While not directly related to CO2 removal, for air quality, especially if you live in an urban area, adding an air purifier is very useful.
Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
21–30 of 101 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#22Plant
It's pretty hard. Recently I saw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWRkzvcb9FQ which has gigantic barrels of algae and direct light input and air being blown through them and still the scope of what you need to make a serious dent in your CO2 output is pretty impressive.
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#23In the UK, 'trickle vents' are mandated in new build houses. They're little vents placed above external facing windows and doors that can be opened and somewhat closed. The goal is to allow moisture to escape to prevent mould but they also obviously allow constant airflow. They don't really allow bugs to get in either.
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#24I want to experience pre-industrial co2 levels
You won't experience a difference
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#25I may be missing something (perhaps OP doesn't have windows?) but I open my windows in all the rooms a couple of times per day (in the morning and usually in the afternoon-evening). Isn't that enough?
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#26Fan in the doorway
and blowing to the outside
Depends I think (that is, if you care about cooling down the room too)
If it's closer to the floor, it will be moving colder air, so you may want to point it inwards
Closer to the ceiling and you'll be moving warmer air, so you want it to go out
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#27Do you have a CO2 monitor? I bought one during Covid to monitor the classroom I teach in. I was surprised by how bad it got: well over 1000 ppm.
When I brought the monitor home, I was surprised all over again by 1000+ ppm levels with just a couple of people and a cat. All the efforts to seal the house for energy efficiency were in direct opposition to advice to lower CO2 levels. The only reasonably effective solution that isn't absurdly expensive is to open the windows a little. All the time. You pay more on heating and cooling, but.. there is no alternative.
The good news is that it gives you a reason to leave the drafty window air conditioners installed all winter long.
And house plants have negligible impact on the levels. Keep plants for the aesthetic, but they aren't going to solve the problem.
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#28Breathing during sleep adds only little CO2 to the environment. Here's a calculator: https://www.omnicalculator.com/ecology/co2-breathing-emissio... .
I like the way you phrased that - "Breathing during sleep adds only little CO2 to the environment". It kinda sounds like you're trying to discourage them from trying not to breathe during sleep.
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#29Turning on a bathroom vent fan is remarkably effective. Based on the CO2 monitor in my basement utility room, turning on a bathroom vent fan in the upstairs lowers the CO2 in the entire house within a few hours.
An energy recovery ventilator would be ideal, though, as it wares much less energy while still lowering your CO2 levels.
It would be awesome if there were a way to actually capture and sequester in-home CO2, so that your in-home number could be lower than the outdoors. But I’ve never heard of such a thing.
Re: Ask HN: Best way to remove CO2 in a bedroom?
#30Energy recovery ventilator. It will exchange indoor air with outdoor air while maintaining indoor heat and humidity. Unfortunately small window mounted models are hard to come by. Most are whole-home systems.