Tado users will be able to track which pollutants and pollen are in the air they are breathing, with the app showing the Air Quality Index (AQI) score outside their home – enabling them to know when to ventilate their home or keep the windows closed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that air pollution is the “new tobacco”.
Tado uses third-party outdoor data – from BreezoMeter – in your neighbourhood street-by-street, which is then visualised by Tado in its app for the air immediately outside your home. The pollutant data is updated every hour to take into account events such as rush hour. The pollen forecast gets updated daily.
This data shows levels of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.
Read more to learn how to improve the air quality in your home.
Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution or PM, is a mixture of very small particles and liquid droplets made up of components such as acids (eg. nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. Exposure to such particles can affect both the lungs and heart, such as irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function.
Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lungs, and can reduce immunity to infections, which can cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis.
Breathing carbon monoxide can cause headache, dizziness and nausea. Exposure to moderate and high levels over long periods has been linked with increased risk of heart disease.
Sulfur dioxide can irritate the nose, throat, and airways to cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or a tight feeling around the chest.
The Tado system will not only detect man-made pollutants in the environment, but also pollen forecasts on grasses, weeds, and trees to help allergy and hayfever sufferers.
The Tado app is linked to the company’s Smart Thermostat product, which allows users to control the temperatures in their homes and via radiator thermostats in individual rooms. It can detect when windows are open to reduce heating when rooms are being ventilated, and this new improved air-quality feature might encourage us to close windows when pollution is at its highest. Read our Tado Smart Thermostat review.
The new app features expand upon the Tado Air Comfort Skill that brings outdoor and indoor air data together without the need to purchase new hardware.
Users can see room-by-room humidity levels, and receive tips on how to improve indoor air comfort. Multiple data points are integrated into clear visualisations to make air quality simpler to understand and act upon.
Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.
