# Air quality index

**URL:** <https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965>\
**Category:** Apps\
**Created:** [October 25, 2024, 10:18am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965 "2024-10-25T10:18:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Olivier\_Arthus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/olivier_arthus/32/88909_2.png) [@Olivier\_Arthus](https://community.homey.app/u/Olivier_Arthus)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 10:18am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/1 "2024-10-25T10:18:14Z")

</div>

Hello

I’m looking for an app that can give me the air quality outside of my home without any device , just like the weather.  
Plume Labs provides such an air quality index near my home but I don’t see it integrated with Homey  
[Openweather.org](http://Openweather.org) seems to provide it also and is integrated with Homey. However it seems I need to provide my credit card info, meaning it will not be free. I could pay if I could test, but from their website it does not seem to find my city or close enough (I’m in the French Alps), and when I install in Homey it requires an API key that I can only get it seems with an account with credit card  
Any suggestion / alternative

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RonnyW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ronnyw/32/10879_2.png) [@RonnyW](https://community.homey.app/u/RonnyW)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 10:59am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/2 "2024-10-25T10:59:32Z")

</div>

You have to set your credit card.  
And you have 1000 calls a day free.  
In addition you can set a limit that prevents to get over the 1000 calls.

So you are sure that you don’t pay if you keep below the 1000 calls limit.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johan\_W](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/johan_w/32/17556_2.png) [@johan\_W](https://community.homey.app/u/johan_W)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/3 "2024-10-25T15:28:56Z")

</div>

If you in a area where you don’t find a monitoring station close enough to your home.  
Then i think why not set your own station outside off your house/cabin.

A nice unit is the Air Gradient ([Shop](https://www.airgradient.com/shop/#!/Open-Air-Outdoor-Monitor-O-1PST-Kit/p/616991252) )  
This is a kit you can assamble by your self with only one screw I think. Ok it has a price.

You can all so go for some unit’from Nettigo [Nettigo: Nettigo Air Monitor (KIT BME 0.3.3 PRO language EN) - Build your own smog sensor! [Nettigo]](https://nettigo.eu/products/nettigo-air-monitor-kit-bme-0-3-3-pro-language-en-build-your-own-smog-sensor) it is intergrated with [Sensor Community](https://sensor.community/fr)

The first Airgradient has his own app for Homey, and with the “sensor community” devices you can use the tool off @Gruijter Outdoor AirQuality

A other outside (but is more a weather stations) is the WeatherFlow tempest (or other model) but it have a high price. (but all so with a App for Homey.  
But the support of the firm is very good (After all most 4 years I got a new unit, true a broken sensor)  
Succes

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gruijter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/gruijter/32/1973_2.png) [@Gruijter](https://community.homey.app/u/Gruijter)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/4 "2024-10-25T15:34:28Z")

</div>

> [@Olivier\_Arthus](#):
>
> need to provide my credit card info, meaning it will not be free

In fact it is free if you dont exceed the monthly free limit. I actually added my credit card to openweather some weeks ago, and set the polling to 10 minutes. No charge so far…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johan\_W](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/johan_w/32/17556_2.png) [@johan\_W](https://community.homey.app/u/johan_W)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/5 "2024-10-25T16:10:08Z")

</div>

1000 api calls a day that is every 2 minutes a call  
And you still under the limit off 1000 a day ( 24\*60/100 = 1,44)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RonnyW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ronnyw/32/10879_2.png) [@RonnyW](https://community.homey.app/u/RonnyW)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/6 "2024-10-25T16:41:02Z")

</div>

Yes, that’s correct.

And you can share your API limit between different weather devises.  
Think of every device uses 2min interval. to be safe.

If you add a second current weather device (location), just use 4min interval for both.  
If you add a air quality device, you can use a 30min interval because it’s updated only one a hour from OWM side - and set both other weather devices to 5min.  
Forecast devices are updated from current weather device and don’t use the API. Only devices where you have to insert an API key in device settings are polling the API.

If you set a limit in your OWM account you can check if that’s ok and prevent charging. You will get a mail from OWM if you hit the limit and no request will be answered by OWM for this day.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Olivier\_Arthus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/olivier_arthus/32/88909_2.png) [@Olivier\_Arthus](https://community.homey.app/u/Olivier_Arthus)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 6:53am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/7 "2024-10-26T06:53:00Z")

</div>

Thank you all for you contribuions  
To summarize

- [openweather.org](http://openweather.org) does require credit card but in most common use case it will remain free
- lack of local info can be addressed by buying a 125 USD device for air quality sensor supported in Homey
- But I cannot really test without providing my credit card info, which I find very annoying (on their website I could not check air quality info but only weather )

So it does not seem to do the job. I know there are public air quality sensors near my home since I can access them with other services such as Plume Labs or Airvisual and they do not require any physical device.  
If I cannot find a service with good integration in Homey I guess I will simply use a web frame to display the info in Homey since I will not really use the info in flows.  
If someone has another service integrated with Homey that would be great

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RonnyW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ronnyw/32/10879_2.png) [@RonnyW](https://community.homey.app/u/RonnyW)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 7:07am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/8 "2024-10-26T07:07:55Z")

</div>

If OWM doesn’t provide a city near your location, you can insert your coordinates.

