Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull
CO2 is not heavier than air in a house. Tiny air movements stir up the air so that CO2 does not get concentrated.
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My house is sealed against infiltration better than most, but there is work yet to do.
I built a CO2 measuring device, and I have had it running in my house for a couple of years now. It sits on the far corner of my desk, which faces a window. So, I have become pretty familiar with the way CO2 actually behaves.
Normal outside CO2 levels in my neighborhood normally run about 350 ppm of CO2. My winter indoor CO2 levels, with no external CO2 generator like a gas stove, for instance runs about 450-550 ppm, with no one in the room. The longer I am in my living room, the higher the CO2 goes, sometimes peaking at 850-950 ppm.
If I sit at my desk and work, the CO2 levels can go up to 800-900 ppm, or higher, when the room level is on the 600 ppm range.
If I have a ceiling fan on 'low', gently stirring the air, the buildup that is local to my desk does not happen, and the CO2 local to my desk is the same as the room average.
These experiences have led me to visualize 'CO2 bubbles' forming in still air, around someone who is in the habit of breathing. I never would have seen it this way if I had not actually lived with a functioning CO2 measuring device. If someone who has the habit of breathing, ceases this habit, the Brownian Motion will cause a generally uniform mixture of CO2.
Best,
-AC