What is a TVOC sensor baseline?
Awair Element uses a digital multi-pixel metal oxide gas sensor to measure TVOC concentration in your environment. To ensure sensor accuracy, upon setup the sensor establishes a baseline. The lowest reading is used as the baseline, and all TVOC readings are relative to this baseline.
How is a baseline calibrated on re-calibrated?
The sensor used in the Awair Element automatically recalibrates using a proprietary on-chip baseline compensation algorithm. A typical home or office usage will result in automatic recalibration without manual intervention.
In rare circumstances or when using the device in a new environment, a re-calibration is advised. There are two methods to recalibrate your TVOC sensor, the first is by exposing the sensor to "clean" outdoor air for 30 minutes. The expected result is that the sensor will output a reading of 20ppb whilst exposed to the outdoor air.
The second is by submitting a TVOC recalibration command through the Awair app. For a more detailed breakdown of this process and best practices please take a look at the article here.