Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install or configure anything when I start using the Loop One meter?
No. Loop One is ready to use right away. Turn the meter on with the switch on its back and start measuring.
What exactly does the device measure?
You can read more about each measured quantity here: What we measure
So I can see the results myself, but what if I don’t understand them?
No worries. Our experts are happy to help you. The service also includes remote consultation if you want it.
Can I save the air quality data for myself?
You can save the data yourself from the browser view as a CSV file, or the graphs as a PDF file, whenever you like. You don’t need to ask us for this information separately. The data is kept in the cloud service for as long as you need it.
How long does the battery last? And how is the device charged?
With the default settings, the Loop One battery lasts about 8 months, typically 6–18 months depending on the settings. The other devices need charging less often: up to 36 months between charges for Loop Zero (see Devices). Charging with a USB-C cable is as easy as charging a mobile phone.
I’d like to measure with two devices in spaces that are separate from each other. One is a basement, is that possible?
The device works on the mobile network, so you can measure anywhere a mobile phone has coverage. We have yet to find a space in Finland where the Loop One meter doesn’t work. You see the data of both devices separately in our cloud service, so following them is easy too.
Can the device be installed outdoors?
Yes, when the device is protected from rain and snow, including driving rain. The device’s own enclosure is IP20 and is not waterproof, so an unprotected device must not be installed outdoors. The protection must let air flow freely, so that the device measures the outdoor air rather than the air inside the protection. Moisture can also build up inside a closed enclosure. At sites exposed to vandalism or theft, the device can additionally be fitted with a protective cage that prevents it from being removed without tools.
The device operates down to -20 °C, but some Loop One measurements are limited to the operating ranges stated by the sensor manufacturers:
- CO2 is not measured below 0 °C.
- tVOC is most accurate at 0…+40 °C, and the low humidity of freezing air weakens the measurement.
- Particulate matter is measured down to -10 °C.
- Temperature, humidity, air pressure, differential pressure, noise, light and motion work across the device’s full temperature range.
The battery does not charge below freezing, and at -10 °C it provides about 70% of its rated capacity. Outdoor installation and protecting the device are the user’s responsibility. The sensor-specific limits and outdoor installation instructions are in the device’s user manual, for example the Loop One user manual.
Can one meter have sub-meters, since we have several spaces to measure in the same building?
You can place a Loop One device in each space and conveniently follow them all in one view that shows all devices in the same building.
What do I do if I can’t drill a mount into the wall?
You can mount the device with 3M Command adhesive strips.
1. Remove the corner “pads” from the back of the device.
2. Follow the instructions on the package. Note the time needed for the strips to hold. https://www.3msuomi.fi/3M/fi_FI/p/c/koti/varastointi-ja-organisointi/koukut-pidikkeet-ja-kiinnityspalat/b/command/
3. When you remove the device from the wall, follow the instructions so the wall stays undamaged.
4. Or watch the video guide: https://youtu.be/HYOFXtxCrQU
Why does the VOC data appear with a delay when the other data shows up in the service quickly?
Whenever Loop One has been switched off, the tVOC sensor is recalibrated. Calibration takes up to 24 hours. After 24 hours the measurement stabilises and the VOC values show the actual situation.
Why does the VOC measurement sometimes show zero for a longer time, even though the device hasn’t been moved and nothing unusual has happened in the room?
The measurement follows all VOC emissions the device detects and shows them in one graph. VOC compounds can come from many different sources, and they all add up to one curve: volatile organic compounds, or tVOC.
When the measurement shows zero, the space may have been ventilated well enough, meaning the air has been exchanged, or the VOC source has gone completely.
From time to time the device calibrates itself, which shows as a clear drop in the VOC level. The device may also occasionally restart on its own, in which case it looks for a new zero level and the measurement briefly shows zero.
If the device detects cleaner air in terms of VOC compounds than in earlier measurements, it will show zero for a longer time. The zero level is always set by the cleanest air measured. This is how all tVOC sensors we know of work.
If you like, you can take the device into the cleanest possible air for 1–2 days, and it will set its zero level based on that.
Does Loop One detect smoking on balconies? I can smell tobacco smoke in my apartment.
Yes, it does. You can read more in our blog post (in Finnish): Can tobacco smoke be measured? – Yes, and here’s how we tested it
