r/IndoorAirQuality

I live in a part of the USA where radon isn't supposed to be a big deal (Plano Texas). Ground floor apartment in a multi-unit apartment building. The building is about 25 years old.

I purchased 3 online radon detectors. All were initially placed 5 inches from the floor (I have now learned that this is too low).

The readings after the first 12 hours are as follows:

• AEG TEST HOUND 1011S was 7.67. Now placed on the bedside table for more readings.
• Chndaks RM-66 was 4.215. Now placed on a table in the kitchen.
• Metrinary was 6.755. Now placed on suitcase in bedroom.

Online, I've read that the first 12-hour reading isn't always accurate. Indeed, somesay wait 48 hours! Nonetheless, I'm starting to think there is a real problem here.

What has your experience been with readings after 24 hours? This is all quite surprising: I was naively expecting that the readings would be very low, given all I've read about how radon isn't common in Plano due to the kinds of rocks in the area!

When we started this project, the original idea was just to make a better air purifier. We had a newborn, lived in an apartment, and keeping the windows closed all night made the bedroom feel like a tomb. I would wake up with a dry throat and total brain fog.

bought a CO2 monitor and realized levels were hitting 2000+ ppm overnight. No matter how many HEPA filters we ran, the air just felt stale. That brought us to our first decision point. Could we just build a smarter purifier?

quickly killed that idea. A standalone purifier only recycles the same stale air. It catches dust and PM2.5, but it physically cannot lower CO2 or bring in oxygen. next thought was, why not just go for a traditional ERV/HRV system?

The logic is solid there, but the execution is its own total nightmare. Traditional systems cost $1,000 to $3,000+, need professional installation, and mean drilling massive holes through exterior walls. If you're a renter or live in a high rise, the landlord will laugh you out of the building.

that left us with the final option, a window based fresh air system. No drilling required, installs in minutes. It actually pulls filtered outdoor air inside to dilute CO2, while running a HEPA filter for PM2.5.

After testing prototypes in our own place, we ended up with the Cozeware FreshFlow. It sits in the window track, seals completely shut so our cat can't push it out, and monitors CO2, VOCs, and PM2.5 automatically. We're launching it on Kickstarter soon because we figured other renters and parents are stuck in the same stale air trap we were. Figuring out the sizing for all the weird sliding window tracks is the thing we are still tweaking right now.

tracking my 140 sq ft bedroom. sleeping with windows closed pushes CO2 to 1500+ ppm by morning.

I wake up with brain fog and headaches every time .

my air purifier doesnt touch it. opening a window fixes it fast, but street noise makes that impossible.

been looking into renter friendly ventilation. came across a pre-launch window fresh air system concept called cozeware freshflow that needs no drilling.

its aimed at apartments. would a window mounted unit like this actually pull enough fresh air to drop 1500 ppm overnight?

I spent all winter debugging my stuffy apartment. thought my Levoit purifier was broken because it wasn't fixing that heavy stale feeling. Purifiers just filter what's already in the room, they don't bring outside air in to dilute CO2.

got a CO2 monitor and my bedroom reading easily broke 2000 ppm overnight. A Harvard study shows cognitive function drops 15% when CO2 goes from 550 to 1000 ppm. by 2500 ppm your decision making drops by 50%. You aren't just tired from working, the room is literally suffocating you.

the standard fix is an ERV system. but those cost $1,000 to $3,000+ and require drilling massive holes in exterior walls. If you rent, the property manager will instantly deny that request.

Which is why we started building a quiet affordable Fresh Air System for renters. we made a 2-in-1 fresh air and purification setup: it pulls outdoor air in to drop CO2, but filters it for PM2.5 and allergens before it enters. our implementation is called Cozeware FreshFlow, its a window insert so you don't lose your security deposit. Still tweaking the auto CO2 sensor so it can handle wildfire season smoke.

Was looking through some vet data last year and stumbled on this term "High-Rise Syndrome". every summer a stupid amount of cats fall out of apartment windows because people just want to get some air moving in their units.

It hit a nerve. I live in a high-rise, I have a cat, and ijust refuse to open my windows. i just run the AC and keep the place sealed tight. But then I started tracking CO2 levels in my bedroom. with the door closed, it hits over 2000 ppm by morning. No wonder I wake up with a splitting headache.

you're stuck in this dumb trap where you either open the window and your cat might die, or keep it shut and slowly suffocate yourself. putting in a real ERV system requires drilling through exterior walls and my landlord would definitley evict me.

that's a big part of why we started building a quiet affordable Fresh Air System for renters. We made this thing called Cozeware FreshFlow. it basically acts like a window AC unit. It sits in the window frame and keeps the window fully closed and sealed so there is zero risk to pets. But it actively pulls in filtered fresh air from outside to dilute that indoor CO2. It monitors the air quality and kicks on automatically when levels rise. No drilling needed, you can take it with you, and it costs a fraction of doing a real HVAC retrofit.

still on Kickstarter right now, I'm just runing prototypes and keep struggling with getting the window frame seal perfectly tight

Lately I’ve been dealing with really dry air in my room, and it’s starting to mess with my sleep. I wake up with a dry throat, sometimes even a slight headache, and the air just feels uncomfortable at night. I’m mainly looking for a humidifier that can handle a small to medium bedroom, runs quietly through the night, and doesn’t need constant refilling or cleaning every other day. I’d prefer something reliable and simple, not overly complicated or high maintenance, since I’m planning to use it daily as part of my sleep routine.

For those who’ve actually used humidifiers long-term, what models have held up well without breaking down or losing performance over time? I’m also curious which types you’d recommend cool mist, warm mist, or ultrasonic for consistent sleep improvement. Just want something that genuinely improves sleep and doesn’t turn into another thing I regret buying.