What is off gassing?
Off gassing is where a pollutant source is producing a gas at a constant rate over a prolonged period. This source can sometimes be picked up as an odour, and even though the odour may dissipate over time, the source can continue to omit the fumes.
What causes off gassing?
Identifying the source that’s causing the off gassing isn’t always straightforward. Understanding the types of invisible pollutants that can build up in your home and their sources can go some way in helping. These sources include:
PM10 - Pollen and allergens
PM5.0 - Bacteria
PM2.5 - Smoke, industrial emissions and burning candles
PM0.1 - Ultrafine particles
Formaldehyde - Carpets, rugs and flooring
Odours - Household fumes and cooking
Benzene and Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs - Cleaning products, perfumes, cooking, burning fuels and scented candles
Nitrogen dioxide - Gas stoves/cooking gasses and car exhausts
Read more about these types of pollutants on our ‘What are the common household pollutants?’ article.
When the Purifier detect a high concentration of pollutants coming from one of these sources, it records this in the Dyson App on the air quality scale, along with the timeline of detection. If the machine takes a considerable time to reduce and/or remove the pollutant, this can be a result of off gassing.
Reading the ’How do I understanding the pollutant levels and colours on the graph?’ article will help identify the pollutant type and overall level.
There are several recommendations we can make which can help you deal with off gassing in the home.
- Try and locate the source that is producing the gas. This can be done through trial and error. Changing cleaning material, moving the purifier to a different location in the room and/or checking for points when outside air can enter the room are only a few suggestions.
- Use the machine in ‘Auto mode’. In Auto mode, the on-board sensors intelligently adjust the settings of the machine according to the air quality. If a pollutant is detected, the airflow speed increases until the Auto air quality target has been met.
- Make sure the machine is working at its best. Read our ‘Keeping your purifier performing at its best’ article for tips and tricks on ‘cleaning your machine’ and checking the machine sensors.