When you think of air pollution, you probably think of outdoor pollution. However, there are several sources of indoor air pollution (paint, escaping gas, wet or damp carpet, poor ventilation, etc.). The $99 Awair: Glow, which works with iOS 8 or later, can help you keep track of — and deal with — such pollutants.
It tracks toxins and chemicals in your home, office or home office and provides actionable insights and personalized tips to help you stay safe and healthy. It can also power up appliances such as a humidity, purifier or fan when it detects a deterioration in air quality — or at certain times during the day, if you prefer. The Awair: Glow even doubles as a night light that activates by motion, touch, or through iOS app.
The Glade plugin-sized gadget plugs directly into a power outlet. Download the free Awair: Glow app at the Apple App Store and you’ll be able to see, at a glance, your environment’s air quality on your iPhone or iPad via a color-coded scale, as well as relevant healthcare information (provided by the Mayo Clinic). The app also lets you track your environment’s improvements over time and offers tips on how to improve the air quality in your home. You can adjust the settings in the app to be specifically alerted to particular triggers.
The gadget’s sensors identify the five key factors that determine air quality: temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, chemicals, and dust. With the iOS app, you can see when changes occur in these factors. The Awair: Glow can monitor air quality for about 1,000 square feet. The company recommends one unit per closed wall environment (rooms, closets, etc.). Setting up the Awair: Glow is accomplished via Bluetooth pairing and works smoothly.
One flaw (though it will affect few users): if you move the Glow from one location to another, the data for the new environment is shared with previous data. In other words, it doesn’t create new data. Apparently, there’s only one history per unique physical device.
Still, if you’re looking to take control over your indoor air quality, the Awair: Glow can help. Especially if you keep it in the same home or office.
Apple World Today Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
