How to implement a CO2 meter in bars and restaurants

The country's bars, restaurants and cafes are being forced to implement new measures against the spread of the virus for business survival in the face of the pandemic. In fact, in some communities, as in the case of the Balearic Islands, restaurants are already required to install a CO2 meter to measure the quality of the ambient air and guarantee the health of the air, and may even be penalized for not do it from the indicated date.

Therefore, we will give you steps to follow for the correct installation and use of a CO2 meter in a local, bar, cafeteria or restaurant, in addition to the published aids for small businesses to implement.

CO2 meter to guarantee the quality of the air in the environment in restaurants

A CO2 meter is an intelligent device that helps you control the quality of the air in the environment by alerting you when there is a high level of carbon dioxide and the space must be ventilated.

It is a useful and easy solution for public and closed spaces such as offices, schools, shops and restaurants, to avoid infections caused by aerosols, recently recognized as the main route of virus transmission.

How does a CO2 sensor work?

To know if a closed environment is well ventilated and the air free of viruses, we need to know the values of carbon dioxide in the environment at all times. To do this, a CO2 meter is needed which, made up of a sensor, is capable of efficiently detecting the CO2 level in an interior space by means of infrared.

In the case of AirGuardian, with an NDIR sensor together with a screen that shows the levels in real time (as recommended by the CSIC -Institute of Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies-), its use is so simple that anyone can know the status of the air at a glance, as it changes color like a traffic light depending on CO2 levels.

Normal values of CO2 in the atmosphere in a bar or restaurant

In general, the level of CO2 outside is 400 ppm (parts per million).

Inside a bar, local or any business, a value between 500 and 700 ppm is considered acceptable.

On the other hand, in case of surpassing between the 800 and 1000ppm approximately, it is already mandatory to ventilate the space to renew the air.

In fact, more than 1000 is already considered a high concentration of CO2 and, therefore, poor ventilation. Therefore, the air would have to be renewed as soon as possible to guarantee safety in that space.

Implementation of a CO2 detector in 4 easy steps

For its implementation, users ofCO2 meters like those from AirGuardianjust follow these simple steps:

1. Connect the device to the electrical network and press and hold the power button.
2. Download the AirGuardian App on your mobile.
3. Register the device in the AirGuardian app.
4. Add as many devices as you install in your usual rooms or rooms.

Regarding its location, should be avoided install it in:

• The inside of a piece of furniture.
• Damp or wet places such as near the kitchen, etc.
• Near ventilation areas such as doors and windows.
• Where the temperature drops below -10C or exceeds 40C.C.

How to measure CO2 from the mobile

Having a connection Wifi , CO2 meters such as AirGuardian, can be monitor and control from mobile through an app.

From it, you can know the levels of CO2 in the environment at any time and from anywhere. Even if you have several devices in different rooms or spaces, you can see the air values of all of them in real time and thus control from your mobile that they maintain correct ventilation.

If you also have automated ventilation systems , you can monitor the automatic activation so that they work when the CO2 levels exceed the recommended ones.

In addition, from the mobile application, you can know the stock history of your installed CO2 meters and connect them to a Smart TV or screen so that your customers and employees can know the values in real time.

Bars and restaurants must install CO2 meters to "verify that they are well ventilated"

Theobligation to implement an air quality meter in bars and restaurants by governments is already a fact in communities such as the Balearic Islands, where recently the Minister ofEconomic Model, Tourism and Work has reported that, among the new measures to deal with COVID-19, theGovernment includes the obligation to install a CO2 meter in the restaurant and hotel industry .

With this, he points out, it is also intended that customers can check that they are well ventilated.. 

Check here the Autonomous Communities where the use of CO2 meters is already mandatory in certain sectors.

Aid for the installation of CO2 meters in bars and restaurants

¡But there is also good news for small hospitality businesses!

According to the newspaper The world, CAEB Restoration claims that a large part of the establishments already have proper ventilation and claim economic aid aimed at small businesses in the sector.

Specifically, a help of 800 to restoration companies with less than 20 workers who request itn, for the acquisition and installation of measurement, ventilation and air purification systems.