An air quality monitor is the most important purchase a landfill neighbor can make—more important than any purifier. Without data, you're guessing. With data, every other decision becomes rational and targeted. Here's how to choose the right one.
What to Measure
Different monitors measure different pollutants. Here's what matters for landfill neighbors and why:
PM2.5 (essential): The health metric. Shows infiltration events, cooking spikes, and purifier effectiveness. A must-have in any monitor you buy.
TVOC (strongly recommended): Tracks gas-phase pollutants including landfill-related VOCs. Sensor-relative (not calibrated to specific compounds), but invaluable for trend monitoring.
CO₂ (recommended): Tracks ventilation quality. As you seal your home, CO₂ will rise if you don't add fresh air—CO₂ tells you when to ventilate.
Temperature + Humidity (standard): Context for other readings. High humidity elevates mold risk and affects pollutant behavior.
Formaldehyde/HCHO (nice to have): Relevant if you have new furniture, cabinets, or flooring off-gassing formaldehyde.
Our Picks by Budget and Use Case
Best Entry-Level: PM2.5 + VOC Basics
Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor
Measures PM2.5, AQI, TVOC, and HCHO (formaldehyde). Used by University of Washington and US government agencies. US-certified sensors. Best value for landfill neighbors.
Check Price on AmazonBest Mid-Range: Add CO₂ for Complete Picture
Temtop M10+ Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Adds CO₂ monitoring. E-Ink display, 60-day battery life, app connectivity. The most complete home air quality picture in its price range.
Check Price on AmazonBest Wi-Fi Connected: Remote Monitoring
GoveeLife Smart Air Quality Monitor
Wi-Fi connected with 2-year data storage. PM2.5, temperature, and humidity with LED display. Triggers other Govee smart devices automatically.
Check Price on AmazonBest Professional-Grade: Radon + Air Quality
Airthings Wave Plus — Radon + Air Quality
Measures radon, CO₂, VOCs, humidity, temperature, and pressure. Battery-powered with app. If radon is a concern alongside landfill gases, this is the multi-threat monitor.
Check Price on AmazonPlacement Strategy
One monitor doesn't tell the whole story. Consider this placement sequence over time:
- Bedroom first: Confirm your purifier is achieving good air quality where you sleep.
- Rotate to living room: Compare PM2.5 to the bedroom. Is the living room worse?
- Rotate to basement: Basements are typically worst. High basement readings indicate soil gas infiltration.
- Near HVAC return: Watch PM2.5 before and after the system runs—does it help or hurt?
What a Monitor Can't Tell You
Consumer monitors can't identify specific chemicals—only total VOC as a composite. They can't diagnose mold, radon, or carbon monoxide at health-relevant levels (though some specialized units add CO detection). For radon specifically, use a dedicated radon test kit or monitor. For specific compound identification, you'd need laboratory air sampling.
Radon Test Kit (EPA-Approved)
If you live within a mile of a landfill, a baseline radon test is worth doing. 90-day charcoal canisters are sent to a certified lab.
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