Apartment monitor: air, noise and smoking
We are considering an apartment sensor: it measures CO2, particulates and VOC, plus the noise level in decibels without ever recording sound. It fits your home as well as a short-term rental. We do not make it yet, demand decides whether we will.
- Works with Home Assistant
- Open source
- No cloud
We do not make this yet. Whether we build it depends on how many people are interested. Leave your e-mail and we will send a single message when it is ready, then delete the address.
Illustration of use. Photos will follow from the first batch.
What it would monitor
- Air. CO2 tells you when to open a window (above 1,000 ppm concentration and sleep suffer). PM2.5 and VOC reveal cooking, candles, smoke or freshly painted furniture.
- Noise. The level in decibels and a chart for the whole day. Home Assistant can notify you when it stays loud after 10 pm.
- Smoking. A sudden jump in particulates and VOC in a non-smoking apartment. It is an estimate, e-cigarettes are harder to detect than regular ones.
- Parties. Night-time noise combined with CO2 rising faster than the number of guests would explain.
Who it is for
For anyone who wants to know how the air at home is. And for hosts who want to spot a loud party or smoking before the neighbours complain or damage happens, without paying a monthly subscription for every apartment.
How it would work
It uses the same Jádro board as the other Plošná ryba products. The air sensor plugs into a Qwiic connector, the microphone sits on the head. It runs from a wall socket, so it measures all the time and does not need to save battery. Everything goes to Home Assistant, no cloud and no fees.
Why we ask before we build it
We make small batches and do not want boxes nobody needs in stock. So we check demand first. If enough people sign up, we start development. The answers also tell us whether needing Home Assistant is a barrier for hosts.
Specifications
| Status | planned, not in production |
|---|---|
| Would measure | CO2, PM2.5 particulates, VOC, temperature, humidity, noise level in dB(A) |
| Noise | level only, sound is never stored or sent |
| Power | USB-C 5 V, mains powered |
| Connection | WiFi, Home Assistant and ESPHome, no cloud, no subscription |
FAQ
Is it a smoke alarm?
No. A life safety smoke alarm must be certified to EN 14604 and you still need one. Our sensor notices a sudden rise in particulates and VOC and tells you someone is probably smoking. It is information, not fire protection.
Does it record what people say?
No. The board turns the microphone signal into a noise level in decibels and sends only that number to Home Assistant. Sound is never stored or sent, and the firmware is open, so anyone can check.
Can I use it in an Airbnb?
Airbnb allows noise level monitors in common areas if they are disclosed in the listing and do not record sound. They do not belong in bedrooms or bathrooms. Rules change, check them on the Airbnb website before installing.
Is it an accurate sound level meter?
No, it is an indicative noise monitor, not a calibrated measuring instrument. It answers the question whether the apartment is loud after 10 pm.
Why no cloud if I want remote monitoring?
Home Assistant sends the notifications to your phone. You reach it remotely through your own VPN or Home Assistant Cloud. The form asks whether you use Home Assistant so we learn whether that is a barrier for hosts.
When will it be ready?
There is no date yet. First we make the first batch of our current products. Leave your email and you get one message once we decide.
Docs and source files
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