I just set up my flex sensor. Followed the guidance on choosing a location and I think I have it in an OK spot. I turned it on for the first time today and it’s reporting much higher than nearby sensors (about 25% higher PM2.5 reading). Given that mine is the outlier I’m inclined to think it has something to do with my installation location? Are there any useful tips beyond the basic things in the instructions for finding a good location?
The device will measure the air that touches it, so if you want your sensor to read air that is representative of the air across the neighborhood, you’ll want to avoid hyperlocal sources of pollution. Consider anything that could produce PM. Vents are a source of air that likely won’t match the outdoor environment.
Is it consistently 25% higher, or are these brief spikes?
Thanks Andrew! It’s consistently higher. I haven’t tried any other locations yet so I’m going to try a few other location on my property to see. I suspect as you said there’s something in the immediate vicinity of the sensor, I just can’t think of anything. There’s 2 other convenient locations on other sides of the property though so I am curious what those will show. Thanks again!
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