And if OWM diesn’t fit your needs after a test, you can remove your credit card or the whole account.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gruijter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/gruijter/32/1973_2.png) [@Gruijter](https://community.homey.app/u/Gruijter)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 7:20am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/9 "2024-10-26T07:20:11Z")

</div>

Well, try this app. Especially Luftdaten usually has a home built sensor somewhere nearby:

> [@\[APP\]\[PRO\] Outdoor AirQuality Monitor (Luftdaten)](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-outdoor-airquality-monitor-luftdaten/17548):
>
> Outdoor AirQuality Monitor Know the air pollution levels, in near real-time, at many locations in the world. Add one or multiple virtual outdoor air quality monitors to Homey. The information is made available free of charge by a number of services. Depending on the service and station you select, the following parameters are provided: PM2.5 PM10 O3 (Ozone) SO2 (sulfur dioxide) NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) CO (carbon monoxide) BC (black carbon, only available with OpenAQ in c…

(Dont forget to donate if you like it 😘)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Olivier\_Arthus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/olivier_arthus/32/88909_2.png) [@Olivier\_Arthus](https://community.homey.app/u/Olivier_Arthus)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 10:07am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/10 "2024-10-26T10:07:52Z")

</div>

Hello Robin

I had installed Openaq, but it said no device installed, which led me to believe a physical devices needed to be installed, but maybe I did not understand  
I will try again, just to make sur I’m not missing the point

Update. I have installed a tried to install Lufdaten device (randomly since several are proposed). It returns some values for  
PM 2,5  
PM 10  
Temperature, humidity and pressure  
Not something easy to use. No color saying it’s good or bad, or what a good measure should be and only PM measures which I find very limited. The AQI offered by Plume Labs includes Nox, CO, SO2, O3, radon and more and compiles all values into a single indicator which is much more user friendly for a non expert  
Just a Quick Look at what Plume Labs give me

 ![IMG_1245](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/6/5/6569e6c2b11b6c423879922887a2c637c43229ff.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/11 "2024-10-27T01:29:25Z")

</div>

For more plug&play like, I suggest to take a look at airQ:

> [@\[APP\]\[PRO\] airQ advanced indoor Air Quality meter](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-airq-advanced-indoor-air-quality-meter/52938):
>
> airQ airQ provides advanced indoor air quality data Supported sensor data (depending on the airQ version): Temperature Humidity % Humidity absolute Air pressure Noise Noise Maximum tVOC SO2 CO NO2 O3 O2 CO2 PM1 PM2.5 PM10 Furthermore the following information is supported: Health index Performance index Virus Free index Dew point Health alarm Virus alarm Performance alarm Fire alarm Gas alarm The following controls are possible from Homey: Sound beeper with duration,…

Indicators:

 ![17299926011553730110445301799190](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/f/8/f88c1e9e45b1a4260e7a890d395ccc7c402c0126.jpeg)

Alarms:

 ![17299926548475357237202487226804](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/4/1/415e322067b5986824f51e374a54a82e01cd4aa0.jpeg)

Device prices are starting from €300,-

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Olivier\_Arthus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/olivier_arthus/32/88909_2.png) [@Olivier\_Arthus](https://community.homey.app/u/Olivier_Arthus)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2024, 5:28am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/12 "2024-10-27T05:28:20Z")

</div>

Thanks but this is not what I’m looking for. There is a public sensor not far from my home and some services are able to access it.  
I have no desire to splash 300-400€ (plus installation pain) for some air quality index that I do not have a very strong need for  
But if I can somehow bring that free info into Homey that would be a plus.  
So far I have not found a way to get the info from the Plume Labs app (not available from the website unfortunately) but still need to test [Openweather.org](http://Openweather.org) by providing my credit card details and hoping there is relevant info  
I also need to try Visualair, maybe they provide the info through a website, not just the app

Thanks

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Didier\_P](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/didier_p/32/79509_2.png) [@Didier\_P](https://community.homey.app/u/Didier_P)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/13 "2024-10-31T16:16:52Z")

</div>

Hello Arthus you can use weather by open meteo. This free app is free and have a lot of parameter allergy… and other  
Bye

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Olivier\_Arthus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/olivier_arthus/32/88909_2.png) [@Olivier\_Arthus](https://community.homey.app/u/Olivier_Arthus)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/air-quality-index/118965/14 "2024-11-01T04:33:05Z")

</div>

Hello Didier

This is a great app and provides all the indicators I was looking for (CO, NO3, CO2, PM 2.5…) and many more indeed such as pollen  
It offers close to 50 indicators and has found my home city and is well integrated with Homey  
Thanks so much for this.  
And no credit card needed unlike Openweather  
I now need 2 things

- check the info provided does correspond to my city (sometimes in some apps they find the city but provide info from 100 miles away)
- Build a nice aggregate Air Quality Index and display it in Homey. Something like: if average is \>85 then Excellent
- If average is between 70-85 then good  
Not sure how I can do this but I guess it’s a different topic

Thanks
