abatement crew that had to come in and take down about 50 sf of my ceiling ran a massive air scrubber that was moving a couple thousand CFM through what I would assume is a very very fine filter. I didn't have my meter running at the time, but I would assume the air quality in there was probably better than the outdoor air quality here in Pittsburgh.

 

[hdv]

I have had a Temtop LKC1000S+ since 2019. I can't truly say it is accurate, because I don't have the means to check that. But when I compare its values to my Dyson and Trotec they always seem to be in the same range. The delta compared to the measurements published for this area can sometimes be a bit larger, but not really significantly so. For the money I found it to be an OK device.

 

[Steve1]

I have thought about getting an air quality meter.

But as I researched it, different brands measure different particle sizes and give different results.
And the question "Is this air safe?" is rather complex and and difficult to answer with a simple consumer monitor.

 

[MikeGE]

I have thought about getting an air quality meter.

But as I researched it, different brands measure different particle sizes and give different results.
And the question "Is this air safe?" is rather complex and and difficult to answer with a simple consumer monitor.

It's easy to get lost in all of the information available for dust collection and air quality.

I don't have much control over the quality of the ambient air, but I do have control over what I add to it while I'm working. When I'm planning on a lot of work, I'll make a note of the > 0.5 micron ambient particle count on the Dylos. When the count reaches ambient + 750, I take a break and let the ceiling-mounted Record Power AC 400 scrub the air.

Before replacing my Bosch ROS and DeWalt DWS780 miter saw with Festool products, I could work for about 10-15 minutes before taking a 30-minute break to scrub the air. Now I can work until I am done without reaching the limit. Knowing how much fine dust was in the air I breath was a real eye opener for me. Prior to using the Dylos, I would spend hours in the shop breathing in whatever the Bosch and DeWalt machines produced.

 

[ChuckM]

After monitoring my shop air quality for almost two years intermittently, I find that I don't need to turn on the AQM unless I know I'm working with a lot of lumber and milling/sanding. Here is why.

In the early days, I had the AQM on whenever I used the shop and, after months of monitoring, I came to realize that only the benchtop stationary belt sander and very occasionally the bandsaw would produce problematic airborne dust. Everything else (SawStop, Kapex, etc.) is a non-issue for my breathing. I still use every now and then the AQM but I don't expect to need to do anything. By default, for intensive belt sanding, I simply wear a N95 and/or open the garage door/turn on the air filtration system.

 

[Steve1]

I have a good Hepa dust collector now, and that has greatly reduced dust accumulation in my shop, so likely I have better air quality in general.

I also have a 3/4 HP air cleaner. I have it on the floor on casters, so when doing sanding at my workbench, I will roll it to my side. Plus I am normally using my CT-36 and my RO sander. But just the same, I will be wearing my N100 mask. Drum sander is about the only other tool I will be using the air cleaner with. (Sometimes use air cleaner with planer too, if I have a lot of stock to plane)

But the mask goes on for just about anything more than a quick cut on the table saw.